Chapter 7: The Woman Who Stole My Husband Twice
I read Sophie's message eleven times.
Seven words.
You should have let me keep Adrian.
For a moment, I couldn't even feel angry.
I simply stared at the handwriting.
The same handwriting that had signed my birthday cards. The same handwriting that had written comforting notes after my mother's funeral. The same handwriting that had filled my calendar with reminders to take breaks, eat lunch, and stop working so late.
I had trusted that woman with my entire life.
And she had been sleeping with my husband before I ever married him.
My phone rang.
Celeste.
"Eleanor, where are you?""
"At the atelier.""
"Marcus just informed me Sophie has left the building.""
"She took the key.""
There was a pause.
"Which key?""
"The key to my mother's safe.""
Celeste exhaled sharply.
"Don't touch anything else. We're sending security.""
I looked at the empty desk.
"She's going to London.""
"Possibly.""
"She knows about the original trust amendment.""
"Yes.""
"And she knows where the safe is.""
Celeste's voice became colder.
"Then we need to find her before she reaches it.""
I looked at the message again.
"There's something else, Celeste.""
"What?""
"Sophie was married to Adrian.""
Silence.
"Are you certain?""
I sent her the scanned certificate.
A few seconds later, Celeste called back.
"Oh, Eleanor.""
Her voice was unusually gentle.
"I'm sorry.""
I closed my eyes.
"Don't be. I don't need sympathy. I need answers.""
By midnight, the atelier had become an investigation center.
Security officers reviewed footage from every camera. Corporate investigators traced Sophie's company devices. Marcus contacted private transport operators.
I sat at my mother's old desk, watching the same video over and over.
Adrian kissed Sophie.
Sophie smiled.
Then he promised to leave me once he had the money.
I paused the recording.
There was something in the background.
A framed photograph.
I enlarged it.
It showed a man standing beside Adrian and Sophie.
The man was wearing a navy suit.
His face was turned slightly toward the camera.
Julian Ashford.
I called Celeste.
"Look at this.""
She examined the photograph.
"That's Julian.""
"Yes. And look at the date.""
"Three days before your wedding.""
I nodded.
"He was involved from the beginning.""
Celeste leaned closer.
"Wait.""
She pointed to the corner of the photograph.
A small white envelope sat on the table.
There was a handwritten label.
*VALE TRUST — ORIGINAL BENEFICIARIES.*
My stomach tightened.
"They had the documents before I married Adrian.""
"Perhaps.""
"No. They knew exactly what they were looking for.""
I stood and walked toward the window.
"Adrian didn't marry me because he wanted access to my shares. He married me because he believed the trust contained something valuable.""
Celeste nodded.
"But what?""
I thought about my mother's letter.
The one thing I never had the courage to tell you.
Then I remembered the strange wording in the original trust amendment.
The company wasn't simply left to me.
There was another beneficiary.
Thomas Ashford.
And if he was alive, the entire ownership structure could change.
"Celeste, what happens if Thomas is officially recognized as my biological father?""
She considered the question.
"Depending on the trust's wording, he could become entitled to a substantial portion of the original family assets.""
"And Julian?""
"Could inherit through him.""
I felt sick.
"So Adrian and Sophie weren't trying to steal the company alone. They were trying to use me to unlock Julian's inheritance.""
"That is one possibility.""
I looked at the video.
"And now Sophie has the key.""
At 1:43 a.m., Marcus received a message.
Sophie's car had been spotted outside a private airport near Paris.
A black Mercedes.
Registered to an offshore company.
I stood immediately.
"She's flying to London.""
Marcus shook his head.
"Not necessarily. The aircraft's destination hasn't been confirmed.""
"Find out.""
He made a call.
Then another.
Finally, he turned toward me.
"London.""
Celeste picked up her coat.
"We're going.""
I grabbed my handbag.
But before we could leave, my phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
A message appeared.
*Eleanor, don't trust Celeste. She knows what your mother did in 1998.*
I stared at the screen.
Celeste noticed my expression.
"What is it?""
I showed her.
For the first time that night, she looked genuinely unsettled.
"Who sent this?""
"I don't know.""
She read it again.
Then she slowly lowered the phone.
"There's something I need to tell you.""
I felt my chest tighten.
"What?""
Celeste walked toward the window.
"Your mother didn't disappear immediately after Robert's death.""
I stared at her.
"Then what happened?""
"She came to me first.""
I couldn't speak.
Celeste continued.
"She told me everything about Thomas, Victor, and the plane crash. She asked me to help protect the company and keep you away from the investigation.""
"Why?""
"Because she believed the truth would put you in danger.""
I shook my head.
"That's not what I'm asking.""
Celeste turned around.
"Your mother wanted me to destroy the original trust amendment.""
The room went silent.
"What?""
"She believed that if the document disappeared, Julian would stop looking for you.""
"Did you?""
Celeste looked down.
"No.""
I stared at her.
"Why?""
"Because I discovered something in the amendment that your mother hadn't told me.""
"What?""
Celeste approached the desk.
She opened her briefcase and removed a sealed envelope.
The paper was old.
The signature at the bottom belonged to Robert Vale.
She placed it in front of me.
"Your father left instructions that the trust could only be activated under one condition.""
I opened the envelope.
The first sentence made my blood run cold.
If Eleanor Vale ever discovers the identity of her biological father, the entire Vale estate must be transferred into an independent family foundation.
I looked up.
"That means I lose everything?""
Celeste shook her head.
"No. It means you gain something much bigger.""
She pointed to the final paragraph.
I read it.
Then read it again.
The foundation was not owned by Thomas.
It was not owned by Julian.
It was controlled by an independent board, with Eleanor Vale named as its permanent chairwoman.
But there was one condition.
The foundation could not be activated until all original beneficiaries had been identified and their identities verified.
I looked at Celeste.
"Who are the other beneficiaries?""
She didn't answer.
Then she said quietly:
"One of them is Sophie Bennett.""
My blood ran cold.
"What?""
Celeste nodded.
"Her mother was married to Victor Ashford before his second marriage. Sophie is his biological daughter.""
I sat down.
The woman who had betrayed me was not merely Adrian's former wife.
She was Julian's half-sister.
And she had been trying to secure the same inheritance for years.
At 3:12 a.m., we landed in London.
The city was cold and wet.
Marcus drove us directly to my mother's atelier.
The front door was open.
Again.
I stepped inside.
The room was dark.
The old cutting table stood exactly where I had left it.
But the white envelope was gone.
So was the photograph of my mother and Thomas.
I walked toward the private office.
The safe was hidden behind a wooden panel.
Its lock had been forced.
Sophie had been here.
A single sheet of paper lay on the floor.
I picked it up.
It was a copy of the original trust amendment.
Someone had circled a paragraph in red ink.
The foundation shall be activated upon the unanimous approval of all surviving beneficiaries.
Beneath it was another handwritten message.
*You can't activate it without me.*
I turned toward Celeste.
"She's right.""
Celeste nodded.
"Unfortunately.""
"Where is she?""
Marcus entered the room.
"We've located her.""
"Where?""
"At the Ashford residence in Richmond.""
I frowned.
"Julian's house?""
"Yes.""
I looked at the paper.
Then at the photograph of my mother.
"Let's go.""
But before we reached the door, my phone rang.
An unfamiliar London number.
I answered.
A man's voice spoke.
"Eleanor Vale?""
"Who is this?""
"My name is Thomas Ashford.""
My heart stopped.
"Where are you?""
"Somewhere safe.""
"Why did you send that video?""
"Because you deserved to know the truth.""
"Did you order the plane crash?""
A long silence.
Then he said:
"Yes.""
I closed my eyes.
"Did you know Robert was inside?""
"No.""
"Do you expect me to believe that?""
"No. I expect you to hate me.""
His voice broke.
"But before you decide what to do with me, you need to know something.""
"What?""
"Julian has already taken Sophie.""
I froze.
"What do you mean?""
Thomas lowered his voice.
"He's not trying to get the trust documents anymore, Eleanor.""
"Then what does he want?""
"Your signature.""
I looked at Celeste.
Thomas continued.
"He wants you to activate the foundation so he can become its chairman.""
I tightened my grip on the phone.
"That's impossible. The trust names me as chairwoman.""
"Not if you're declared legally incapable of serving.""
The line crackled.
Then Thomas whispered:
"And Julian has already filed the paperwork.""
The call ended.
I stared at my phone.
Then Marcus's radio crackled.
A voice came through.
"Mrs. Vale, we have a situation.""
"What?""
He looked at me.
"Julian's security team has just reported a medical emergency at the Richmond residence.""
"Who?""
Marcus hesitated.
May you like
Then answered.
"Sophie Bennett.""
