Chapter 7 - VIVIENNE’S REAL PLAN

Gabriel put the call on speaker.

Vivienne sounded almost amused.

“Cassandra always had your temper.”

Gabriel’s jaw tightened.

“You let us think you were dead.”

“We can discuss history later.”

“No.”

“We discuss it now.”

Vivienne sighed.

“I did what was necessary.”

“You abandoned your children.”

“I protected myself.”

Elena watched Gabriel close his eyes briefly.

It was exactly the kind of answer Cassandra would give.

Vivienne continued.

“Cassandra lost control today.”

“She was not supposed to touch Elena.”

Elena leaned forward.

“So she was supposed to destroy my things?”

Silence.

Then Vivienne answered.

“Yes.”

Gabriel’s face darkened.

“Why?”

“To make you leave.”

Vivienne spoke as if discussing a business strategy.

“The marriage was the obstacle.”

“Theodore tied too much to Elena.”

“Elena leaves voluntarily, the situation becomes manageable.”

“You forged a postnup.”

Gabriel said.

“I prepared protection for this family.”

“You mean yourself.”

Vivienne laughed.

“You always were sentimental.”

Gabriel looked at Elena.

“I’m hanging up.”

“Do that and you’ll never know why Theodore really died.”

The room changed.

Elijah Mercer stood.

“What are you implying?”

Vivienne ignored him.

“Your grandfather was healthy enough to attend a board meeting eight days ago.”

“Then suddenly he dies.”

Gabriel’s voice became quiet.

“What happened?”

“Ask Elijah.”

Everyone looked at the attorney.

Elijah’s expression tightened.

“Theodore died from cardiac failure.”

“That’s the preliminary determination.”

Vivienne laughed again.

“Preliminary.”

Elena felt cold.

Theodore’s death had triggered the trust.

Cassandra’s attack happened less than a week later.

Too convenient.

Gabriel asked.

“Did you hurt him?”

Vivienne’s voice sharpened.

“Careful.”

“You are speaking to your mother.”

“My mother died thirteen years ago.”

Gabriel ended the call.

Nobody spoke for several seconds.

Then Elijah reached for his phone.

“I’m requesting an independent toxicology review.”

Gabriel stared at him.

“Do it.”

Elena looked at the shattered memory box still sitting on the coffee table.

Everything was connected.

The trust.

The forged postnup.

Vivienne’s return.

Cassandra’s pressure campaign.

Theodore’s death.

Then Elena noticed something inside one of the broken photographs.

A tiny black object had fallen from the frame.

She picked it up.

It looked like a memory card.

Gabriel stared at it.

“That wasn’t there before.”

Elijah placed it into an evidence envelope.

Hours later, they opened the files.

The card contained one video.

Theodore Vale sitting in his study.

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He looked directly at the camera.

“If you are watching this, Vivienne has already made her move.”