Chapter 6 - The Man Who Knew Why Elizabeth DisappearedDaniel Cross sat in a police interrogation room.
He was older now.
Gray-haired.
Thin.
Tired.
Victoria entered alone.
He looked at her.
“You look like your sister.”
Victoria sat.
“Tell me the truth.”
Daniel smiled sadly.
“Which truth?”
“All of it.”
He nodded.
“Your husband was stealing money.”
“I know.”
“Your father helped him.”
“I know.”
“Elizabeth found out.”
“I know.”
Daniel looked away.
“But there's something you don't know.”
“What?”
“Richard didn't kill Elizabeth.”
Victoria froze.
“Then who did?”
“Your cousin Rebecca.”
Victoria's heart stopped.
“Rebecca?”
Daniel nodded.
“She wanted control of the family fortune.”
Victoria shook her head.
“No.”
“She worked with Richard.”
“Why?”
“Because Richard promised her a position in the company.”
Victoria remembered Rebecca.
Her cousin.
Her confidante.
The woman who had stood beside her at family events.
The woman who had comforted her after Elizabeth disappeared.
The woman who had told her:
You have to move on, Victoria. Elizabeth made her choice.
Victoria felt sick.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I was afraid.”
“Of Rebecca?”
“Of all of them.”
Daniel lowered his eyes.
“I helped take Noah.”
Victoria stared at him.
“You stole a baby.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Richard threatened my family.”
“You could have gone to the police.”
“I was a coward.”
Victoria's voice became cold.
“And Elizabeth?”
Daniel closed his eyes.
“She survived.”
Victoria froze.
“What?”
“She wasn't killed twenty-two years ago.”
“Then where was she?”
“She escaped.”
“Where?”
“She lived under another name.”
Victoria's heart raced.
“Why?”
“Because Rebecca kept searching for her.”
“And Lily?”
“Elizabeth raised her alone.”
Victoria's voice broke.
“Why didn't she come back?”
“She was afraid you wouldn't believe her.”
Victoria looked down.
“She was right.”
Daniel nodded.
“She told me that if anything happened to her, Lily had to find you.”
“What happened to Elizabeth?”
Daniel looked at Victoria.
“Three weeks ago, Rebecca found her.”
Victoria's blood ran cold.
“She killed her.”
Daniel nodded.
“She poisoned her.”
Victoria stood.
Her hands shook.
“Where is Rebecca?”
Daniel smiled bitterly.
“You already know.”
Victoria thought.
Rebecca had been at the hotel.
She had access to Lily.
She had been asking questions.
And she had disappeared the morning Lily arrived.
Victoria rushed out.
Michael was waiting.
“Rebecca is gone.”
Victoria's face went white.
“Where?”
“Airport records show she left the country.”
Victoria looked at Lily.
The child was standing behind Michael.
Rebecca knew Lily was alive.
And now she knew Victoria knew the truth.
Victoria grabbed her phone.
“Find her.”
But before anyone could move, Lily's phone rang.
Unknown number.
She answered.
A woman's voice whispered:
“Your mother should have kept her mouth shut.”
Lily's face went pale.
Victoria took the phone.
“Rebecca.”
A soft laugh came through.
“You finally understand.”
“Where are you?”
“Somewhere you can't reach me.”
Victoria's voice became cold.
“You murdered my sister.”
“No.”
Rebecca laughed.
“I finished what your family started.”
Then the call ended.
Victoria stared at the phone.
Lily stepped closer.
“She's afraid.”
Victoria looked at her.
May you like
“Why?”
“Because Mom left something else.”
Related Stories
