Chapter 18 - EVELYN'S FINAL MOVE
The morning of the parliamentary vote, Evelyn disappeared.
Federal investigators arrived at Hawthorne Hall at six.
Her room was empty.
Her passport remained in the safe.
Her phone was found beside the bed.
Charles called Daniel.
Daniel called Helena.
Within an hour, authorities began searching.
They did not need long.
Evelyn had not fled the country.
She had gone to Varenne.
A private aircraft chartered under a Sterling subsidiary landed outside the capital before dawn.
Madison was with her.
Their plan became clear at 10:14 a.m.
Every member of parliament received an anonymous digital package.
Inside were medical records concerning King Frederick’s death.
Edited audio from Helena’s private conversations.
Photographs of Daniel entering Varenne House.
And a document suggesting Helena had promised Daniel influence over future state investments.
The document was fake.
But the vote was thirty minutes away.
Reporters surrounded parliament.
Opposition leaders demanded postponement.
Helena refused.
“If we postpone every time someone manufactures a lie, then lies control the calendar.”
Adrian looked at her.
“You sound like Father.”
“I hope not.”
“He hated mornings.”
Despite everything, Adrian laughed.
Daniel arrived through a side entrance.
“I have something.”
He handed Helena his phone.
Sophie had sent him a video recovered from Hawthorne Hall.
Evelyn and Madison sat at the library desk two weeks earlier.
Madison held the forged document now circulating through parliament.
Her voice was clear.
“If this ever becomes necessary, it needs to look like Helena authorized investments.”
Evelyn replied.
“Make the signature better.”
Daniel looked at Helena.
“Sophie found it this morning.”
Helena watched the clip twice.
“Release it.”
Daniel hesitated.
“If we do, my mother is finished.”
Helena looked at him.
“She made that choice.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
Then he sent the file.
At 10:41, the video reached every major news outlet.
At 10:46, police stopped Evelyn and Madison outside a private club near parliament.
Madison began crying.
Evelyn did not.
She looked directly into the television cameras.
Then she said something meant for Daniel.
“You will regret choosing her.”
Daniel watched from Helena’s private office.
He felt no anger.
Only sadness.
At eleven, parliament assembled.
The Speaker read the motion.
Consent to the marriage of Her Majesty Queen Helena IV and Daniel James Hawthorne.
The voting lights activated.
Green.
Red.
Green.
Red.
The count climbed.
Helena did not watch.
Daniel did.
At 146 votes, approval needed only five more.
Then three members changed from green to red.
Daniel’s stomach tightened.
148.
149.
150.
They needed 151.
The final undecided member stood.
An elderly representative from the rural north.
He looked toward Helena.
Then toward Daniel.
May you like
His hand moved toward the voting control.
The chamber went completely silent.
