Chapter 5: The Woman Victoria Tried to Erase
Chapter 5: The Woman Victoria Tried to Erase
The address on the paper burned into my mind.
A small town outside the city.
A name I had never heard before.
A place where the woman connected to my daughter had been living for six years.
Claire.
Sophia’s biological mother.
The person Victoria had erased from our lives.
I stared at the document while hundreds of guests watched in silence.
The birthday gala was supposed to celebrate my mother’s success.
Instead, it became the night her entire world began falling apart.
I looked at Victoria.
“You knew where she was.”
It wasn’t a question.
It was a fact.
Victoria remained silent.
That silence was her answer.
“You knew she was alive.”
Her expression hardened.
“Daniel, you need to understand something.”
I shook my head.
“No.”
My voice was filled with disappointment.
“I don’t need another excuse.”
I pointed toward Sophia.
“I need answers.”
My daughter rested her head against my shoulder.
She was exhausted.
She had already been through too much.
I turned toward Emily.
“Take Sophia upstairs.”
Emily looked surprised.
“Daniel?”
“Please.”
My voice softened.
“She doesn’t need to hear any more of this.”
Emily nodded.
She carefully reached for Sophia.
But my daughter refused to let go immediately.
“Daddy…”
I looked down.
“Yes, sweetheart?”
“Are you mad at me?”
My heart shattered.
“No.”
I touched her cheek.
“I could never be mad at you.”
She looked at Victoria.
“Are you mad at Grandma?”
I paused.
Then answered honestly.
“Yes.”
Sophia’s eyes filled with tears.
“But she’s still Grandma.”
Those words hurt.
Because my daughter was kinder than the adults who were supposed to protect her.
Emily carried Sophia away.
And the moment she disappeared through the ballroom doors, I faced Victoria again.
“You have five minutes.”
The guests slowly began leaving.
Nobody wanted to be part of the conversation anymore.
The cameras stopped recording.
The music remained silent.
The woman who once controlled every room she entered was now standing alone.
“You think I’m the villain.”
Victoria’s voice was quiet.
“You think I destroyed your family.”
I looked at her.
“Didn’t you?”
She took a deep breath.
“I saved you.”
I almost laughed.
“From what?”
Victoria looked toward the door where Sophia had left.
“From Claire.”
I stared at her.
“You keep saying her name like she was a monster.”
Victoria stepped closer.
“Because she was.”
My expression changed.
“Then prove it.”
She hesitated.
That hesitation told me everything.
“You don’t have proof.”
Victoria’s jaw tightened.
“She manipulated you.”
“How?”
“She appeared in your life when you were vulnerable.”
I frowned.
“What are you talking about?”
Victoria looked away.
“You were young.”
I felt confused.
“Claire and I knew each other before Sophia was born.”
“Yes.”
“And you knew?”
“Yes.”
The answer shocked me.
My mother had known Claire.
Not just known her.
She had been watching her.
“Why?”
Victoria’s eyes became colder.
“Because Claire was connected to a scandal that could destroy our family name.”
I crossed my arms.
“This isn’t about reputation anymore.”
I looked around the empty ballroom.
“You destroyed my wife.”
“You hurt my child.”
“You stole money from your own granddaughter.”
Victoria’s face changed.
“I never stole from Sophia.”
I pulled out the bank records.
“Then explain this.”
She looked at the papers.
For the first time, she looked nervous.
“I used the money to protect the family.”
“Protect?”
I stepped closer.
“You spent money meant for your granddaughter.”
Victoria lowered her voice.
“Daniel, you don’t understand.”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“You’re right.”
“I don’t understand how a grandmother could watch a little girl go hungry.”
The words hit her.
For a moment, I saw something behind her anger.
Regret.
But it disappeared quickly.
“You will regret finding Claire.”
I stared at her.
“Is that a threat?”
“No.”
She looked directly at me.
“It’s a warning.”
I picked up the address.
“I’m going to see her.”
Victoria’s face went pale.
“You cannot.”
“I can.”
“She will destroy everything.”
I walked toward the ballroom exit.
“Maybe.”
I stopped.
“But at least she won’t be lying to me.”
The next morning, I drove to the address alone.
I needed answers.
Not from Victoria.
Not from Emily.
From Claire.
The woman who had been hidden from me for six years.
The house was small.
Nothing like the Sterling mansion.
A simple white house with a small garden.
I stepped out of my car.
My heart was beating faster with every step.
I knocked.
No answer.
I knocked again.
Then I heard footsteps.
The door slowly opened.
A woman stood there.
She looked older than the photograph.
But I recognized her immediately.
Her eyes widened.
Her face lost all color.
“Daniel…”
Hearing my name from her mouth felt impossible.
I stared at her.
“You know who I am.”
Tears filled her eyes.
“I never stopped knowing.”
I swallowed hard.
“Why did you disappear?”
Claire looked down.
“Because your mother gave me no choice.”
My fists tightened.
“Tell me the truth.”
She looked behind her.
Then back at me.
“Before I tell you anything…”
Her voice trembled.
“You need to know something about Sophia.”
My heart stopped.
“What?”
Claire whispered:
“Sophia was never the secret Victoria was trying to hide.”
I waited.
“Then what was?”
Claire looked directly into my eyes.
“The secret was that Victoria knew Sophia was in danger…”
May you like
She paused.
“And she was the reason it happened.”
