Chapter 4 - The Woman Behind the Mask
That night, Genevieve received an unexpected visitor.
Chloe arrived at the Vance Estate alone.
The security guards stopped her.
“I need to see Chairwoman Consecour.”
Genevieve appeared behind them.
“Let her in.”
Chloe entered.
She no longer wore the confident expression from the wedding.
She looked exhausted.
“I need to talk.”
“Then talk.”
“Privately.”
Genevieve nodded.
They entered the library.
Chloe sat.
Genevieve remained standing.
“I didn't know about the money.”
Genevieve studied her.
“That's not what you came here to say.”
Chloe's eyes filled with tears.
“My father is in trouble.”
Genevieve said nothing.
“He owes people money.”
“How much?”
“Twenty million.”
“And?”
“He used Vance accounts to hide it.”
Genevieve's expression remained calm.
“Did you help him?”
“No.”
“Did you know?”
“I suspected.”
“That is different.”
Chloe looked down.
“I wanted to marry Ethan because I thought I could save my family.”
Genevieve nodded.
“Now we're getting somewhere.”
“My father told me your company was vulnerable.”
“Was?”
Chloe looked up.
“He said someone would take control of Vance Group during the wedding.”
Genevieve's eyes narrowed.
“Who?”
“I don't know.”
“You do.”
“No.”
Genevieve stepped closer.
“Chloe.”
The young woman finally broke.
“My father mentioned a man named Marcus Vale.”
Genevieve froze.
Marcus Vale.
Former vice president of Consecour Capital.
Her most dangerous rival.
He had disappeared five years earlier after attempting to steal proprietary financial models from her company.
Genevieve had believed he was gone.
She had been wrong.
“Where is he?”
“I don't know.”
“What did he want?”
“Your shares.”
Genevieve understood immediately.
Marcus didn't want the Vance Group.
He wanted Consecour Capital.
And the Vance Group was merely the first domino.
Genevieve dismissed Chloe.
Then she called Ethan.
“We have a problem.”
“I know.”
“No.”
Genevieve looked out the window.
“You don't.”
She told him everything.
Ethan arrived within fifteen minutes.
“What do we do?”
“Find Marcus.”
“Where?”
“Your father kept private records.”
Ethan's face changed.
“My father?”
“He knew Marcus.”
“How?”
Genevieve turned.
“Because your father once helped me stop him.”
Ethan stared.
“You knew my father?”
“For twenty years.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because your father asked me not to.”
“Why?”
“Because he believed you needed to build your own identity.”
Ethan sat down.
“My father trusted you.”
“He did.”
“And he asked you to protect me?”
Genevieve nodded.
Ethan looked away.
“My mother always said my father died believing I was a failure.”
“That was a lie.”
He looked up.
“What?”
“Your father was proud of you.”
Ethan's eyes filled with tears.
“He said you were the only person in the family who hadn't become obsessed with money.”
Ethan covered his face.
For years, he had carried the belief that his father had died disappointed in him.
Now he learned the truth.
Genevieve placed a hand on his shoulder.
“You have one chance.”
“For what?”
“To become the man your father believed you could be.”
Ethan nodded.
Then his phone rang.
It was security.
“Sir, there's been a break-in.”
“Where?”
“Your father's old office.”
Ethan and Genevieve exchanged looks.
They rushed there.
The office was dark.
Drawers had been opened.
Files were scattered everywhere.
But one thing was missing.
An old black ledger.
Ethan remembered it.
His father had kept it hidden.
Genevieve looked at the empty drawer.
“He found it.”
“Who?”
Genevieve's expression hardened.
“Marcus.”
Then the lights went out.
A man's voice echoed through the darkness.
“Hello, Genevieve.”
Ethan froze.
Genevieve turned.
“Marcus.”
A shadow appeared near the doorway.
May you like
“You should have stayed a maid.”
Then the door slammed shut.
