Chapter 7: The Fiancée Who Knew Too Much
Vivian Sinclair entered Cross Manor like she still owned it.
That was the first thing Sofia noticed.
Not the expensive black dress.
Not the perfect makeup hiding the fear beneath her eyes.
Not the way two security guards followed her inside.
It was the confidence.
The same confidence she had carried the night she destroyed Ethan's car.
The same confidence she had carried when she slapped Sofia and threatened her.
Vivian still believed she was untouchable.
But tonight was different.
Because Damian Cross was waiting for her.
And he no longer looked at her like the woman he was going to marry.
He looked at her like a mystery he intended to solve.
Vivian stopped in the center of the main hall.
Her eyes moved across the room.
Damian.
Sofia.
Evelyn.
The security team.
She immediately understood.
Something had happened.
Something she hadn't expected.
"Why is everyone here?""
Nobody answered.
Damian stood at the top of the stairs.
His expression gave away nothing.
"Come into my office.""
Vivian looked at him.
"Damian, I told you I know who killed Ethan.""
"And you will explain.""
His voice was cold.
Not angry.
Not emotional.
That worried her more.
Because Vivian knew Damian.
She had spent years studying him.
She knew his moods.
His habits.
His reactions.
When Damian was furious, he became loud.
When Damian was hurt, he became distant.
But when Damian was calm like this...
someone was about to lose.
Vivian walked into the office.
Sofia followed.
Damian noticed.
"You don't have to come.""
Sofia looked at him.
"I want to hear.""
For a moment, Damian considered arguing.
Then he nodded.
"Stay.""
Vivian looked between them.
Something flickered across her face.
Jealousy.
Anger.
Fear.
"You trust her now?""
Damian didn't answer.
That answer was enough.
Vivian's expression hardened.
"After everything I've done for you?""
Sofia watched carefully.
Because that sentence was interesting.
Not "after everything I've done with you.""
After everything I've done for you.
As if Vivian believed Damian owed her something.
Damian leaned against his desk.
"Tell me what you know.""
Vivian crossed her arms.
"Before I do, I need something.""
"No.""
"You don't even know what I'm asking.""
"I know.""
His eyes narrowed.
"You want protection.""
Vivian's face changed.
Only slightly.
But Sofia saw it.
She had guessed correctly.
"From what?""
Damian asked.
Vivian looked away.
"From the people who killed Ethan.""
Silence.
Then Damian said:
"You were involved.""
It wasn't a question.
Vivian immediately looked at him.
"What?""
"You know too much.""
"Because I investigated.""
"Why?""
"Because I loved him.""
That answer shocked everyone.
Sofia frowned.
Damian stared at her.
"You loved Ethan?""
Vivian laughed softly.
"Not like that.""
She looked almost offended.
"Ethan was like a brother to me.""
Sofia felt something strange.
Because Vivian was either telling the truth...
or she was very good at lying.
"My father worked with Richard Cross," Vivian continued.
Damian's expression changed.
"You knew about my father?""
"Yes.""
"And you never told me.""
"I was trying to protect you.""
Damian smiled coldly.
"Everyone says that.""
Vivian ignored the comment.
"Your father had business relationships nobody knew about.""
"Criminal relationships.""
She hesitated.
"Yes.""
Sofia watched Damian.
He didn't react.
But she knew him well enough now.
The lack of reaction was the reaction.
He was hurting.
"Why would my father be connected to your family?""
Vivian looked at him.
"Because Richard Cross and my father built something together.""
"What?""
"An organization.""
The word hung in the room.
Not a company.
Not a partnership.
An organization.
Damian's eyes darkened.
"Go on.""
Vivian took a breath.
"Years ago, your father realized ordinary business wasn't enough. He wanted influence. Protection. Control.""
"And my father?""
"My father provided connections.""
Damian looked disgusted.
"My father was a criminal.""
Vivian didn't deny it.
"Yes.""
"And Ethan found out.""
"Yes.""
"Then why didn't he tell me?""
Vivian's expression changed.
"Because he thought you already knew.""
That stopped Damian.
"What?""
"He thought you were part of it.""
The room went silent.
Sofia looked at Damian.
Even she felt the impact.
Damian Cross.
The man who had spent his life fighting to build his own identity.
The man who separated himself from his father's reputation.
Ethan had suspected him.
"That's why he warned you.""
Damian looked at Sofia.
Her heart tightened.
The words from Ethan's final moments.
Don't trust Damian.
Suddenly, they sounded different.
Not like an accusation.
Like fear.
Like Ethan believed Damian was in danger.
Vivian continued.
"Ethan found documents.""
"What documents?""
"Proof that your father had hidden accounts.""
"Where?""
"I don't know.""
Damian stared.
"You expect me to believe that?""
"I never saw them.""
"Then how do you know?""
Vivian looked down.
"Because Ethan came to me.""
That surprised Damian.
"He trusted you?""
"Yes.""
"When?""
"The week before he died.""
Sofia noticed something.
Vivian wasn't comfortable saying this.
Which meant it mattered.
"What did he ask?""
Damian demanded.
Vivian looked at him.
"He asked me if my father was involved.""
"And?""
"I lied.""
The confession was quiet.
But powerful.
Damian's face hardened.
"You lied to my brother.""
"I was scared.""
"Of what?""
"My father.""
The answer changed the room.
Because for the first time, Vivian didn't sound like someone manipulating the situation.
She sounded like someone who had been trapped.
"My father wasn't like Richard Cross.""
Damian looked at her.
"He was worse.""
A silence followed.
"He didn't care about money.""
Vivian whispered.
"He cared about control.""
Sofia remembered Evelyn's words.
Someone who loved Ethan betrayed him.
But Vivian's father?
Could he really have ordered Ethan's death?
"Why did you marry into this family?"" Damian asked suddenly.
Vivian looked at him.
"What?""
"You knew my father was dangerous.""
"Yes.""
"You knew Ethan was investigating.""
"Yes.""
"You knew there was a chance someone close to you was involved.""
Vivian went quiet.
"Why stay?""
Her eyes became emotional.
"Because I thought I could fix it.""
Damian almost laughed.
"You thought you could fix my family?""
"No.""
She looked at him.
"I thought I could save you.""
That was the first time Sofia saw Damian hesitate.
Only briefly.
But it happened.
Because Vivian had been part of his life for years.
There were memories.
Trust.
A future they had planned.
It was easier to believe a stranger had secrets.
Harder to believe someone you loved did.
"Who killed Ethan?""
Damian asked.
Vivian looked at him.
"I don't know.""
His expression changed immediately.
"You said you knew.""
"I know who wanted him dead.""
"Who?""
She swallowed.
"Victor Hale.""
The name changed everything.
Sofia looked at Damian.
Again.
The dead man.
The impossible man.
The man who appeared at Ethan's accident.
"Victor is dead," Damian said.
"Your father wanted everyone to think that.""
"Explain.""
Vivian stepped closer.
"Victor Hale didn't die.""
Damian's eyes narrowed.
"Then where is he?""
"I don't know.""
"You're lying.""
"I'm not.""
"How do you know?""
Vivian looked at him.
"Because my father talked to him after Ethan died.""
Silence.
The truth felt like another crack forming beneath their feet.
"Your father talked to Victor?""
"Yes.""
"When?""
"The day after Ethan's funeral.""
Damian stared.
"Why?""
Vivian's voice became softer.
"Because they were celebrating.""
The room froze.
Sofia felt sick.
Celebrating.
After Ethan's death.
Damian slowly turned away.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then:
"Get out.""
Vivian looked shocked.
"Damian.""
"Get out.""
"But I came here to help you.""
"No.""
His voice was cold.
"You came here because you needed protection.""
Vivian's face fell.
"That's not fair.""
"Fair?""
He looked back at her.
"My brother died.""
Silence.
"And you knew something.""
A pause.
"You knew.""
Vivian looked down.
"I was afraid.""
Damian nodded slowly.
"I believe you.""
That surprised her.
"But I don't forgive you.""
The words hurt more than anger would have.
Vivian looked at Sofia.
Then back at Damian.
"You really trust her?""
Damian didn't answer.
Vivian smiled sadly.
"You don't even know her.""
Sofia froze.
Damian looked at Vivian.
"What does that mean?""
Vivian hesitated.
Then said:
"You should ask Sofia where she was the night before Ethan died.""
The room went still.
Sofia's face changed.
Damian turned.
Slowly.
"Sofia?""
She couldn't speak.
Because Vivian knew.
She knew the one thing Sofia had never told anyone.
"What is she talking about?""
Sofia looked at Damian.
Her silence answered before her words did.
"I...""
Damian's expression darkened.
"Where were you?""
Sofia closed her eyes.
The past she had buried was rising again.
The reason she had been near Ethan.
The reason he trusted her.
The reason someone wanted her silent.
"I was at Cross Industries.""
Damian stared.
"What?""
"The night before Ethan died.""
"Why?""
Sofia looked at him.
And finally said the truth.
"Because I was trying to warn him.""
A long silence followed.
Damian's voice was almost a whisper.
"Warn him about what?""
Sofia looked at the floor.
"About you.""
May you like
And for the second time that night...
Damian Cross felt the ground beneath him disappear.
