He Humiliated His Bride—Then the Ring Exposed His Family

Chapter 10 - Victoria’s Offer

Victoria requested a meeting from jail.

Emily refused twice.

The third request included information about the night of the fire that did not appear in any recording.

Emily attended with Detective Brooks and her attorney behind the observation glass.

Victoria entered wearing a beige jail uniform. Without diamonds and tailored black dresses, she looked smaller but not less controlled.

“You resemble Rose when you are angry,” she said.

Emily did not respond.

Victoria offered to reveal where Rose’s original company shares were hidden if prosecutors reduced the murder charge.

“You expect me to negotiate for you?”

“I expect you to understand value.”

“You thought value was the only thing anyone understood.”

Victoria’s eyes narrowed.

She claimed the fire was meant to frighten Rose, not kill her. Edward hired a technician to create smoke in the unused west wing. Rose was supposed to leave through the garden with Emily.

But Rose had hidden the ledgers and returned to her office.

“The fire spread faster than planned,” Victoria said.

“You left her inside.”

“I was not at the house.”

“You arranged the police protection that kept neighbors away.”

Victoria looked toward the glass.

Emily leaned forward.

“Why place the ring in your vault?”

“Edward brought it home. He said it was all he could recover.”

“You wore it to her funeral.”

For the first time, Victoria’s expression shifted.

“I wanted to know whether Claire recognized it.”

“You used my mother’s memorial as a test.”

“I needed to find the documents.”

Emily understood the scale of the woman’s emptiness. Rose’s death, Edward’s guilt, Adrian’s trust, and Emily’s wedding were all problems to be managed.

Victoria gave the location of the shares: a private archive beneath a family hunting lodge.

Investigators found certificates proving Rose never sold the Bellamy company. Edward had forged the transaction. The assets acquired through that fraud were now worth more than six hundred million dollars.

Victoria expected Emily to be impressed.

Instead, Emily stood.

“You destroyed lives for numbers printed on paper.”

“Those numbers built hospitals and schools.”

“With money stolen from the trust that was already building them.”

Victoria’s voice sharpened. “The Whitmores created something larger.”

“You created something with your name on it.”

Emily left.

She did not support a reduced charge.