Victoria’s Last Warning
Chapter 08 - Victoria’s Last Warning
Victoria had tried to save Robert.
It did not excuse what she later did to Claire.
But it changed everything.
Robert had discovered Charles’s fraud.
Victoria secretly warned him.
She offered money and transportation to help Robert and Claire leave the country until authorities could investigate.
Robert refused.
“He said running would make him look guilty,” Victoria explained.
The next night, he died.
Victoria became terrified.
Charles convinced her Robert had hidden evidence with Claire.
Years later, when Claire began dating Nathan, Victoria panicked.
“I thought Charles would come after you too.”
Claire stared at her.
“So instead of telling me, you destroyed my relationship?”
Victoria cried quietly.
“I thought if you disappeared from Nathan’s life, Charles would stop watching you.”
Nathan stood.
“You sacrificed Claire to protect the family.”
“No.”
Victoria looked at him.
“I sacrificed her because I was a coward.”
Claire appreciated the honesty.
But honesty did not erase six years.
Upstairs, a little boy began crying.
Claire immediately stood.
Nathan followed instinctively.
They reached the hallway together.
Noah was standing at the top of the stairs.
“I had a bad dream.”
Claire opened her arms.
Before she reached him, Noah looked at Nathan.
Then he asked the question Nathan feared most.
“Are you really our dad?”
Nathan stopped.
Claire looked at him.
No lie could survive in that hallway anymore.
Nathan knelt.
“Yes.”
Noah studied his face.
“Where were you?”
Nathan had no answer that a five-year-old deserved to hear.
May you like
So he told the simplest truth.
“I didn’t know how to find you.”
