Chapter 9 - The Papers on Her Pillow
The documents transferred Victoria’s controlling shares into a private holding company managed by Damian.
The name of that company was Cross Meridian Partners.
Victoria had never heard of it.
Elias traced the registration to an address used by one of Serena’s former accountants.
The company had been created three months after Edward’s death.
Before Damian ever claimed Vale Holdings was in danger.
Before Victoria announced her pregnancy.
Before he proposed.
“This was planned long before the board crisis,” Elias said.
Victoria felt something inside her break.
She had met Damian four years earlier at a preservation fundraiser. He was charming, attentive and ambitious without appearing greedy.
He remembered her mother’s birthday.
He stayed beside her through Edward’s funeral.
He proposed in the garden where her parents had married.
Now Victoria wondered whether every loving gesture had been researched.
Every kindness had been an investment.
Damian told her the transfer was necessary because Vale Harbor faced an undisclosed financing threat.
“What threat?”
“Confidential negotiations.”
“I own the company.”
“And you’re too close to the situation.”
Victoria closed the folder.
“I won’t sign.”
Damian’s face hardened.
Then Serena entered carrying a glass of water.
“Sweetheart, nobody is stealing from you,” she said. “We’re preserving what your father built.”
“My father did not build it for Damian.”
“He built it for his family.”
“I am his family.”
Serena’s expression changed.
For one cold second, the grief-stricken widow disappeared.
“You’re one woman with a baby coming,” she said. “You have no idea how quickly people can decide you’re incapable.”
Damian placed both hands on the desk.
“We don’t want this to become ugly.”
Victoria looked at the man she had planned to marry.
“Was that a threat?”
He smiled again.
“No. It was concern.”
That night, Victoria copied every page and sent it to Mara’s encrypted archive.
On the final sheet, she noticed a blank space for a medical declaration.
May you like
Someone intended to attach proof that she was unfit.
👉 Victoria now knew they planned to steal the company—but she did not yet know who had agreed to declare her incompetent.
