Chapter 9 — The Secret Between Them
After Victor was taken away, the mansion felt too large.
Guests left in small, uneasy groups. Reporters waited outside the gates. Police officers moved through Victor’s office, carrying boxes of files.
Claire sat in the library with a blanket over her shoulders while a medic checked her face. Nora refused to leave her side.
Elias stood near the fireplace, silent.
For seven years, Claire had imagined what she would say if she saw him again.
She had imagined anger.
She had imagined apology.
She had not imagined this hollow ache.
Nora touched her arm.
“I’ll get you some water.”
Claire knew it was an excuse to give them privacy.
When Nora left, Claire looked at Elias.
“Why didn’t you come back sooner?”
The question was quiet, but it carried all the years between them.
Elias stared at the floor.
“Because Victor made sure I couldn’t.”
Claire waited.
“He framed me well,” Elias said. “Police reports. Witnesses. Money placed in an account under my name. If I came near you, he would have had me arrested. So I disappeared and started gathering proof.”
“You should have told me.”
“I tried,” he said.
Claire frowned.
Elias reached into his coat and pulled out a small stack of returned envelopes.
Claire’s name was written on each one.
Her breath caught.
“Victor told me you never wrote.”
“I wrote every month for two years.”
Claire touched the envelopes with shaking fingers.
They were all unopened.
All marked return to sender.
Victor had stolen even her chance to know the truth.
“I believed him,” she whispered.
Elias shook his head.
“You were grieving. He used that.”
Claire looked up.
“And the secret my father left?”
May you like
Elias hesitated.
Then he said, “There’s more.”
