Chapter 4 - THE DAUGHTER WHO DISCOVERED SHE HAD BEEN LIED TOAmber found her mother in the Vance mansion that evening.
Victoria stood in the library, surrounded by legal documents.
Three attorneys were speaking quietly.
Amber walked in.
“What's happening?”
Nobody answered.
“Mom.”
Victoria looked up.
“You shouldn't be here.”
“Tell me about Dad.”
The attorneys stopped.
Victoria's face hardened.
“This isn't the time.”
“Then when is?”
“Amber.”
“Why did you tell me he abandoned us?”
Victoria looked away.
“Because you were a child.”
“You said he was irresponsible.”
“He was.”
“You said he ruined everything.”
Victoria's silence was enough.
Amber stepped closer.
“Was he involved with Daniel Carter?”
Victoria's expression changed.
“Who told you that name?”
“Nobody.”
Amber held up her phone.
“I found an old article.”
She showed her mother a photograph.
Two men stood beside Victoria at a fashion event.
Daniel Carter.
And Robert Vance.
Amber's father.
The headline read:
VANCE ATELIER PARTNERS WITH MASTER DESIGNER DANIEL CARTER.
Amber stared.
“You lied to me.”
Victoria said nothing.
“What happened to Dad?”
Victoria finally whispered,
“He found out.”
“Found out what?”
“That I had changed the production contracts.”
Amber stared at her.
“You knew?”
Victoria's voice hardened.
“I built this company.”
“That doesn't answer me.”
“Your father wanted to expose everything.”
“And?”
Victoria looked toward the window.
“He was going to destroy us.”
Amber's eyes widened.
“What did you do?”
Victoria didn't answer.
Amber stepped backward.
“What did you do?”
Before Victoria could speak, the library door opened.
An elderly man entered.
It was Robert Vance's former attorney.
He carried a folder.
“Mrs. Vance.”
Victoria stared at him.
“You shouldn't be here.”
He ignored her.
He handed Amber the folder.
“Your father asked me to keep this until you were old enough to understand.”
Victoria lunged.
Amber stepped away.
Inside the folder was a letter.
Amber opened it.
The handwriting was unmistakable.
Her father's.
My daughter,
If you are reading this, something has happened that prevented me from telling you the truth.
Your mother and I built Vance Atelier together.
But Daniel Carter created the designs.
Your mother took them.
I tried to stop her.
I failed.
Amber's hands began shaking.
She read the next line.
I want you to know that I never abandoned you.
I was pushed out.
And the company you believe belongs to our family was built on a lie.
Amber looked at Victoria.
“Is this true?”
Victoria's eyes filled with tears.
For once, there was no performance.
“Yes.”
Amber's world collapsed.
“You made me believe Dad was a coward.”
“He left.”
“Because of you?”
Victoria didn't answer.
Amber screamed.
“You destroyed my father!”
Victoria slapped the table.
“I did what I had to do!”
“No!”
Amber backed away.
“You destroyed his company.”
“I protected our family.”
“You taught me to look down on people!”
Victoria stared at her daughter.
Amber's voice broke.
“You taught me that money meant we were better than everyone.”
Victoria said nothing.
Amber looked down at the expensive purse in her hand.
The purse she had used to humiliate Natalie.
Suddenly, it looked disgusting.
She remembered Natalie's words.
The fake one was you.
Amber began crying.
Not the calculated tears she had shown at the Dean's office.
Real tears.
“I've become you.”
Victoria's face tightened.
“Don't say that.”
“I have.”
Amber dropped the purse.
“I became the person you wanted me to be.”
Then she walked out.
Outside, she called Natalie.
Natalie answered cautiously.
“Hello?”
“I need to talk to you.”
“About what?”
“Your father.”
Natalie went silent.
Amber swallowed.
“I know what my mother did.”
Natalie sat down.
“What do you know?”
“Not everything.”
Amber looked at the mansion behind her.
“But I want to help you find the rest.”
Natalie didn't trust her.
She had no reason to.
“You humiliated me.”
“I know.”
“You lied.”
“I know.”
“You tried to make everyone think I was poor and fake.”
Amber's voice broke.
“I know.”
Silence.
Then Amber said,
“But my mother lied to me too.”
Natalie closed her eyes.
She had expected revenge.
She hadn't expected this.
“Meet me tomorrow.”
“Where?”
“The old Carter workshop.”
Natalie froze.
“That place was destroyed.”
May you like
Amber whispered,
“Not all of it.”
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