Chapter 3 - BEFORE EDWARDVictoria’s attorney arrived before sunset.
After that, she stopped answering questions.
The police escorted her away.
Florence went to the hospital.
Edward rode with her.
For most of the journey neither spoke.
Finally:
“How bad is the cancer?”
Florence looked toward the ambulance ceiling.
“Pancreatic.”
Edward closed his eyes.
“Stage?”
“Four.”
He swallowed.
“How long did they give you?”
“Initially six to nine months.”
“When?”
“April.”
October.
The numbers hurt.
“You decided I shouldn't know?”
“I decided I wanted six months where you still treated me like your mother.”
“That’s not fair.”
“No.”
“You took the choice away from me.”
“I know.”
He looked at her.
She whispered:
“I was afraid every conversation would become goodbye.”
Edward’s anger softened without disappearing.
Florence touched his hand.
“I’m sorry.”
They arrived.
Scans showed bruising.
No fractures.
A nurse asked how the injuries happened.
Florence hesitated.
Then:
“My daughter-in-law attacked me.”
Saying it aloud seemed to change something.
Shame left her face.
Not completely.
But enough.
Edward stayed until Florence slept.
Then he called Martin Hale.
His father’s former chief financial officer.
“Did Dad know Victoria Lane?”
Silence.
“Martin.”
“Yes.”
Edward sat in the dark family waiting room.
“How?”
Martin sighed.
“This conversation should happen in person.”
“No.”
“Edward—”
“Tell me.”
Years earlier, Victoria worked as an executive assistant for Ashford Holdings.
Different division.
Different city.
Edward had been living in London.
He had never met her.
Victoria had been involved romantically with senior executive Thomas Keene.
Thomas was married.
When the affair ended, Victoria threatened litigation and public disclosure involving company practices.
Arthur personally negotiated a settlement.
Not hush money for harassment.
Not exactly.
According to Martin, both Thomas and Victoria had manipulated expense accounts and moved corporate funds to cover travel and gifts.
Arthur discovered it.
He could have referred both for prosecution.
Instead he terminated Thomas.
Victoria agreed to resign, return some funds and stay away from company personnel.
The $180,000 payment settled disputed employment claims and avoided years of litigation.
Edward felt nauseated.
“She told me she worked in luxury hospitality.”
“She did later.”
“Did Dad ever mention her?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“You weren't involved.”
Then Edward asked the obvious question.
“Did she know who I was when we met?”
Martin became quiet.
“I don't know.”
Edward remembered the first date.
Victoria laughing because he spilled wine.
Her claiming she had never heard of Ashford Holdings beyond recognizing the name.
Her joking:
“Old money scares me.”
Now the joke sounded different.
He returned to Florence's room before dawn.
She was awake.
“I heard,” she said.
“From who?”
“Martin called.”
Edward sat.
“Did you know?”
“Not until six months ago.”
That caught him.
“What happened six months ago?”
“When I began estate planning after the diagnosis, Arthur’s attorney gave me access to old sealed files.”
“You discovered Victoria.”
“Yes.”
“And you said nothing.”
“I wasn't sure what it meant.”
Edward stared.
“You've known for six months that my wife had a secret history with Dad’s company.”
Florence’s eyes filled.
“I wanted proof before I destroyed your marriage.”
“He married her anyway,” Edward said bitterly. “Maybe I destroyed it myself.”
Florence shook her head.
“No.”
Edward stood.
“Did Victoria know you knew?”
“I don't think so.”
Then Florence whispered:
“Until yesterday.”
Edward stopped.
“How?”
“She came upstairs while I was opening the safe.”
Florence had believed Victoria left the mansion after lunch.
Instead she had doubled back.
She saw the medical file.
The new trust documents.
The old ledger.
Florence told her to leave.
Victoria refused.
Then she saw the will.
Most of Florence’s estate would fund Haven House, a network of shelters for women escaping domestic violence.
Victoria exploded.
Not only because of the money.
Because Florence had also placed a sealed memorandum with her attorney concerning Victoria’s past.
If Edward ever contested the estate believing Florence was manipulated, the memorandum would explain why she had changed her plans.
Victoria realized Florence knew everything.
She returned the next day with transfer papers.
“Sign them,” Florence whispered.
“Or?”
“She said if I signed, she would let everything stay buried.”
Edward felt physically sick.
His mother had been assaulted partly because Victoria wanted money.
But also because she wanted control of the story Edward was now learning anyway.
Then Florence added one more sentence.
“She said something before you came.”
“What?”
“She said your father should have finished what he started.”
Edward looked at her.
“What does that mean?”
“I don't know.”
But Edward suspected somebody did.
Thomas Keene.
The executive Victoria had once been involved with.
The man nobody had heard from in years.
May you like
Edward took out his phone.
It was time to find him.
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