“She never explained everything. She only told me that if I ever revealed what happened twelve years ago, I would lose the only family I had left.”
Alexander watched her carefully.
He wanted to believe her.
But he could no longer separate what he knew from what he hoped was true.
“Where is your mother now?”
“At home.”
“I need to speak with her.”
“Please don’t go there.”
“Why?”
Victoria hesitated.
Then she reached into a drawer and removed a small USB drive.
“My mother gave me this two years ago. She said it contained documents that could protect us if Richard ever tried to remove her from the company.”
Alexander took it.
“Have you opened it?”
“No.”
“Why give it to me now?”
“Because I don’t know who else I can trust.”
He studied her face.
“Does your mother know you have this?”
Victoria shook her head.
“She believes I destroyed it.”
Alexander slipped the drive into his pocket.
“I’ll have it examined by an independent digital forensics specialist.”
“Alexander, if those files contain what I think they contain, your father could lose everything.”
He stopped at the door.
“Maybe he should.”
Victoria flinched.
He immediately regretted the words, but he did not take them back.
Before leaving, he turned toward her.
“One more question. Did your mother ever mention Emily Carter?”
Victoria nodded slowly.
“Yes.”
“What did she say?”
“She said Emily’s father wasn’t the only person who had made a mistake. She said someone in the Carter family had helped create the financial structure that eventually destroyed him.”
Alexander frowned.
“Who?”
“I don’t know. But my mother once mentioned a woman named Eleanor.”
“Who is Eleanor?”
Victoria looked genuinely confused.
“I thought you would know.”
Alexander left without another word.
