Chapter 7: The Ledger
“What is that?”” Mark asked.
Victoria held the ledger against her chest.
“Proof.””
“Proof of what?””
“That I was never the person running this.””
Daniel stepped toward her.
“Give it to me.””
Victoria backed away.
“No.””
Daniel stopped.
“What changed?””
“Daisy.””
Victoria looked at the little girl.
“I almost killed her.””
Mark stared at her.
Victoria’s voice broke.
“I told myself I was only frightening her. I told myself I was protecting myself. Then I watched her disappear underwater.””
She wiped her face.
“And I realized I had become exactly what I feared.””
Mark looked at the ledger.
“Give it to me.””
Victoria handed it over.
Mark opened it.
Every payment had dates.
Names.
Amounts.
The numbers went back more than twenty years.
At the bottom of one page was a handwritten note.
*Payment to V.H. for silence.*
Mark looked up.
“V.H.””
Victoria swallowed.
“Victoria Hale.””
“You were paid to marry me.””
“Yes.””
Mark stared at her.
Daniel said, “You were supposed to keep Mark distracted until Daisy’s inheritance could be transferred.””
Mark’s jaw clenched.
“Transferred to whom?””
Daniel pointed toward the ledger.
“Me.””
Mark looked at Victoria.
“And you agreed.””
“At first.””
“At first?””
“I thought Daniel was going to expose your father’s crimes.””
“And then?””
“He threatened Daisy.””
Mark nodded slowly.
“You should have told me.””
“I was afraid.””
“You should still have told me.””
“I know.””
Daisy stepped closer.
“Daddy?””
Mark turned.
She whispered, “Is Victoria bad?””
Victoria’s face crumpled.
Mark looked at his daughter.
“I don’t know yet.””
Victoria looked at Daisy.
“I was.””
The honesty seemed to surprise everyone.
“I was cruel to you,” she continued.
“And you didn’t deserve any of it.””
Daisy stared at her.
Then she moved behind Mark.
Daniel suddenly laughed.
“All this honesty is touching.””
He pulled out his phone.
Mark stiffened.
Daniel tapped the screen.
A video began playing.
It showed Victoria standing in a bank three months earlier.
She was signing papers.
Mark’s eyes narrowed.
“What is this?””
Victoria looked horrified.
Daniel smiled.
“The day she transferred temporary control of the estate.””
“To you?””
“Yes.””
Mark turned toward Victoria.
“You gave him control?””
“I was forced.””
Daniel laughed.
“No, Victoria. You volunteered.””
Mark looked down at the ledger.
One page was missing.
Daniel held it between two fingers.
“This is the page you don’t have.””
He tore it in half.
“Tomorrow morning, the estate legally changes hands.””
Mark stared.
“You’re bluffing.””
Daniel’s smile vanished.
“No.””
He stepped closer.
“Your daughter’s inheritance is gone at sunrise.””
May you like
Then Daniel looked at Daisy.
“And after that, she has nothing.””
