Chapter 6: The Mistress With a Hidden Name
The phone slipped slightly in my hand.
For several seconds, I couldn't speak.
The warehouse seemed to disappear around me.
The rain.
The cold air.
The sound of my brothers breathing.
Everything faded beneath one sentence.
*She's the daughter of the man who killed your parents.*
I forced myself to hold the phone tighter.
"Adrian.""
My voice sounded unfamiliar.
Small.
Dangerously calm.
"Say that again.""
There was silence on the other end.
Then Adrian whispered, "Vanessa isn't who she says she is.""
A bitter laugh escaped me.
"Neither are you.""
"Elena—"
"No.""
I looked at my brothers.
Marcus's face had gone completely still.
Julian was already typing something on his phone, searching, investigating.
Caleb looked like he was trying to control his anger.
"You don't get to suddenly become honest because you're afraid.""
Adrian exhaled sharply.
"I know what I did.""
"No, you don't.""
"I made mistakes.""
I closed my eyes.
Mistakes.
That was the word people used when they wanted forgiveness without responsibility.
"You didn't make mistakes, Adrian.""
My voice hardened.
"You made choices.""
A long pause followed.
Then he said quietly, "Vanessa approached me three years ago.""
My heart stopped.
Three years.
Before the gala.
Before I suspected anything.
"Why?""
"She knew about your family.""
I looked at Marcus.
He immediately understood.
"She knew who I was?""
"Yes.""
The answer felt like another betrayal.
"Then why did you marry me?""
His silence told me everything before he spoke.
"I loved you.""
The words almost made me angry.
Almost.
Because love didn't look like this.
Love didn't hide.
Love didn't destroy.
"You loved my name," I said.
"No.""
"You loved what my name could give you.""
"Elena—"
"You thought I was powerless.""
I looked around the warehouse.
At the brothers who had spent years protecting me.
At the woman who had carried my mother's final message.
"You thought I was just a lonely woman with nobody behind her.""
Adrian didn't answer.
Because he knew.
I was right.
Marcus stepped closer and motioned for me to end the call.
But before I could, Adrian said something that stopped me.
"There is something else.""
I waited.
"Vanessa wasn't the only one watching you.""
A cold feeling moved through my body.
"What does that mean?""
"She had someone inside your company.""
"What company?""
"The foundation.""
My stomach tightened.
The charity.
The foundation Adrian and I created.
The foundation that had become the stage where he destroyed me.
"Who?""
"I don't know.""
"You're lying.""
"I'm not.""
For the first time, his fear sounded real.
"Elena, I was stupid. I thought I could control the situation. I thought I could take over your family's assets through the marriage.""
I felt numb.
There it was.
The truth.
Not love.
Not passion.
A plan.
"You wanted my family's money.""
"I wanted security.""
"You wanted power.""
Silence.
Then:
"Yes.""
The honesty was almost worse.
I ended the call.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then Caleb finally said:
"Tell me I can arrest him.""
I looked at my youngest brother.
"Not yet.""
His eyebrows pulled together.
"Why?""
"Because Adrian is not the person who started this.""
Marcus nodded slowly.
"He might be a villain.""
He looked toward the envelope containing my mother's letter.
"But he may also be the person who knows where the real one is.""
Julian turned his laptop toward us.
"I found something.""
We gathered around.
On the screen was an old corporate record.
A company transfer.
A hidden account.
A name.
*Victor Laurent.*
Vanessa's father.
The man accused of destroying my family.
But beneath his name was another document.
A marriage certificate.
Marcus leaned closer.
"That's impossible.""
"What?"" I asked.
He looked at me.
"Victor Laurent died seven years ago.""
The room went silent.
Julian shook his head.
"No.""
He pointed at the screen.
"According to this...""
His fingers moved across the keyboard.
"Victor Laurent is alive.""
My blood ran cold.
A man who was supposed to be dead.
A woman who lied about her identity.
A husband who betrayed me.
And somewhere behind it all...
Someone who had been waiting for me to discover the truth.
Then Caleb's phone rang.
He answered.
His expression changed immediately.
"What?""
We all watched him.
"Where?""
A pause.
Then his face turned pale.
"Send me the location.""
He ended the call.
"What happened?"" Marcus asked.
Caleb looked at me.
"Adrian was found unconscious outside his office.""
My heart sank.
"Is he alive?""
Caleb hesitated.
"Yes.""
"Then what's wrong?""
He looked at the three of us.
"He had a message written on his hand.""
The air became heavy.
"What message?""
Caleb swallowed.
"It said...""
May you like
He looked directly at me.
"*Stop digging, Elena. Your mother should have died with her secrets.*"
