Chapter 5: The Woman Daniel Trusted Before Victoria
The rain covered their escape.
That was the first thing Victoria noticed.
The storm outside was violent enough to hide footsteps, voices, and the sound of two people moving through the hidden tunnels beneath the Bellacorte estate.
It felt almost intentional.
As if the house itself had decided to protect its secrets one more time.
Victoria followed Claire through the narrow passage, carrying the folders Daniel had hidden.
She still had questions.
Too many questions.
But one question stood above all the others.
Who was the person sitting beside Marcus in that photograph?
The answer was somewhere in the documents.
She knew it.
But she was afraid to look.
Because for eleven months, Victoria had believed she understood the people around her.
She had believed grief had brought them closer.
She had believed the people who stood beside her at Daniel’s funeral were the same people who would stand beside her in battle.
Now she wondered if some of them had only been waiting for the right moment to strike.
The tunnel finally opened into an old storage room beneath the eastern side of the mansion.
Claire pushed open the hidden door.
Victoria stepped out.
The room smelled like dust and forgotten memories.
Old furniture covered with white sheets.
Broken mirrors.
Boxes from decades ago.
A place nobody visited.
A place nobody cared about.
Exactly the kind of place Daniel would choose.
Victoria turned toward Claire.
“Start talking.””
Claire stopped.
Victoria’s voice was calm.
But there was no patience left.
“Who was the woman in that photograph?””
Claire looked at her.
“I think you already know.””
“No.””
Victoria held up the photograph.
“I need you to say it.””
Claire remained silent for several seconds.
Then she answered.
“Elizabeth Hart.””
Victoria felt the world shift.
Because that name was impossible.
“No.””
Claire watched her reaction.
“You know her.””
Victoria looked away.
Elizabeth Hart.
Daniel’s first love.
Before Victoria.
Before the Bellacorte marriage.
Before the empire became something that controlled every decision Daniel made.
Victoria had only met Elizabeth once.
Years ago.
At a charity event.
She remembered her because Daniel had looked different around her.
Not happier.
Not sadder.
Just different.
Like he had remembered a version of himself that existed before responsibility.
But Elizabeth had disappeared.
At least, that was what Victoria believed.
“She died.””
Claire shook her head.
“No.””
Victoria looked back.
“What?””
“She wanted everyone to believe that.””
The room became silent.
Victoria’s fingers tightened around the photograph.
“Daniel knew?””
“Yes.””
“How long?””
“Years.””
Victoria laughed softly.
A bitter sound.
“So my husband had a secret woman hidden somewhere?””
Claire’s expression changed.
“Not like that.””
“Then explain it.””
Claire took a breath.
“Elizabeth was not Daniel’s secret.””
She paused.
“She was Daniel’s warning.””
Victoria looked confused.
“About what?””
“About the Bellacorte family.””
The answer was unexpected.
Claire walked toward an old table and placed the folder down.
“Before Daniel met you, before he became the man everyone feared, he trusted people too easily.””
Victoria said nothing.
That sounded unlike the Daniel everyone knew.
“He believed loyalty came from history,” Claire continued.
“He believed if someone shared your blood, your name, or your past, they would protect you.””
“And Elizabeth?””
“She learned the truth before he did.””
Victoria opened the folder.
Inside were documents connected to Elizabeth Hart.
Financial records.
Travel documents.
Private investigations.
Daniel had been watching her.
Not because he didn’t trust her.
Because he was protecting her.
Victoria found a handwritten note.
Daniel’s handwriting.
*Elizabeth was right. The family did not forgive her for knowing.*
Victoria looked at Claire.
“What did she know?””
Claire hesitated.
Then answered.
“The truth about Daniel’s father’s death.””
Victoria froze.
Daniel’s father had died in what everyone called an accident.
A car crash.
A tragic event.
The kind of tragedy wealthy families quietly bury.
Victoria had never questioned it.
Why would she?
But now everything was changing.
“Are you saying Daniel’s father was murdered?””
Claire did not answer directly.
“I’m saying Daniel spent years trying to prove that he was.””
Victoria looked back at the documents.
The Bellacorte empire suddenly felt different.
Not built by genius.
Built by survival.
A family that protected itself at any cost.
Including from itself.
“Where is Elizabeth now?””
Claire looked toward the dark hallway.
“That is complicated.””
Victoria almost smiled.
“Everything about this family is complicated.””
“She disappeared after Daniel’s father’s death investigation.””
“Because someone threatened her?””
“Yes.””
“Who?””
Claire looked at her.
“The same people who are threatening you now.””
A silence followed.
Victoria closed the folder.
“Marcus.””
Claire nodded.
“But not only Marcus.””
Again.
Not only Marcus.
The phrase bothered her.
Because every answer created another question.
“How many people are involved?””
Claire looked down.
“Enough.””
Victoria hated that answer.
She hated vague warnings.
She hated secrets.
Most of all, she hated realizing Daniel had spent years living inside a world she never truly saw.
“What did Daniel plan to do?””
Claire looked at the folder.
“He planned to expose them.””
“Then why didn’t he?””
“Because he discovered something that changed everything.””
“What?””
Claire walked toward the window.
“He found out the person helping Marcus had access to something nobody else had.””
Victoria felt a chill.
“What?””
“Your personal information.””
Victoria stared.
“My information?””
“Yes.””
Claire turned.
“Your accounts. Your schedule. Your private conversations with Daniel.””
Victoria’s face hardened.
“Someone was spying on me?””
“Yes.””
“Who?””
Claire did not respond.
Victoria stepped closer.
“Claire.””
The woman finally looked at her.
“Daniel suspected it was someone close.””
Victoria remembered the letter.
*Do not trust the person closest to you.*
A terrible thought entered her mind.
Someone close.
Not inside the company.
Not inside the family.
Inside her life.
Before she could ask more, her phone vibrated.
The screen showed a message.
Unknown number.
Victoria opened it.
A photograph appeared.
Her and Daniel.
From their wedding day.
Then another message.
*You are searching in the wrong place.*
A second message arrived.
*Daniel died because he trusted the wrong person.*
Victoria stared at the screen.
Claire saw her expression.
“What is it?””
Victoria handed her the phone.
Claire read the messages.
Her face changed.
“That’s not possible.””
“What?””
Claire zoomed in on the photograph.
“This picture was taken after Daniel’s death.””
Victoria frowned.
“No.””
“Yes.””
Claire pointed.
“Look carefully.””
Victoria examined it.
The photo showed her standing beside Daniel.
But something was wrong.
The background.
The flowers.
The decorations.
This was not their wedding.
It was taken recently.
A copy.
A manipulated image.
Someone was trying to make her believe something.
Victoria looked at Claire.
“They’re playing with me.””
Claire nodded.
“They want you angry.””
“Why?””
“Because angry people make mistakes.””
Victoria looked back at the phone.
The message remained.
*You are searching in the wrong place.*
She suddenly understood.
This was not a threat.
It was a distraction.
Someone wanted her focused on Daniel’s secrets.
Someone wanted her chasing ghosts.
But why?
Unless…
The truth was not hidden in the past.
It was happening now.
A sound interrupted them.
A door closing upstairs.
Claire immediately looked toward the ceiling.
“Someone is inside the house.””
Victoria frowned.
“Impossible. Everyone knows where I am.””
Claire looked at her.
“No.””
She pointed at the phone.
“Someone knows where you are.””
Victoria’s stomach tightened.
The unknown sender.
They were watching.
She walked quickly toward the hidden exit.
“Where does this tunnel lead?””
“To the east garden.””
“Good.””
Claire followed.
“You cannot confront them alone.””
Victoria stopped.
Then looked at her.
“I’m not confronting anyone.””
Claire raised an eyebrow.
“Then what are you doing?””
Victoria looked back toward the mansion.
The woman who had spent eleven months mourning was gone.
The woman who had been told to stay quiet was gone.
The woman who had accepted other people’s explanations was gone.
“I’m reminding them who they underestimated.””
They reached the garden.
Rain poured around them.
The Bellacorte mansion stood above them, glowing beautifully against the storm.
A perfect picture.
A perfect lie.
Victoria looked toward the windows.
One room was lit.
Daniel’s office.
Someone was inside.
She watched carefully.
A silhouette moved behind the curtains.
Not Marcus.
Not Helena.
Someone else.
Someone who knew the house.
Someone who knew where she would be.
Victoria whispered:
“Who are you?””
The figure disappeared.
Then her phone rang.
The same unknown number.
This time, she answered immediately.
“Show yourself.””
A quiet laugh came through the speaker.
Not a cruel laugh.
A sad one.
“You still sound exactly like Daniel.””
Victoria froze.
Nobody said that.
Nobody.
Not unless they knew him.
“Who are you?””
The voice became softer.
“The person who should have told you the truth eleven months ago.””
Victoria’s heart raced.
“Elizabeth?””
Silence.
Then:
“Yes.””
The call ended.
Victoria stared at the phone.
Claire stepped closer.
“She contacted you?””
Victoria nodded.
“She’s alive.””
Claire closed her eyes.
For the first time, Victoria saw fear on her face.
Real fear.
“Then we are already out of time.””
“Why?””
Claire looked back at the mansion.
“Because if Elizabeth came out of hiding…”
She paused.
“Someone else will come out too.””
Victoria looked toward the house.
The lights.
The windows.
The shadows.
Everything suddenly felt like it was watching her.
And somewhere inside the Bellacorte mansion…
the person who had been hiding for eleven months realized something terrible.
May you like
Victoria Bellacorte was no longer searching for the truth.
She was coming for it.
