Chapter 2
Adrian never took his eyes off the estate manager.
"How long are security archives stored?"
The older man swallowed hard.
"Normally ninety days, sir."
Victoria exhaled in relief.
For a split second.
Then the manager continued.
"But special events are archived permanently."
The color vanished from Victoria's face.
The fundraiser.
The night Elena fell.
The night everything changed.
Adrian's expression darkened.
"The fundraiser was a special event."
"Yes, sir."
Silence.
Victoria stumbled backward.
"No."
Nobody looked at her.
The estate manager continued.
"All footage from that evening was transferred to long-term storage."
Adrian's jaw tightened.
"Get it."
The manager immediately nodded.
"Right away."
Victoria suddenly lunged forward.
"Adrian, wait!"
For the first time, he looked directly at her.
The hatred in his eyes was unmistakable.
"Why?"
She froze.
His voice echoed through the room.
"Give me one reason not to watch it."
Victoria opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Because there was no answer.
No excuse.
No lie left to tell.
Minutes later, everyone gathered in the estate's private theater.
The atmosphere felt like a courtroom.
Guests sat rigidly in leather chairs.
Staff members lined the walls.
Reporters stood near the entrance.
Nobody wanted to leave.
Because everyone understood history was about to rewrite itself.
Elena sat quietly in the front row.
Her hands trembled in her lap.
Adrian sat beside her.
Not touching her.
Not yet.
But close enough that she could feel his presence.
Close enough to know he finally believed her.
Victoria stood near the back.
Two security guards had positioned themselves beside her.
She looked trapped.
Because she was.
The screen flickered.
The footage appeared.
A timestamp from three years earlier glowed in the corner.
The fundraiser.
The night that destroyed two lives.
The room became silent.
Camera after camera showed guests arriving.
Waiters moving through hallways.
Music.
Champagne.
Smiles.
Then—
Elena appeared.
A younger version of herself.
Beautiful.
Nervous.
Pregnant.
A collective gasp spread through the room.
Even through grainy footage, her pregnancy was visible.
Adrian closed his eyes.
God.
She had been telling the truth.
The baby had existed.
The future had been real.
His child.
Their child.
The footage continued.
Elena entered the upper hallway.
She looked upset.
Heartbroken.
Alone.
Then another figure appeared.
Victoria.
The room instantly tensed.
Victoria herself stopped breathing.
The footage had no sound.
But everyone could read body language.
Victoria followed Elena.
Fast.
Aggressive.
Intentional.
Elena tried to walk away.
Victoria blocked her path.
The two women argued.
Elena pointed toward the ballroom.
Toward Adrian.
Victoria stepped closer.
Closer.
Closer.
Then—
The screen showed Victoria shove her.
Hard.
A scream erupted from somewhere in the audience.
Elena lost her balance.
Her body twisted.
Her hand grabbed desperately for the railing.
Missed.
And then she fell.
Down the staircase.
One step.
Two.
Five.
Ten.
The impact at the bottom looked brutal even years later.
The room exploded.
"Oh my God."
"She pushed her."
"Dear God."
Victoria collapsed into a chair.
"No... no..."
But the footage wasn't finished.
And somehow the next part was worse.
Much worse.
Elena lay motionless.
Broken.
Bleeding.
Alone.
Victoria stared down at her.
For several seconds.
Just stared.
The entire room watched in horror.
Waiting.
Praying.
For her to help.
For her to call someone.
For her to do anything.
She didn't.
Instead—
Victoria looked around.
Checking if anyone had seen.
Then she walked away.
A horrified silence filled the theater.
Several guests began crying.
One woman left the room entirely.
Even the security guards looked sick.
Adrian felt physically ill.
Because he finally understood.
The fall had been horrible.
But what came after was unforgivable.
Victoria left her there.
She left a pregnant woman bleeding on the floor.
And then she lied.
For three years.
Three years.
The video ended.
Darkness filled the screen.
Nobody spoke.
Nobody moved.
Then Adrian slowly stood.
The room immediately became still.
Victoria looked up at him.
Tears streamed down her face.
"Adrian..."
His voice came out cold.
"Did you think I'd never find out?"
She shook her head frantically.
"I was scared."
"You nearly killed her."
"It was an accident!"
The entire room erupted.
"Accident?"
"That's not an accident."
"She walked away."
Victoria looked desperately around the theater.
No one supported her.
No one defended her.
No one even met her eyes.
Because everyone had seen the truth.
Finally.
The lies were dead.
Adrian stepped toward her.
Security immediately tensed.
Not because they thought he'd hurt her.
Because they had never seen him this angry.
"You watched her fall."
Victoria sobbed.
"You left her there."
"Please—"
"You let me believe my child died because of fate."
His voice broke for the first time.
The pain inside it was devastating.
"You stole three years from us."
Victoria collapsed to her knees.
"Adrian, I loved you."
"No."
His answer came instantly.
Firm.
Final.
"You loved winning."
The words struck harder than any slap.
Because they were true.
Victoria's shoulders shook with sobs.
But no one felt sympathy anymore.
Not after what they had seen.
Then suddenly the theater doors opened.
A security officer hurried inside.
His face looked pale.
"Sir."
Adrian turned.
"What is it?"
The officer hesitated.
Then he spoke the words that froze everyone once again.
"We just received a call from Saint Mary's Hospital."
The room went silent.
Adrian frowned.
"What about?"
The officer looked directly at Elena.
Then back at Adrian.
May you like
And said—
"There's something they believe you need to know about the baby."
