Chapter 8 - The Secret Victoria Buried
Richard watched the footage until the battery died.
He did not move.
He did not blink.
The words repeated in his mind.
Just like your mommy.
Victoria knew.
She knew exactly where to hurt his daughter.
She knew exactly which memory to use.
When Richard entered the nursery, Maya immediately ran to him.
This time he noticed something.
She did not cry.
She looked relieved.
Like she had been waiting for rescue.
Richard picked her up.
“I’m sorry.”
Maya touched his face.
“Daddy sad?”
He swallowed.
“Yes.”
“Because me?”
The question destroyed him.
“No.”
He held her tighter.
“Never because of you.”
That night, Richard confronted Victoria.
Not with anger.
With evidence.
He placed the tablet on the table.
The recording played.
Victoria watched.
Her face changed.
Not fear.
Calculation.
When it ended, she was silent.
Then she said:
“You were spying on me.”
Richard stared.
“That’s your answer?”
“You put a camera in our daughter’s room.”
“Our daughter?”
Victoria laughed softly.
“That’s what you call her?”
Richard stepped back.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
Victoria stood.
“You think I don’t know?”
“Know what?”
“That Eleanor still owns this house.”
The sentence was filled with bitterness.
Richard stared.
“You’re jealous of a dead woman?”
Victoria’s expression changed.
“Yes.”
The honesty shocked him.
“I’m jealous of a woman who isn’t even alive.”
Richard shook his head.
“I trusted you.”
Victoria looked away.
“That was your mistake.”
The words hung between them.
Richard felt cold.
“What did you do to Maya?”
Victoria looked back.
And for the first time, she dropped the perfect mask.
“I tried.”
“Tried what?”
“To make her understand.”
“She’s two years old!”
Victoria’s eyes filled with anger.
“She is Eleanor’s daughter.”
Richard froze.
There it was.
The truth beneath everything.
Not love.
Not motherhood.
Competition.
Then Victoria said something worse.
“She was never supposed to survive.”
Richard went still.
“What?”
Victoria immediately looked shocked.
As if she had said too much.
The silence became unbearable.
Richard whispered:
“What did you just say?”
Victoria stepped back.
“I didn’t mean—”
“No.”
His voice became colder.
“Explain.”
Before she could answer, the front door slammed downstairs.
A guard shouted.
“Sir!”
Richard turned.
The momentary distraction was enough.
Victoria walked away.
May you like
But before leaving the room, she whispered:
“Ask yourself why Eleanor was scared before she died.”
