Chapter 8: The Man Who Stole Daniel’s Last Promise
Victoria did not remember dropping the phone.
One moment, she was holding it.
The next, it was lying on the floor beside her feet.
The sound it made against the wooden floor seemed impossibly loud.
Because everything else had gone silent.
The room.
The hallway.
The entire world.
Only one sentence remained in her mind.
*Uncle Marcus.*
The name that Daniel had trusted.
The name that had stood beside Victoria after the funeral.
The name that had offered advice, comfort, and protection.
The man who had spent months pretending to help her save the Bellacorte empire.
Marcus had Isabella.
Victoria looked at Helena.
For once, neither woman needed to pretend.
They both understood.
The enemy had finally revealed himself.
“He has her,” Victoria whispered.
Helena’s face lost all color.
“Isabella?””
Victoria nodded.
“How long?””
She looked at the phone.
The call had already ended.
“I don’t know.””
Helena stepped back.
“No.””
Victoria looked at her.
“No?””
Helena shook her head.
“Marcus would never…”
The sentence died before it finished.
Because Helena knew.
She knew better than anyone.
People who looked impossible to betray were often the ones who hid betrayal the best.
Victoria picked up the phone.
Her hands were steady.
That surprised her.
A few days ago, this revelation would have destroyed her.
Now it only sharpened her.
She dialed Marcus.
He answered after the second ring.
“Victoria.””
His voice was calm.
Almost warm.
Like nothing had changed.
She hated that.
“Where are you?””
A pause.
“Why?””
Victoria looked around the child’s bedroom.
At Isabella’s drawings.
At the hidden camera.
At the evidence of a stolen childhood.
“I want to see you.””
Another pause.
This one longer.
“You sound different.””
Victoria almost smiled.
“You’re just noticing?””
Marcus did not answer.
“I’ll be at the office.””
“No.””
The word came quickly.
Victoria noticed.
“Why not?””
“Because this is not a conversation for the company.””
Interesting.
Marcus was afraid of being seen.
Victoria understood immediately.
“Fine.””
She ended the call.
Helena looked at her.
“You’re going alone?””
“No.””
“You can’t.””
Victoria turned.
“I’m not going to fight him.””
“Then what?””
Victoria picked up the photograph of Isabella.
“I’m going to make him believe he has won.””
Helena stared at her.
“That’s dangerous.””
Victoria looked at the picture.
“Daniel spent months trying to expose him.””
She placed it carefully back on the desk.
“I spent eleven months believing I had lost everything.””
Her eyes hardened.
“I am done letting people decide what I can survive.””
Marcus’s office was located downtown.
The headquarters of Bellacorte Holdings.
The building that represented everything Daniel had built.
Victoria had walked through those doors hundreds of times.
But today felt different.
The employees noticed.
They always noticed.
Power had a presence.
And Victoria no longer carried herself like a grieving widow.
She carried herself like the person who owned the battlefield.
Marcus’s assistant immediately stood.
“Mrs. Bellacorte.””
Victoria looked at her.
“Marcus is expecting me.””
The assistant hesitated.
“Yes.””
That hesitation told Victoria something.
Marcus had prepared.
Of course he had.
The elevator opened.
The top floor was silent.
Too silent.
Marcus’s office door was open.
He stood by the window.
Looking over the city.
The same view Daniel used to have.
Victoria hated that.
“Sit.””
Marcus gestured toward the chair.
Victoria remained standing.
“You have something I want.””
Marcus did not react.
“I have no idea what you mean.””
Victoria studied him.
The confidence.
The control.
The performance.
It was almost impressive.
Almost.
“Isabella.””
The name changed everything.
Not much.
A normal person would never notice.
But Victoria did.
Marcus’s fingers tightened slightly.
A tiny reaction.
But enough.
“I don’t know that name.””
Victoria smiled.
“Good.””
Marcus frowned.
“Good?””
“Yes.””
She walked closer.
“Because now I know you’re lying.””
Marcus’s expression hardened.
“You should be careful with accusations.””
Victoria looked around the office.
“You love this room.””
“What?””
“This room.””
She touched the edge of Daniel’s old desk.
“You sit here every day.””
Marcus said nothing.
“You look at the city and imagine it belongs to you.””
His face became colder.
“Careful.””
“There it is.””
“What?””
“The truth.””
Victoria turned.
“For months, you wanted everyone to think you were protecting Daniel’s legacy.””
She stepped closer.
“But you never wanted to protect it.””
Marcus laughed quietly.
“You think you understand everything now?””
“No.””
Victoria shook her head.
“I understand enough.””
He walked toward her.
“You found the child.””
Not a question.
A confirmation.
Victoria noticed.
“You knew.””
Marcus stopped.
The silence answered.
“You knew she was alive.””
“Yes.””
The honesty surprised her.
But only briefly.
“Where is she?””
Marcus looked at her.
“You sound like Daniel.””
Victoria froze.
“What does that mean?””
“It means you ask questions the same way.””
He looked almost nostalgic.
“Like the answer matters more than the consequences.””
Victoria’s voice became colder.
“You killed him.””
Marcus looked away.
“No.””
The answer came immediately.
Too immediately.
“I did not kill Daniel.””
Victoria watched him carefully.
“Then who did?””
Marcus said nothing.
And that was the most dangerous answer.
Because for the first time, Victoria believed him.
Maybe Marcus had not pulled the trigger.
Maybe the truth was worse.
“You were afraid of him.””
Marcus looked at her.
“I respected him.””
“No.””
Victoria shook her head.
“You feared what he knew.””
Marcus walked back toward the window.
“Daniel was brilliant.””
The compliment sounded genuine.
“He saw patterns other people missed.””
“Like you.””
“Yes.””
The admission was quiet.
Victoria stared.
“You’re admitting it?””
“I’m admitting Daniel discovered something.””
“What?””
Marcus looked at the city.
“The Bellacorte empire was never built by one man.””
Victoria waited.
“Your husband inherited a war.””
“A war?””
“Yes.””
Marcus turned.
“The family has always been divided.””
Victoria thought of Helena.
The old council.
The hidden archives.
The secrets.
“And Isabella?””
Marcus’s face changed.
“She is the future.””
Victoria felt anger rise.
“She is a child.””
“To you.””
The words chilled her.
“To me, she is the rightful heir.””
Victoria stared.
“Is that what this is about?””
Marcus smiled faintly.
“You still don’t understand.””
“Then explain.””
Marcus walked closer.
“Daniel built an empire that belonged to no one.””
Victoria shook her head.
“Wrong.””
“What?””
“It belonged to him.””
“No.””
Marcus’s eyes hardened.
“It belonged to everyone who built it.””
“And you think that means you deserve it?””
Marcus looked at her.
“I think the person who understands it should control it.””
There it was.
The truth.
Not money.
Not revenge.
Control.
“You manipulated Daniel.””
Marcus’s expression changed.
“I tried to save him.””
Victoria almost laughed.
“By betraying him?””
“No.””
His voice became sharper.
“By forcing him to see reality.””
Victoria stared.
“What reality?””
“That he could not protect everyone.””
The words sounded familiar.
Because Daniel had believed the opposite.
He had tried.
And that was why he died.
Victoria stepped closer.
“Where is Isabella?””
Marcus was silent.
Then:
“Safe.””
Victoria’s expression hardened.
“Safe?””
“Yes.””
“From who?””
Marcus looked at her.
“From everyone who wants to use her.””
Victoria shook her head.
“You took her.””
“I protected her.””
“You kidnapped her.””
Marcus’s face became unreadable.
“Sometimes those two things look the same.””
Victoria felt disgust.
“You sound like him.””
Marcus froze.
“What?””
“You sound like Daniel.””
She stepped closer.
“But you never understood him.””
Marcus’s jaw tightened.
“He was weak.””
“No.””
Victoria’s voice was firm.
“He loved people.””
“That got him killed.””
“And you think that makes you stronger?””
Marcus looked away.
For a moment, Victoria saw something.
Pain.
Not guilt.
Pain.
Maybe Marcus had once cared about Daniel.
Maybe that was what made everything worse.
“You were his friend.””
Marcus’s expression changed.
“I was more than that.””
“Then why?””
A long silence.
Then Marcus answered:
“Because Daniel chose you.””
Victoria stopped.
“What?””
Marcus looked at her.
“Do you know what Daniel said when he changed the succession plan?””
Victoria said nothing.
“He said the empire needed someone who cared about people more than power.””
Marcus laughed bitterly.
“And he chose you.””
Victoria understood.
This was not only about the company.
It was about being rejected.
Marcus had spent years standing beside Daniel.
Helping him.
Building with him.
And when Daniel decided who deserved the future…
he chose Victoria.
Not Marcus.
“You hated him for loving me.””
Marcus looked away.
“I hated him for believing love was stronger than loyalty.””
Victoria felt something close to pity.
But she pushed it away.
Because Isabella was still missing.
“Take me to her.””
Marcus looked surprised.
“You think I would?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because you don’t actually want to destroy Daniel’s legacy.””
Victoria held his gaze.
“You want someone to understand why you did this.””
For the first time, Marcus looked uncertain.
Just for a second.
Then the office lights flickered.
Marcus immediately turned toward the window.
Victoria noticed.
“What?””
He looked at his phone.
A message had appeared.
His expression changed.
“What happened?””
Marcus did not answer.
Victoria moved closer.
She saw the screen.
One sentence.
*She knows. Get out now.*
Marcus looked at Victoria.
Fear replaced confidence.
Real fear.
“Who sent that?””
Marcus did not respond.
Because suddenly, he looked less like the villain.
And more like someone who had just realized he was not the one in control.
Victoria understood.
Marcus had secrets.
But someone had secrets above him.
Someone who had been moving every piece.
A shadow behind the shadow.
Marcus grabbed his coat.
“We have to go.””
Victoria stared.
“Where?””
“To Isabella.””
“Why?””
His eyes met hers.
“Because if they found out you know…”
He paused.
“They will kill her.””
For the first time, Victoria believed him.
Not because she trusted Marcus.
Because she understood fear.
And Marcus was terrified.
They left the office together.
Two enemies walking toward the same destination.
The man who stole Daniel’s final promise.
And the woman who intended to keep it.
But neither of them noticed the black car parked across the street.
Inside, someone watched them leave.
A phone call connected.
A voice spoke quietly.
“They found Isabella.””
A pause.
Then:
“No.””
The voice became colder.
“They cannot reach her.””
Another pause.
“And if they try?””
The person looked toward the Bellacorte building.
“Then finish what we started with Daniel.””
The call ended.
And somewhere in the city…
a little girl with the Bellacorte bloodline waited.
Unaware that three powerful people were coming for her.
One wanted to protect her.
May you like
One wanted to control her.
And one wanted her erased forever.
