Chapter 21 - Victoria’s Last Move
Victoria did not apologize.
She attacked.
Her attorney sent a letter accusing me of stealing family property.
The alleged property consisted of wedding gifts, the ring, several pieces of jewelry Julian had purchased during our relationship, and—remarkably—the marriage certificate.
Rebecca responded with receipts.
The gifts remained in Victoria’s house.
The ring was available for return through counsel.
The jewelry had been gifts and legally belonged to me.
And the marriage certificate was a certified government record, not a Voss family heirloom.
Victoria’s next move was social.
She posted a long message online about “modern women who use marriage for financial advantage.”
She didn’t name me.
She didn’t have to.
Friends began sending screenshots.
I refused to respond.
That drove her crazier.
Three days later, she posted again.
Then again.
Each version became more specific.
She claimed I entered the marriage intending to leave.
She claimed I concealed assets.
She claimed my parents manipulated me.
Finally, she made a mistake.
She wrote:
We only asked her to contribute the money and investments she had always promised would become part of our family.
Rebecca screenshotted it immediately.
“When did you promise that?”
“Never.”
“Good.”
Victoria deleted the post seventeen minutes later.
It was already preserved.
Meanwhile, the financial pressure on the Voss family intensified.
Julian’s final rental property entered foreclosure.
His primary lender froze a business credit line.
The bank began reviewing documents associated with the attempted power of attorney.
Victoria’s notary commission was placed under investigation.
None of that was my doing.
That was the strangest part.
For weeks, Victoria told relatives I was “destroying the family.”
I didn’t foreclose on their property.
I didn’t create their debt.
I didn’t forge documents.
I had simply stopped standing between them and the consequences.
Then Denise called me.
“Elena, Victoria is planning something.”
“What?”
“She’s invited both families to dinner.”
I frowned.
“Why?”
“She says she wants peace.”
I laughed softly.
“That sounds terrifying.”
“She wants your parents there.”
“They won’t go.”
“She said there’s something she intends to reveal about you.”
My smile disappeared.
“What?”
“She wouldn’t tell me.”
I called Rebecca.
Her advice was simple.
“Do not attend.”
I agreed.
Then my mother called.
“Elena.”
Something in her voice made me sit down.
“What happened?”
“Victoria just emailed me.”
My stomach tightened.
“What did she send?”
“A document.”
“What document?”
My mother hesitated.
“It looks like a letter you wrote before the wedding.”
“I didn’t write her any letter.”
“I know.”
“What does it say?”
My mother’s voice shook with anger.
“It says you planned to marry Julian, transfer your assets, and cut us out of your life.”
I closed my eyes.
The deleted USB document.
They had finished it.
“What else?”
“There’s a signature.”
My heart began pounding.
“And Elena?”
“Yes?”
“It’s notarized.”
May you like
I already knew the name before she said it.
Victoria Voss.
