Chapter 3 - Victoria’s New Rules
Victoria moved into the penthouse three days later.
She arrived with six suitcases, a personal assistant and a list of household changes.
She replaced the kitchen staff.
She redirected the mail.
She told building security that all visitors should be approved through her.
When Brooke objected, Victoria looked offended.
“I am protecting Ethan’s home.”
“It’s our home.”
Victoria smiled.
“Of course.”
But nothing she did treated Brooke like an owner.
She removed Brooke and Ethan’s wedding photograph from the living room.
She placed a portrait of herself with her two sons above the fireplace.
She began holding company dinners inside the penthouse without asking permission.
Trevor attended most of them.
He used Ethan’s office.
He drank Ethan’s whiskey.
He sat behind Ethan’s desk and gave instructions to executives who did not report to him.
Brooke called Ethan.
“He’s working from your office again.”
Ethan sounded exhausted.
“Tell him to use the conference room.”
“I did.”
“And?”
“He laughed.”
Ethan became silent.
“I’ll speak to him.”
The following morning, Trevor apologized.
At least, that was what he called it.
“I forgot how territorial you are,” he said.
“It isn’t your office.”
“It belongs to the family company.”
“No. It belongs to Ethan.”
Trevor leaned against the desk.
“Ethan belongs to the family company.”
Brooke walked away before her anger became visible.
The situation worsened when Victoria began controlling Ethan’s calls.
She claimed Brooke was sleeping.
She claimed Brooke had gone out.
She claimed the poor connection had ended calls before Brooke reached the phone.
Sometimes Ethan called Brooke directly.
Those conversations became their only private space.
Then his schedule changed.
Calls became less predictable.
Victoria listened outside doors.
Trevor installed new “security software” on the penthouse network.
Brooke noticed unfamiliar devices connected to her laptop.
She changed her passwords.
The next morning, Victoria confronted her over breakfast.
“Why are you hiding things?”
Brooke lowered her coffee.
“How do you know I changed my passwords?”
Victoria’s expression remained calm.
“Trevor manages family cybersecurity.”
“He does not manage my computer.”
“You are living inside a family-owned property.”
“There it is again.”
“What?”
“The belief that because Ethan is away, you own everything around me.”
Victoria slowly buttered a piece of toast.
“You are temporary, Brooke.”
The words were spoken gently.
That made them worse.
“Ethan is my son. Trevor is his brother. This company existed before you, and it will exist after you.”
Brooke stood.
Victoria did not look up.
Three days later, an envelope addressed to Mercury Capital Holdings arrived at the penthouse.
Brooke had never heard the name.
May you like
Trevor grabbed it from her hand before she could open it.
👉 The envelope carried the first clue that Trevor was building a company designed to receive everything Ethan owned.
