Chapter 7: The Man Who Tried to Erase Isabella
The Valemont mansion had never felt so dangerous.
For decades, it had been a symbol of power.
A place where everyone obeyed the family name.
But now...
The walls felt like they were hiding ghosts.
Alexander stood beside Lily, refusing to let go of her hand.
The little girl looked up at him.
“Are they angry because of me?”
The question broke something inside him.
Alexander lowered himself to her level.
“No, Lily.”
His voice softened.
“They are afraid because you know the truth.”
She looked confused.
“I don't understand.”
Alexander glanced at the old hairpin.
“Sometimes people hurt others because they are scared of losing something.”
Lily looked down.
“My mommy was scared too.”
Alexander froze.
“What did she say?”
The girl hesitated.
“She told me…”
Her small voice became quieter.
“Never trust anyone who smiles when they talk about family.”
Alexander slowly stood.
Because he knew exactly who Isabella meant.
Richard Valemont.
The family's oldest surviving member.
The man who had advised Alexander since childhood.
The man who always told him:
"Family protects family."
But now Alexander wondered...
What kind of protection required destroying a young woman's life?
That afternoon, Alexander secretly searched through old family records.
He discovered missing documents.
Altered financial reports.
Deleted photographs.
Entire pages removed from the Valemont history.
Someone had spent years rewriting the family's past.
Then his assistant entered.
“Mr. Valemont.”
Alexander looked up.
“What did you find?”
The assistant placed a folder on the desk.
“We found records about Isabella's disappearance.”
Alexander opened it.
Inside were old police reports.
Medical documents.
And one shocking piece of evidence.
A photograph.
A young Isabella.
Standing outside a small countryside house.
Holding a baby.
Her daughter.
Lily.
On the back of the photograph was a handwritten message.
"If anything happens to me, bring her to Alexander."
Alexander closed his eyes.
His sister had trusted him.
She had prepared for the possibility that someone would come after her.
And she was right.
Then his assistant revealed something else.
“There is more.”
Alexander looked up.
“The car accident that supposedly killed Daniel Cross…”
“Yes?”
“It wasn't an accident.”
The room went silent.
“What?”
“The vehicle was tampered with.”
Alexander felt anger rising.
“Who ordered it?”
The assistant hesitated.
“We don't know.”
Alexander stared at him.
“You do know something.”
The assistant slowly placed another file on the table.
Inside was a payment record.
A transaction from twenty years ago.
May you like
Signed by one name.
Richard Valemont.
