Chapter 4: The Secret Victoria Knew
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
My father stood beside the table, staring at Catherine Moore as if he were trying to decide whether he'd heard her correctly.
"She knows why Danielle came here today?"" he repeated.
Catherine nodded.
"That's what she told me.""
I shifted Grace against my shoulder.
"Why would she know anything about me?""
Catherine hesitated.
"Mrs. Hale claims she recognized your name.""
My stomach tightened.
"From where?""
"She wouldn't explain. She insisted on speaking directly with your father.""
My father slowly shook his head.
"She's already had an opportunity to speak. She chose to insult my daughter, strike her, and lie about what happened. If she has something legitimate to say, she can say it here.""
Catherine nodded.
"I'll bring her in.""
A moment later, Victoria appeared at the doorway.
Her fuchsia dress was still immaculate. Her diamonds still sparkled beneath the lounge lighting.
But her expression had changed.
She wasn't smiling anymore.
She looked at me first.
Then she looked at my father.
"Mr. Brooks, perhaps we should discuss this without your daughter present.""
My father pulled out a chair.
"No.""
Victoria frowned.
"Excuse me?""
"You heard me. Whatever concerns my daughter, she stays.""
Victoria glanced at Grace.
"Fine. But I hope you understand that this situation is considerably more complicated than you realize.""
I stared at her.
"You slapped me in front of twenty people. What could possibly be complicated about that?""
She ignored me.
"Mr. Brooks, I believe your daughter has been keeping certain things from you.""
My father's expression remained neutral.
"Such as?""
Victoria opened her handbag and removed a folded piece of paper.
She placed it on the table.
I recognized the document immediately.
My divorce agreement.
My hands went cold.
"Where did you get that?""
Victoria finally looked at me.
"Your ex-husband, apparently, has been more forthcoming than you.""
I stood up so quickly that the chair scraped against the floor.
"Why do you have my divorce papers?""
My father raised one hand.
"Danielle. Sit down, sweetheart.""
I remained standing.
"She has my private documents.""
Victoria smiled faintly.
"Perhaps you should have been more careful about the people you trusted.""
My father picked up the document.
His eyes moved across the first page.
Then the second.
He looked at me.
"Is this your divorce agreement?""
"Yes.""
"Why does she have it?""
I shook my head.
"I have no idea.""
Victoria folded her arms.
"Your daughter was married to a man named Ethan Cole, correct?""
My father nodded slowly.
"Yes.""
"And he worked for a company associated with your investment group?""
I looked at her.
"What are you talking about?""
Victoria continued.
"Ethan Cole was involved in a commercial property acquisition that failed. He left behind considerable financial complications.""
My father placed the papers down.
"Ethan's employment has nothing to do with my daughter being assaulted.""
"Perhaps not. But it explains why she came here.""
I frowned.
"I came here because Grace had a doctor's appointment.""
Victoria laughed.
"That's what you want everyone to believe.""
My father stood.
"Choose your next words carefully.""
For the first time, Victoria looked genuinely uncomfortable.
She reached into her handbag again and removed her phone.
"Three weeks ago, I received a message from someone claiming to represent a former business associate of your daughter. He said she was planning to use your family's name to gain access to certain properties.""
I stared at her.
"That's absurd.""
"Is it?""
"Yes!""
She tapped her screen.
"I still have the message.""
My father looked toward Daniel.
"Take a copy. Preserve the original.""
Daniel stepped forward.
Victoria hesitated before handing him the phone.
He read the message.
Then his expression changed.
"Sir.""
My father took the phone.
I watched his eyes move across the screen.
The message was short.
Danielle Brooks may attempt to contact your hotel regarding a private matter. Her father is Robert Brooks. Be careful. She has a history of using family connections to get what she wants.
I felt sick.
"Who sent that?""
Victoria shrugged.
"An unknown number.""
"Then you don't know whether it's true.""
"Naturally, I can't verify everything.""
"You didn't even ask me!""
Victoria tilted her head.
"Why would I?""
I stared at her.
She had just admitted that she had received an unverified message about me and used it as justification to humiliate me.
My father placed the phone on the table.
"Mrs. Hale, this doesn't explain why you struck my daughter.""
Victoria's expression hardened.
"I've already explained that she was disrespectful.""
"That's not an explanation. It's an excuse.""
She turned toward Catherine.
"Are you going to let him speak to me like this?""
Catherine remained silent.
My father looked at her.
"Did you know about this message?""
"No, sir.""
"Did anyone in management know?""
Catherine shook her head.
"Not that I'm aware of.""
Victoria suddenly looked irritated.
"Enough. I came here to prevent a misunderstanding, not to be interrogated.""
She reached for her phone.
Daniel didn't move.
"Mrs. Hale, please leave the device here until we've documented the message.""
She glared at him.
"Absolutely not.""
My father spoke quietly.
"Daniel, don't touch her property. Just document what was voluntarily shown.""
Daniel nodded.
Victoria snatched her phone from the table.
Then she turned toward me.
"You should ask your father what happened to your ex-husband's business partner.""
I froze.
"What?""
Victoria smiled.
"Ask him why Ethan Cole lost his job. Ask him who signed the acquisition agreement.""
My father stepped forward.
"That's enough.""
Victoria took a step toward the door.
"Enjoy your family reunion, Mr. Brooks. But don't assume your daughter has told you everything.""
She left.
The door closed behind her.
I looked at my father.
"What was that about?""
He didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he picked up the divorce agreement and carefully placed it back on the table.
"Danielle, I need to ask you something.""
"What?""
"Did Ethan ever mention a man named Victor Hale?""
I searched my memory.
The name sounded familiar.
"Maybe. I remember Ethan mentioning Hale Properties once. He said there was a complicated deal involving a hotel development.""
My father's face tightened.
"What else?""
"I don't know. He was stressed during the last few months of our marriage. He worked late, took calls outside, and kept saying that someone had betrayed him.""
My father sat down.
I had never seen him look so troubled.
"Dad?""
He rubbed his forehead.
"Three years ago, one of our subsidiary companies investigated a commercial acquisition involving Hale Properties. There were concerns about falsified financial documents.""
"Was Ethan involved?""
"He was a junior analyst assigned to review the transaction.""
I swallowed.
"And?""
"He reported irregularities.""
I stared at him.
"Then why did he lose his job?""
My father looked directly at me.
"Because someone accused him of leaking confidential information.""
My heart began pounding.
"Who?""
My father paused.
"Victor Hale.""
I looked toward the closed door.
Victoria's husband.
The man whose name had just appeared in a story that suddenly seemed connected to my entire marriage.
Before I could ask another question, Daniel returned.
"Mr. Brooks, there's something else.""
My father looked up.
"What?""
"Security found a visitor access record from this morning.""
"And?""
Daniel placed a printed sheet on the table.
"Mrs. Hale entered the hotel at 8:12 a.m.""
I frowned.
"That was before I arrived.""
"Yes, ma'am.""
Daniel pointed to another line.
"She requested access to the executive office floor.""
My father looked at him.
"Who authorized it?""
Daniel swallowed.
"Marcus Reed.""
I stared at the paper.
Victoria hadn't simply walked into the hotel and happened to encounter me.
She had arrived early.
She had requested access to the executive floor.
And somehow, she already knew my name.
My father slowly stood.
"Find out exactly who she came here to meet.""
Daniel nodded.
"There's one more thing, sir.""
"What?""
Daniel looked at me.
"She wasn't alone when she arrived.""
He pointed toward the entrance camera timestamp.
"Someone came in with her. A man carrying a black briefcase.""
Then he showed us the photograph.
I recognized him immediately.
It was Ethan Cole.
May you like
My ex-husband.
And he was standing beside Victoria Hale.
