Chapter 7 - Victoria Had Met Preston Before“I don't remember this.”
Victoria stared at the photograph.
“You're standing next to him,” Evelyn said.
“I can see that.”
Preston crossed his arms.
“Industry event.”
Victoria turned.
“At a restaurant?”
“Probably after a conference.”
“You remember?”
“No.”
“You just said what it probably was.”
Preston sighed.
“This is becoming hysteria.”
Detective Bennett looked at him.
“You were photographed with your future wife five years before she says she met you.”
“I met thousands of people.”
Victoria stared.
“I didn't meet thousands of men named Preston Hale.”
Diane looked sick.
“Where was this?”
The filename included the location.
The Drake Hotel.
Chicago.
Victoria frowned.
“I attended a tourism fundraiser there.”
Evelyn remembered.
Their father had still been alive.
Charles sent Victoria to represent the company.
“Were you working for Northline?” the detective asked Preston.
“Yes.”
“So you attended an event where Whitmore executives were present.”
“Likely.”
“Did you approach Victoria intentionally?”
“No.”
Victoria's eyes sharpened.
“You approached me.”
Preston looked at her.
“You remember?”
“No.”
“But if Dad had someone photograph us…”
Charles had been watching.
Why?
The audit folder contained an email.
From Charles to an outside investigator.
Subject: Young Northline Employee.
Please identify P. Hale's current assignments and whether his contact with Victoria was accidental.
Evelyn felt a chill.
Their father suspected Preston long before any romance.
Another document contained the investigator's response.
P. Hale joined Northline eighteen months ago. Assigned to Midwestern hospitality accounts. Personal debts significant. No criminal record. Has requested information about Whitmore ownership structure beyond normal responsibilities.
Victoria sat down heavily.
“He was asking about us.”
Preston laughed.
“I was an analyst. Researching ownership was my job.”
“Then why did Dad hire someone to follow you?”
“I don't know.”
Evelyn looked at him.
“You do.”
“No.”
“Dad died six months later.”
The entire room changed.
Preston's eyes narrowed.
“Be very careful.”
Evelyn hadn't accused him of murder.
Not explicitly.
But everyone heard the implication.
Diane stood.
“Charles died of a heart attack.”
“Yes.”
“His autopsy confirmed it.”
“I know.”
“Do not turn this into something it wasn't.”
Evelyn looked at her mother.
“I'm not.”
Preston seized the moment.
“This is exactly what I mean. She has always needed drama.”
Sophie spoke from beside Buddy.
“My mom isn't dramatic.”
Several adults almost smiled.
Preston didn't.
The forensic officer continued examining the files.
Charles had eventually concluded Northline was using shell vendors to inflate renovation costs across multiple hotel clients.
Money left hotel accounts.
Passed through contractors.
Returned to investment entities connected to Northline executives.
The scheme was sophisticated.
But Charles's notes suggested something more disturbing.
Someone inside Whitmore Hotels was providing approval codes.
Evelyn and Victoria had both held junior management roles at the time.
Diane had executive access.
“Did Dad ever question you?” Evelyn asked.
Victoria shook her head.
“Not about this.”
Diane answered quietly.
“He questioned me.”
Both daughters turned.
“When?”
“Two weeks before he died.”
“What did he ask?”
“If I had shared access credentials with anyone.”
“Had you?”
Diane looked toward Preston.
Not him then.
Someone else.
“Yes.”
“With who?”
“My assistant.”
“Who?”
“Rachel Monroe.”
Victoria frowned.
“Rachel left years ago.”
“She moved to Florida.”
Detective Bennett wrote the name down.
The case had widened beyond the wedding.
Preston suddenly looked toward the ballroom doors again.
Evelyn noticed.
“You keep looking for an exit.”
He smiled.
“I'm wondering how long you're planning to imprison your guests.”
Detective Bennett answered.
“You're free to leave.”
Everyone turned.
Preston looked surprised.
“Really?”
“You're not under arrest.”
Yet.
The word wasn't spoken.
It didn't need to be.
Preston grabbed his phone.
Victoria stood.
“If you walk out now…”
He looked at her.
“What?”
She struggled to finish.
Perhaps some part of her still wanted him to explain everything.
Wanted the wedding to become real again.
Preston stepped toward her.
“Come with me.”
Victoria froze.
“We can leave these people to tear apart old documents and imagine conspiracies.”
Evelyn watched.
This was his strongest weapon.
Not intimidation.
Intimacy.
He softened his voice.
“You know me.”
Victoria's eyes filled.
“Do I?”
“Yes.”
“You lied about knowing my father.”
“I met him once.”
“You were in my suite.”
“I was trying to protect us.”
“From what?”
He glanced at Evelyn.
“From people who want to destroy this marriage.”
Evelyn remained silent.
If Victoria chose him now, arguing would only help him.
Preston extended his hand.
Victoria looked at it.
Then at her wedding ring.
For several seconds, no one breathed.
Finally she stepped backward.
“No.”
His expression changed.
“Victoria.”
“I need answers.”
“You're choosing her.”
“No.”
Victoria looked toward Sophie.
“I'm choosing the fact that an eight-year-old told the truth while every adult in this room called her a liar.”
Sophie stared.
Victoria's voice cracked.
“Including me.”
Preston lowered his hand.
The charm disappeared.
“Fine.”
One word.
Cold.
He turned and walked toward the ballroom exit.
Buddy growled again.
Preston paused beside Evelyn.
Very quietly, so only she could hear, he said:
“You have no idea what your father actually found.”
Evelyn stared at him.
“What did he find?”
Preston smiled.
“Ask your mother.”
Then he left.
Evelyn turned.
Diane had heard enough.
Her face told Evelyn that Preston was right.
May you like
Their mother knew something.
And she had been hiding it for six years.
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