Chapter 3 - The Mask Cracks
The next morning, the sun rose over a frost-covered estate. Richard was already in the kitchen, sitting at the breakfast nook with Maya on his lap. The little girl was eating quiet bites of blueberry porridge, her cheeks still pale but her posture noticeably more relaxed as she leaned against her father’s solid chest.
The sound of high heels echoed down the hallway. Victoria walked into the sunny kitchen wearing an ivory cashmere sweater and gold jewelry, looking fresh and flawless.
"Good morning, darlings," Victoria purred, stepping toward the table with an affectionate smile. She reached out to stroke Maya’s cheek. "How is my little angel feeling today?"
Before her hand could reach the toddler, Richard casually shifted his body, bringing his mug of coffee up and intercepting her movement. Maya immediately buried her face into Richard’s ribcage.
"She’s still recovering from last night," Richard said, his voice smooth, pleasant, and completely devoid of emotion. "I’m taking her to the office with me today."
Victoria paused, her hand hovering in the air for a fraction of a second before she pulled it back, a flicker of irritation flashing through her dark eyes. "To the corporate office? Richard, darling, that’s hardly an appropriate environment for a toddler. You have board meetings all day. Leave her here with me and Mrs. Gable. I was planning on taking her to the children’s boutique in Westbury."
"I want her close to me today, Victoria," Richard replied, meeting her gaze squarely. His eyes were dead calm, holding hers until she was the one to look away.
"Well... if you insist," Victoria murmured, forcing a sweet, indulgent smile. "You do spoil her so much, Richard. But I suppose a father’s love knows no bounds."
As Richard carried Maya out to his armored SUV, Marcus tapped his earpiece near the garage entrance, giving Richard a subtle nod. The new surveillance network was live.
At 11:00 AM, while Richard sat in his Manhattan boardroom with Maya sleeping peacefully in an adjoining private office guarded by two security personnel, Marcus sent an encrypted video file to Richard’s phone.
Richard opened the file under the conference table.
The hidden camera in Victoria’s private dressing room showed her pacing back and forth, throwing a silk scarf onto her vanity mirror in a fit of rage. She poured herself a glass of gin, her face contorted in a sneer that looked completely foreign from the graceful woman the world knew.
On the audio feed, her voice came through crisp and sharp as she spoke on an encrypted cell phone:
"He took the brat to work with him today... No, he didn't suspect anything, he’s just being overly protective because of her little meltdown... We need to accelerate the timeline. The trust funds Eleanor left behind for the girl unlock on her third birthday next year. If Richard transfers full legal guardianship to me before then, I control the proxy voting rights for Sterling Logistics."
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Richard closed his phone. He looked out the glass window of his office at the Manhattan skyline, his hands clenching into tight fists until his knuckles popped.
Victoria hadn't just come into his life to be a wife. She was part of a calculated financial siege to seize control of his late wife's multi-billion-dollar inheritance.
