Chapter Two: The House of Lies
Twenty-two years earlier, Daniel’s mother, Caroline Reed, had drowned in the ocean beneath the Whitmore estate.
The official story was simple.
A storm.
A slip.
A tragic accident.
Evelyn had cried at the funeral. She had raised Daniel afterward. She had told the world she lost a daughter that night.
But Ava had found the truth hidden in a locked archive room beneath the mansion.
Bank transfers.
Old security logs.
A missing medical report.
And one damaged videotape labeled: Caroline — June 14.
Caroline had not fallen.
She had tried to leave with evidence that Evelyn had been stealing from the Whitmore foundation for decades.
Evelyn stopped her.
Permanently.
Ava had discovered everything while helping Evelyn prepare documents for a charity gala. At first, she thought the irregular payments were accounting errors.
Then she found Caroline’s name.
Then she found the video.
That was when Evelyn invited her to the mansion for tea.
“I trusted you,” Ava said quietly in the hospital room.
Daniel covered his face with both hands.
“My grandmother killed my mother.”
Ava’s expression hardened.
“And framed you for trying to kill me.”
Daniel looked up.
“Why me?”
“Because you were about to inherit voting control of the company. If you went to prison, Evelyn kept everything.”
For several seconds, Daniel said nothing.
Then his face changed.
The frightened grandson disappeared.
In his place sat a man who finally understood the monster who had raised him.
“What do we do?”
May you like
Ava reached for his hand.
“We let her think I’m too weak to fight back.”
