Chapter 14: The Enemy Within
Victoria didn’t speak.
That frightened Evelyn.
The woman who had faced reporters, investors, and Richard Cross without hesitation now looked genuinely shocked.
“Who?”” Victoria asked.
Evelyn’s mother handed her the drive.
“You need to see it yourself.””
Daniel connected the drive to a laptop inside the warehouse.
Everyone gathered around.
The first files appeared.
Financial records.
Internal communications.
Private meetings.
Then a name.
Victoria leaned closer.
Her face changed.
“No.””
Evelyn looked at her.
“Who is it?””
Victoria didn’t answer.
Daniel whispered:
“Marcus.””
The name meant nothing to Evelyn.
But Victoria reacted like she had been hit.
“Marcus Hale.””
Adrian looked surprised.
“Your brother?””
Victoria nodded slowly.
“My younger brother.””
The room became silent.
Evelyn stared.
“You never mentioned him.””
Victoria looked at the screen.
“Because I thought he was dead to me.””
The files continued appearing.
Messages.
Transfers.
Secret agreements.
Marcus had worked with Richard for years.
He had helped move company assets.
He had helped create the false evidence against Victoria.
He had helped erase her reputation.
Evelyn watched the woman who had seemed impossible to break finally show emotion.
“He was my family.””
The words were barely audible.
Her mother touched Victoria’s arm.
“He betrayed both of us.””
Victoria looked at her.
“You knew?””
“I suspected.””
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because you needed allies.””
The answer surprised Evelyn.
Her mother looked at her.
“You spent twenty years believing everyone left you.””
Evelyn looked down.
“But the truth was…”
She paused.
“Everyone was fighting to protect me.””
Nobody spoke.
Then the warehouse lights suddenly flickered.
Everyone turned.
Daniel closed the laptop.
“What was that?””
A sound came from outside.
A car door.
Then another.
Victoria’s expression changed.
“We need to leave.””
Evelyn looked toward the entrance.
“Why?””
Her mother answered quietly.
“Because Marcus knows we found the files.””
The warehouse doors opened.
Several men entered.
Not police.
Not reporters.
Security.
Private security.
At the front stood a man in an expensive suit.
Older than Evelyn expected.
Confident.
Cold.
He smiled.
“Victoria.””
The woman’s face hardened.
“Marcus.””
Evelyn looked at him.
So this was the man behind everything.
The missing piece.
The person who had helped destroy her mother’s life.
Marcus looked around.
Then his eyes landed on Evelyn.
“So this is Richard’s daughter.””
Evelyn stepped forward.
“She’s my daughter too.””
Her mother’s voice was firm.
Marcus smiled.
“After twenty years, you still think love changes ownership.””
Victoria moved between them.
“You won’t touch her.””
Marcus laughed softly.
“Still protecting people who don’t deserve it.””
The words cut.
Because they sounded exactly like Richard.
Evelyn noticed.
The same arrogance.
The same belief that people were possessions.
Marcus looked at her.
“Do you know why your father wanted Hale International?””
Evelyn didn’t answer.
“Because he believed power belonged to whoever could take it.””
He looked at Victoria.
“But he was always too emotional.””
Victoria narrowed her eyes.
“What did you do?””
Marcus smiled.
“I finished what he started.””
A silence followed.
Then Evelyn understood.
Richard wasn’t the mastermind.
He was only one piece.
Marcus had been moving behind the scenes.
Her mother’s disappearance.
The company attack.
The lies.
Everything.
Marcus stepped closer.
“And now I have one problem.””
Evelyn stared.
“What?””
He smiled.
“You.””
The warehouse doors locked behind them.
And Marcus revealed the reason.
“Because your mother left you the one thing I could never steal.””
Evelyn’s heart raced.
“What?””
May you like
Marcus looked at the drive.
“The final ownership key.””
