Chapter 6: The Box Victoria Was Desperate to Find
I didn't remember walking back into the main hall.
One moment, I was standing in the hallway holding my phone. The next, I was confronting Victoria Hayes beneath the glowing lights of the House of Couture.
"Give it back.""
Victoria looked at me.
"Excuse me?""
"The document case you took from my mother's storage unit.""
Her expression didn't change.
"I have no idea what you're talking about.""
"Patricia Miller confirmed you signed for it.""
Victoria laughed.
"Perhaps you should speak to your lawyer before making accusations.""
"That case belonged to my mother.""
"Then perhaps you should have secured her belongings.""
Camille appeared beside me.
"Victoria, what did you take?""
Victoria adjusted the diamond bracelet on her wrist.
"Nothing that belongs to either of you.""
I stepped closer.
"What was inside?""
She smiled.
"Why don't you ask your friend Arthur?""
I turned.
Arthur was approaching us, carrying the leather folder.
His face was pale.
"Victoria, give Nia the case.""
She laughed.
"You're still pretending to be her guardian angel?""
"No. I'm asking you to return stolen property.""
Victoria looked toward Richard.
"Dad, are you hearing this?""
Richard walked over.
"What's happening?""
I faced him.
"Your daughter took a document case from my mother's storage unit.""
Richard frowned.
"Victoria?""
She shrugged.
"Someone at the storage facility apparently released an item to me. I assumed it was part of the company's archive.""
I stared at her.
"Why would my mother's belongings be part of your company's archive?""
Richard didn't answer immediately.
Then he said, "Because your mother had previous dealings with Hayes Luxury Group.""
"She had no dealings with your company.""
"That's your understanding.""
"No. That's the truth.""
Evelyn Brooks approached, followed by two members of the judging committee.
"Is there a problem?""
Richard immediately adopted a polite expression.
"Nothing that concerns the competition.""
Evelyn looked at me.
"Miss Carter?""
"Victoria has taken a document case from my mother's storage unit. It contains records related to the design ownership dispute.""
Evelyn's eyebrows lifted.
"Is that true?""
Victoria crossed her arms.
"I have no obligation to discuss my family's private business with the contestants.""
Evelyn looked at Richard.
"Then perhaps you should return the property and allow the legal representatives to resolve it.""
Richard shook his head.
"The matter is more complicated than that.""
Arthur stepped forward.
"No, Richard. It's very simple. Denise left those records to her daughter.""
Richard's expression darkened.
"Arthur, you have no authority to speak for Denise.""
"I have her written instructions.""
He lifted the leather folder.
"And I have a copy of the original agreement.""
Victoria's smile disappeared.
I noticed it.
So did Evelyn.
"Mr. Bell," Evelyn said, "would you be willing to provide the documents to the committee?""
Arthur nodded.
"Certainly.""
Richard stepped forward.
"I strongly advise against that.""
Evelyn looked at him.
"Why?""
"Because the documents may be subject to confidentiality restrictions.""
Arthur laughed.
"Only if you can prove the restrictions were valid.""
Richard's jaw tightened.
I looked toward Victoria.
"Where is the case?""
She rolled her eyes.
"I already told you. I don't know what you're talking about.""
Then her phone rang.
She glanced at the screen.
For the first time that evening, she looked nervous.
She walked several feet away and answered.
"Hello?""
I couldn't hear the person on the other end, but I could hear Victoria's voice.
"What do you mean you opened it?""
A pause.
"Did you find the original?""
Another pause.
Her expression changed.
"No. Don't touch anything else. I'm coming.""
She ended the call.
I stepped toward her.
"Where is it?""
Victoria slipped her phone into her handbag.
"Move.""
"Victoria.""
"I said move.""
She pushed past me.
Camille grabbed my arm.
"Nia, wait.""
But I followed.
Victoria hurried toward the private elevators.
Richard called after her.
"Victoria! Where are you going?""
She didn't answer.
She pressed the elevator button repeatedly.
I reached her just as the doors opened.
"Give me my mother's case.""
She turned sharply.
"You're becoming exhausting.""
"Then stop lying.""
Victoria stepped into the elevator.
I caught the door before it closed.
Her eyes flashed.
"Do you want to know what your mother really did?""
I froze.
"What?""
Victoria smiled.
"She wasn't the innocent woman you've imagined.""
Camille stepped forward.
"Don't.""
Victoria ignored her.
"Your mother signed away those designs. She knew exactly what she was doing. She just regretted it when the money ran out.""
I stared at her.
"That's a lie.""
"Maybe. Maybe not.""
The elevator doors began closing.
Before they shut completely, Victoria leaned toward me.
"Ask Arthur why your father disappeared from the family business.""
The doors closed.
I stood motionless.
Camille looked at me.
"Don't listen to her.""
But I had already turned toward Arthur.
"Why did my father disappear?""
Arthur's face was heavy.
"That's a conversation we need to have privately.""
"Not anymore.""
He looked at the people gathering around us.
Then he nodded.
"All right.""
He led us into a quiet conference room.
Evelyn followed.
Arthur placed the leather folder on the table.
"Your father didn't simply leave the family business, Nia. He was forced out.""
"By Richard?""
Arthur nodded.
"After the original agreement was signed, Richard discovered that your father had retained copies of the designs. He wanted those copies destroyed.""
"Why?""
"Because the agreement didn't transfer every right. Your father had kept ownership of several original concepts.""
I looked at the folder.
"Was the Angel Collection one of them?""
"Yes.""
Arthur removed a photocopy of an old contract.
"Your father and mother created the collection together. Richard offered to purchase the commercial rights, but he also wanted to remove their names from the designs.""
Evelyn leaned closer.
"That would explain the attribution dispute.""
Arthur nodded.
"Your mother refused. Your father eventually agreed to a partial transfer because he thought it would protect his family.""
"What happened after that?""
"Richard accused him of violating the agreement. He threatened a lawsuit that would have financially destroyed him.""
I swallowed.
"So my father left?""
"He left the company. He didn't leave you.""
Arthur's voice cracked slightly.
"He wanted to come back. He wanted to tell you everything. But your mother asked him to stay away until the dispute was settled.""
I stared at him.
"Why?""
"Because Richard had threatened to challenge their custody arrangements and expose your father to financial liability. Denise believed she could protect you better if she kept you away from the conflict.""
I sat down.
My entire childhood suddenly seemed different.
The unanswered questions.
The photographs my mother had hidden.
The way she changed the subject whenever I asked about my father.
I had spent years believing he had simply abandoned us.
And now I was learning that the truth might have been far more complicated.
Arthur reached into his folder.
"There is something else.""
He placed a small photograph on the table.
It showed my mother standing beside the unfinished pink gown.
But this time, she wasn't alone.
A little girl stood beside her.
Me.
I was perhaps five years old, wearing a white dress, holding a piece of pink fabric.
On the back was a handwritten message.
For Nia, when she is ready to fly.
I touched the photograph.
My eyes filled.
Arthur watched me quietly.
"Your mother wanted you to have the collection.""
"Then why didn't she give it to me?""
"Because she wanted you to create your own work first. She didn't want you to feel obligated to continue something that belonged to your parents.""
I looked up.
"She wanted me to be a designer.""
"She wanted you to be free.""
The room fell silent.
Then Evelyn spoke.
"Mr. Bell, do you have any way of proving the document on the screen tonight was altered?""
Arthur nodded.
"The original acquisition agreement has a unique registration number. If Hayes Luxury Group submitted a modified version, the registration office should have the original.""
"Where?""
"New York State's historical business records archive. But there's a complication.""
"What complication?"" I asked.
Arthur looked at the door.
"The original contract was registered under a company that no longer exists.""
"Which company?""
"Hayes-Carter Design Partnership.""
I stared at him.
"Why Carter?""
"Because your parents were the original partners.""
I felt something shift inside me.
My family hadn't simply contributed a few sketches to the Angel Collection.
We had helped create the company.
And the Hayes family had spent years trying to erase that history.
My phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number appeared.
*Stop asking questions about your parents. You don't know what happened after the accident.*
I read it twice.
Then another message arrived.
*Your father is alive.*
The phone nearly slipped from my hand.
I looked at Arthur.
He had seen my expression.
"What is it?""
I turned the screen toward him.
He read the messages.
His face drained of color.
Evelyn stood.
"Arthur?""
He didn't answer.
I grabbed his arm.
"Is my father alive?""
Arthur closed his eyes.
Then he whispered something that made the room feel like it was spinning.
"I thought Richard had made sure you'd never find him.""
I stared at him.
"Where is he?""
Arthur looked at the message again.
"I don't know exactly.""
"Arthur, please.""
He hesitated.
Then he opened the leather folder and removed a small business card.
It had a name and address printed on it.
*Marcus Carter — Carter Custom Tailoring.*
The address was in Brooklyn.
My father's name.
A business.
A current address.
I looked at the card, unable to process what I was seeing.
"How long have you known?""
Arthur's eyes filled.
"I found out six months ago.""
"Six months?""
"I was trying to verify it before telling you.""
"You let me believe my father was dead?""
"I never told you he was dead, Nia.""
"But you let me believe he was gone forever.""
Arthur lowered his head.
"I'm sorry.""
I backed away.
My mother had protected me with silence.
Arthur had protected me with silence.
And the Hayes family had apparently used that silence to build an empire.
I looked at Evelyn.
"I need to leave.""
She nodded.
"I'll speak with the committee. Your presentation remains valid while we investigate the complaint.""
"Thank you.""
Camille approached.
"I'm coming with you.""
I nodded.
We walked out of the conference room.
But as we reached the elevator, my phone rang.
This time, the number wasn't blocked.
It was an unfamiliar Brooklyn number.
I answered.
"Hello?""
For several seconds, there was only breathing.
Then a man's voice spoke.
"Nia?""
My knees weakened.
I knew that voice.
I hadn't heard it in nineteen years, but somewhere deep inside me, I recognized it.
"Dad?""
A long silence followed.
Then he said,
"Listen carefully. Don't trust Arthur. And whatever you do, don't let Victoria get that black case.""
I gripped the phone.
"Where are you?""
He lowered his voice.
"Brooklyn. But there's something you need to know about the Angel Collection.""
"What?""
His next words shattered everything I thought I understood.
"The pink gown your mother left you wasn't the original design, Nia.""
I stopped breathing.
"What do you mean?""
"It was a copy of something Richard stole from me.""
I stared at the elevator doors.
May you like
Then my father said,
"And the original is still in my possession.""
