Chapter 6: The Woman Behind the Voice
Darkness swallowed the library.
For several seconds, nobody knew whether the silence was part of the threat or simply the result of the power outage.
Then the emergency lights returned.
A faint red glow filled the room.
Everything looked different beneath that light.
The ancient books.
The portraits.
The hidden vault door.
The faces of the people trapped inside.
They no longer looked like a family.
They looked like suspects.
Daniel Cross immediately moved toward the vault controls.
Nothing happened.
He entered the emergency override.
No response.
Again.
Nothing.
"The system has been locked remotely," he said.
Victoria stared at him.
"Remote?""
Daniel nodded.
"Someone outside the room controls the security system.""
Lucas looked toward the ceiling speakers.
"Not outside.""
Everyone turned.
He continued:
"Inside.""
Margaret frowned.
"What do you mean?""
Lucas walked toward the center of the library.
"The person controlling this mansion isn't trying to keep us out.""
He looked around.
"They're keeping us together.""
The realization changed the atmosphere.
Because he was right.
The woman behind the voice had not attacked them.
She had not stolen the evidence.
She had not destroyed the files.
She had trapped them.
She wanted them here.
Together.
Victoria looked toward the security cameras.
"Find her.""
Daniel checked his tablet.
The screens remained black.
"No cameras.""
"Why?""
"Because someone disabled the entire network.""
Margaret studied him.
"You mean someone with access.""
Daniel didn't answer.
He didn't need to.
Everyone understood.
Only someone with high-level authorization could control Vance Manor's internal systems.
The same type of access Alexander had given only to a few trusted people.
Victoria slowly looked around the room.
"So we are back where we started.""
Her voice was cold.
"We don't know who to trust.""
Nobody replied.
Because that was exactly the problem.
The person who betrayed them was not a stranger.
It was someone who knew the house.
Someone who knew Alexander.
Someone who understood the Vance family.
Elena moved closer to Daniel.
"Can you open the door?""
Daniel examined the mechanism.
"The vault door has a separate power source.""
"Meaning?""
"Meaning whoever locked it planned for this.""
Lucas looked at the files scattered across the table.
"She wanted us to see something.""
Victoria turned toward him.
"You seem very certain.""
Lucas looked at her.
"Because this is how father operated.""
A bitter smile appeared on his face.
"He never revealed information directly.""
"He created situations.""
"He forced people to discover things themselves.""
Victoria crossed her arms.
"You're saying my father planned this?""
"Yes.""
"Even after his death?""
Lucas nodded.
"Especially after his death.""
Nobody liked that answer.
Because it meant Alexander Vance had created a final game.
A game where everyone inside the room was a piece.
Daniel picked up the digital recorder again.
"There may be another message.""
Margaret looked at him.
"Why?""
"Because Alexander never left only one path.""
Daniel examined the device.
Then noticed something.
A small symbol appeared on the screen.
A hidden folder.
"Interesting.""
He pressed it.
A new file appeared.
"FOR MARGARET.""
Everyone looked at the lawyer.
Victoria immediately smiled.
"Of course.""
Margaret ignored her.
Daniel opened the file.
Alexander's voice returned.
But this time, it was different.
More private.
More personal.
"Margaret.""
The lawyer closed her eyes.
"I know you will find this.""
The recording continued.
"You were always better at finding what people wanted to hide.""
A pause.
"But I also know you will blame yourself.""
Margaret's expression changed.
Daniel noticed.
Alexander continued.
"That would be your weakness.""
Nobody spoke.
"Because you believe every failure means you should have prevented it.""
The room became silent.
Victoria looked at Margaret carefully.
For the first time, she saw something besides confidence.
Pain.
Alexander's voice continued.
"You could not save me.""
Margaret looked down.
"But you can save them.""
The recording ended.
Everyone stared at Margaret.
Victoria spoke first.
"What did he mean?""
Margaret didn't answer.
"Margaret.""
The lawyer remained silent.
Then finally:
"Alexander asked me to investigate his death before it happened.""
The room froze.
Daniel looked shocked.
"Before?""
She nodded.
"He knew something was wrong.""
"How long?""
"Three months.""
Victoria stepped forward.
"And you didn't tell anyone?""
Margaret looked at her.
"Because Alexander told me not to.""
"Why?""
"Because he believed the person responsible was watching.""
Victoria laughed.
"Convenient.""
Margaret ignored her.
"He wanted me to find the truth without anyone knowing.""
Lucas stepped closer.
"And what did you find?""
Margaret looked toward the vault.
"I found that Alexander had been poisoned.""
Silence.
Elena touched her chest.
"Poisoned?""
Margaret nodded.
"Slowly.""
Daniel looked confused.
"But the medical report said heart failure.""
"Because the poison was designed to mimic a natural condition.""
Victoria stared.
"Then why accuse me?""
Margaret looked at the security footage.
"Because someone wanted us to believe you did it.""
Lucas looked toward Victoria.
"And they used the argument you had with your father.""
Victoria said nothing.
Margaret continued.
"The night Alexander died, you were supposed to meet him.""
Victoria looked away.
"Yes.""
"What happened?""
A long silence followed.
Then Victoria spoke.
"He told me he knew.""
Everyone waited.
"Knew what?""
Victoria's eyes hardened.
"The money.""
Daniel frowned.
"What money?""
Victoria looked at the floor.
"I had borrowed from the company.""
Lucas stared.
"How much?""
She hesitated.
"Twenty million.""
Nobody spoke.
Even Daniel looked surprised.
Victoria continued quickly.
"I was going to return it.""
Lucas laughed.
"With what?""
Victoria looked at him.
"Don't.""
But Lucas continued.
"You thought you were going to take over the empire.""
Victoria's face changed.
Because he was right.
At least partly.
She had believed she deserved control.
She had believed Alexander was holding her back.
She had believed the company would collapse without her.
But she had never planned to kill him.
"I argued with him," she said quietly.
"Then I left.""
Margaret nodded.
"Which is exactly what someone needed.""
The room became silent again.
Daniel looked at the evidence.
"The footage was edited.""
Everyone looked at him.
"What?""
He pointed at the screen.
"Look closely.""
The video appeared again.
Daniel slowed the footage.
"There.""
The image froze.
Victoria entering the office.
Then leaving.
Daniel pointed.
"The timestamp changes.""
Margaret stepped closer.
"Someone inserted footage.""
Daniel nodded.
"The question is...""
He looked around.
"Who had the ability?""
Before anyone could answer, the speakers activated again.
The same woman's voice returned.
"Very good, Daniel.""
Everyone turned upward.
"You always were the smartest one.""
Daniel froze.
Because now he recognized the voice.
His face changed.
"No.""
Victoria noticed.
"You know her.""
Daniel did not answer.
The voice continued.
"You spent fifteen years protecting Alexander Vance.""
A pause.
"But you never protected me.""
Daniel stepped backward.
"That's impossible.""
Lucas looked at him.
"Who is she?""
Daniel stared at the speaker.
His voice was barely audible.
"Caroline.""
Nobody knew the name.
Except Margaret.
Her expression changed instantly.
"Caroline Vance?""
Daniel nodded slowly.
Victoria looked confused.
"Who is Caroline Vance?""
Nobody answered.
Then Daniel whispered:
"Your father's first wife.""
The room went silent.
Victoria's face changed.
"My mother?""
Daniel looked at her.
"No.""
A pause.
"Alexander's first wife.""
Everyone understood.
Another hidden chapter of the Vance family.
Another person erased.
The voice returned.
"Hello, Victoria.""
The sound became clearer.
Closer.
"I know you don't remember me.""
Victoria stared at the speaker.
The woman continued.
"But I remember everything.""
A pause.
"Especially the night Alexander took my daughter away.""
Daniel's expression changed.
"Daughter?""
The voice became colder.
"Yes.""
The speakers crackled.
"The daughter nobody told you about.""
Victoria felt the blood drain from her face.
Because there was something worse than a hidden enemy.
Something worse than a missing brother.
Another secret child.
Another erased member of the Vance family.
Caroline continued:
"My daughter was supposed to inherit this empire.""
The lights flickered.
"But Alexander destroyed that future.""
The room became colder.
"And now...""
A pause.
"...I am going to take back everything he stole.""
The vault door suddenly unlocked.
Everyone jumped.
The heavy steel door slowly opened.
But nobody moved.
Because they knew.
The woman behind the voice wanted them to enter.
Daniel looked at the darkness inside.
"What is she waiting for?""
Lucas answered quietly.
"Not what.""
He looked at the hidden files.
"Who.""
Victoria stared into the vault.
Because somewhere inside that room was the truth about the family she thought she knew.
And for the first time...
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She wondered whether Alexander Vance had been the victim.
Or whether he had been the villain all along.
