Chapter 5: The Daughter Behind the Betrayal
For several seconds, I couldn't speak.
Vanessa.
The woman who had humiliated me in front of the creative department.
The woman who had called my mother a nobody.
The woman who had threatened to destroy my career.
She was Victoria Bellamy's daughter.
I stepped away from the table.
"You're telling me Vanessa Reed is your daughter?""
Victoria nodded.
"Yes.""
"Then why doesn't she use your last name?""
"Because she hasn't spoken to me in almost ten years.""
The headlights outside disappeared.
Victoria moved toward the window and carefully pulled back the curtain.
A black sedan was parked across the street.
Its headlights were off.
"Who is that?"" I whispered.
"I don't know.""
"Is it Arthur?""
"I doubt it.""
She returned to the table and pushed the envelope toward me.
"Take these.""
I hesitated.
"Why?""
"Because if someone is watching this building, I don't want them finding the documents here.""
I picked up the envelope.
"What exactly happened between you and Vanessa?""
Victoria sat down.
For the first time, she looked less like a powerful businesswoman and more like a mother who had lost something she couldn't replace.
"When Vanessa was sixteen, she found out about the original partnership agreement. She believed your mother had stolen part of our family's company.""
"But my mother was supposed to own it.""
"She didn't understand that. I tried to explain, but she had already begun listening to other people.""
"Who?""
Victoria looked at the envelope.
"Your mother.""
I frowned.
"What?""
"Vanessa met Eleanor when she was a child. Eleanor used to bring her into the studio. She taught her how to sketch, how to choose fabric, how to sew.""
I remembered the old photograph.
My mother and Victoria standing beside each other.
"Vanessa learned fashion from my mother?""
"Yes.""
Victoria swallowed.
"She used to call Eleanor Aunt Eleanor.""
I felt sick.
"Then why does she hate her?""
"Because when the collection was stolen, Vanessa believed Eleanor had betrayed me. She watched our family fall apart. She saw my father become obsessed with finding the missing ownership documents. And she grew up believing Eleanor had caused all of it.""
"That's not an excuse.""
"No. It isn't.""
Victoria looked down.
"But it explains why she has spent so many years trying to destroy everything connected to your mother.""
I opened the envelope again.
There were several pages, including a financial statement and a photograph of a sealed folder.
At the bottom of the last page was a handwritten note.
The original agreement is beneath the first collection.
I looked up.
"That's what my mother wrote in her notebook.""
Victoria nodded.
"She must have left it somewhere in the original building.""
"Where?""
Victoria shook her head.
"I don't know.""
I turned toward the entrance.
"Then we need to find it.""
Victoria caught my arm.
"Not tonight.""
"Why?""
"Because Vanessa knows I have been looking.""
I stared at her.
"How long has she known?""
Victoria's expression changed.
"Longer than you think.""
The next morning, I returned to Bellamy House.
I had barely stepped through the entrance when Olivia rushed toward me.
"Maya, where were you last night?""
I stopped.
"Why?""
"Vanessa has been looking for you.""
My stomach tightened.
"What did she say?""
"She asked whether you had contacted Victoria.""
I glanced toward the elevators.
"Did you tell her?""
"Of course not.""
Olivia lowered her voice.
"There's something else. She removed your interview file from recruitment.""
"What?""
"She told Patricia that your application was being reviewed for a conflict of interest.""
I stared at her.
"That's ridiculous.""
"I know.""
"Can she do that?""
Olivia shook her head.
"Not without authorization.""
I headed toward the recruitment department.
Olivia followed.
"Where are you going?""
"To speak with Patricia.""
We reached the recruitment office.
Patricia was standing beside the printer, looking through several documents.
When she saw me, she immediately frowned.
"Maya. I'm glad you're here.""
"What's happening with my application?""
Patricia looked uncomfortable.
"Your file has been temporarily placed on hold.""
"Why?""
"Vanessa submitted a formal complaint.""
"What kind of complaint?""
Patricia handed me a document.
The heading read:
*POTENTIAL INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CONFLICT — MAYA CARTER.*
I read the first paragraph.
According to Vanessa, I had attempted to submit designs that belonged to Bellamy House's historical archives.
I looked up.
"She's accusing me of stealing my mother's work?""
Patricia nodded slowly.
"That's what the report suggests.""
I couldn't believe it.
"Those designs were created before I was born.""
"I understand.""
"Then why is my application on hold?""
Patricia sighed.
"Because Vanessa claims the sketchbook contains confidential company material.""
Olivia stepped forward.
"That's ridiculous. The notebook belonged to Maya's mother.""
Patricia lowered her voice.
"I believe you. But the complaint has already reached legal.""
I felt anger rising in my chest.
"Then let legal examine the dates. Let them compare the original drawings.""
Patricia nodded.
"I'll request an independent review.""
Before she could say anything else, the door opened.
Vanessa walked in.
"Patricia, I was wondering where my report had gone.""
She stopped when she saw me.
"Ah. Maya.""
I turned.
"Did you really accuse me of stealing my own mother's designs?""
Vanessa placed her tablet on the desk.
"I'm protecting the company.""
"From what?""
"People who think family connections give them special privileges.""
I stepped closer.
"My mother created those designs.""
Vanessa laughed.
"That's what you keep claiming.""
Olivia couldn't hold back.
"Vanessa, everyone in this department has seen the original sketchbook.""
Vanessa turned toward her.
"Nobody asked you to participate.""
Patricia intervened.
"Vanessa, this matter needs to be handled through legal.""
"Then let legal handle it.""
She looked at me.
"But until the investigation is complete, Maya should have no access to the creative department.""
I stared at her.
"You're trying to silence me.""
Vanessa leaned closer.
"I'm trying to save this company from another Eleanor Carter.""
Then she turned and walked out.
At noon, Helen called me into her office.
Arthur was there.
So was a man I hadn't met before, wearing a charcoal suit and carrying a leather briefcase.
"Please sit, Maya," Arthur said.
I took the chair beside Helen.
Arthur introduced the man.
"This is Richard Hale, our external legal adviser.""
Richard opened his briefcase.
"We've received a complaint concerning your mother's sketchbook.""
I nodded.
"I'm aware.""
"Do you have any evidence establishing that the designs were created by Eleanor Carter?""
I placed the notebook on the table.
"Yes.""
Richard examined the pages.
"Are there original dated sketches?""
"Several.""
He studied the paper carefully.
"These may be useful. However, we'll need to establish their authenticity.""
Arthur leaned forward.
"Richard, I want the original partnership records located immediately.""
Richard nodded.
"Of course.""
Helen looked at me.
"There's something else. The archive team has found a reference to a storage compartment beneath the original runway platform.""
I stared.
"Beneath the first collection?""
Helen nodded.
Arthur stood.
"The old showroom was renovated in 2004. Some original structures remain.""
I opened my bag and removed the envelope Victoria had given me.
"Is this what you're looking for?""
Arthur took the document.
His expression changed when he saw the date.
"Where did you get this?""
"Victoria.""
Arthur's face hardened.
"You met my daughter?""
"Yes.""
He sat down slowly.
"She had no right to involve you.""
"She said my mother was the rightful co-founder.""
Arthur didn't respond.
I leaned forward.
"Was she telling the truth?""
He looked at me for a long time.
Then he nodded.
"Yes.""
The room went silent.
"My mother owned forty-five percent of this company?""
"She was supposed to.""
"Then why did you let her lose everything?""
Arthur's eyes lowered.
"I was wrong.""
I felt tears burning behind my eyes.
"She died believing she had failed.""
Arthur gripped his cane.
"I know.""
"Do you?""
He looked up.
"I have carried that guilt for twenty-eight years.""
I stood.
"Then help me find the original agreement.""
Arthur nodded.
"I will.""
But Richard suddenly cleared his throat.
"There's a complication.""
Arthur turned.
"What?""
Richard placed a document on the table.
"The ownership agreement was never registered. If the original isn't found, proving Eleanor's stake may be extremely difficult.""
I looked at the paper.
"And if we find it?""
Richard hesitated.
"Then the legal situation changes considerably.""
Arthur stared at the document.
Then he said something that made my heart stop.
"If Eleanor's ownership is confirmed, her share would legally pass to her only heir.""
I looked at him.
"Me?""
Arthur nodded.
"Yes, Maya.""
Forty-five percent.
I wasn't just fighting for my mother's name anymore.
I might be fighting for the company she had helped create.
That evening, Olivia found me near the design studio.
"You look like you've seen a ghost.""
I gave a tired smile.
"Something like that.""
She lowered her voice.
"Vanessa has been in the archive room for three hours.""
My stomach tightened.
"Doing what?""
"Searching through old collection files.""
I looked toward the elevator.
"Does she know about the storage compartment?""
Olivia nodded.
"Apparently.""
I immediately called Helen.
She answered after the second ring.
"Maya?""
"Vanessa is searching the archives.""
A pause.
"Where are you?""
"Outside the creative department.""
"Stay there. I'm coming.""
But before Helen could arrive, Olivia grabbed my arm.
"Look.""
Across the corridor, Vanessa emerged from the archive room carrying a large black folder.
She looked around carefully.
Then she walked toward the service elevator.
I followed at a distance.
The elevator doors closed before I reached them.
Olivia pressed the button.
"Where is she going?""
I looked at the floor indicator.
It was descending.
Past the lobby.
Into the basement.
Then my phone buzzed.
A message from an unknown number.
May you like
Vanessa isn't searching for the agreement.
She's searching for the evidence that your mother was murdered.
