Chapter 14 - THE WOMAN VICTORIA UNDERESTIMATED
“Let him go.”
Florence’s voice shook.
But the gun didn’t.
Victoria stared at her.
“You should be in the hospital.”
“I was.”
“Then my son called.”
Edward almost smiled.
Of course she came.
“Mom, lower the gun.”
Victoria tightened her hold on Julian.
Florence ignored Edward.
“You thought because I was old, I was weak.”
“Florence—”
“You thought because I was sick, I was stupid.”
Victoria glanced toward the nearest exit.
Florence saw it.
“Don’t.”
Edward slowly moved closer.
“Mom.”
“Stay back.”
Smoke drifted along the ceiling.
Sirens screamed outside.
Victoria laughed.
“You won’t shoot me.”
Florence’s eyes sharpened.
“You’re right.”
Victoria smiled.
Florence continued.
“I don’t need to.”
She lowered the weapon and stepped backward.
Victoria looked confused.
Then Detective Mitchell appeared behind her.
“Drop the knife.”
Victoria froze.
Julian drove his elbow backward.
Victoria stumbled.
Edward grabbed Julian and pulled him away.
Mitchell tackled Victoria.
The knife slid across the floor.
Daniel appeared from a nearby room.
He ran toward the exit.
Caroline Bennett stood outside with officers.
She saw him.
“That’s him!”
Daniel turned.
Wrong direction.
Straight into two tactical officers.
Seconds later, he was face down and handcuffed.
Victoria screamed.
“Daniel!”
He looked at her.
For the first time, his confidence was gone.
“It’s over, Van.”
Van.
Vanessa.
Victoria’s face collapsed.
“No.”
Daniel looked toward police.
“I’ll talk.”
She stared at him.
“You coward.”
“I’m not dying in prison for you.”
“You did everything I asked!”
“And I kept records.”
Edward saw the terror in her face.
Daniel smiled bitterly.
“Every payment.”
“Every forged document.”
“Every doctor.”
“Every victim.”
Victoria lunged at him.
Officers restrained her.
“You bastard!”
Daniel laughed.
“You always said everyone has a price.”
She fought harder.
Edward stood beside Florence.
Victoria looked at him.
“Edward!”
He didn’t move.
“Edward, please.”
For the first time since this began, her voice sounded like the woman he married.
Soft.
Warm.
Human.
“Please.”
Edward stared at her.
She began crying.
“I made mistakes.”
“Mistakes?”
“I loved you.”
“No.”
“You did.”
“You loved me!”
Edward walked closer.
Victoria’s eyes searched his face.
He removed his wedding ring.
Two years of marriage.
Two years of lies.
He placed it on the floor between them.
“I loved someone who never existed.”
Victoria stared at the ring.
Edward stepped back.
She screamed his name as police dragged her toward the exit.
He never turned around.
Outside, paramedics treated residents.
Florence sat beneath a blanket.
Edward joined her.
“You disobeyed literally everyone.”
She shrugged.
“I’m old.”
“What are they going to do?”
“Ground me?”
Edward laughed.
Then his eyes filled.
He hugged her carefully.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Finally Florence whispered,
“There’s one more thing.”
Edward leaned back.
“No.”
She smiled.
“What?”
“No more secrets.”
“This one is good.”
“I don’t trust that sentence anymore.”
Florence reached inside her coat.
She opened her palm.
The golden heirloom lay there.
Edward stared.
“You found it?”
“Samuel did.”
“When?”
“This afternoon.”
Edward picked up the small golden key.
Florence closed his fingers around it.
“It belongs to you now.”
Edward shook his head.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“Mom—”
“The key was never about money.”
She looked toward the burning facility where dozens of strangers were being rescued.
“It was about remembering what money is for.”
Edward frowned.
Florence smiled.
“Your father understood that at the end.”
Then she whispered something that changed Edward’s plans for the entire Hale fortune.
“Open the vault tomorrow.”
“There’s a letter inside.”
May you like
“From your father.”
“And he wrote it the night before he died.”
