Chapter 34: A Queen Does Not Beg

Victoria came to Whitmore Industries wearing red.

Scarlett saw her through the glass wall of the executive floor, arguing with reception as if volume could replace authority. A month ago, employees would have rushed to obey her. Today, security asked her to wait.

Scarlett allowed it for nine minutes.

Then she opened her office door. 'Let her in.'

Victoria entered like a storm, diamonds flashing at her ears and fury burning through her makeup.

'You froze my accounts,' she snapped.

Scarlett gestured to the chair across from her desk. 'I froze stolen assets pending investigation.'

'You have no proof they are stolen.'

'Then you should be excited for the audit.'

Victoria's hands curled at her sides. 'You think this office makes you powerful?'

Scarlett looked around at the room her grandfather had once occupied. 'No. Surviving you did.'

For a second, Victoria's expression cracked.

'I did not cause your accident,' she said.

Scarlett watched her carefully. 'Did you know about it?'

'No.'

Too fast.

'Did Evelyn?'

Victoria's face paled.

Scarlett felt the answer before it came.

'Mother makes choices,' Victoria whispered. 'People like us live with them.'

'People like us?' Scarlett repeated. 'You mean daughters trained to worship selfish parents?'

Victoria laughed bitterly. 'Do not act superior. If you had been in my place, you would have fought for everything too.'

'I would not have worn another woman's dead mother's ring.'

The slap came sudden and sharp.

Security moved instantly, but Scarlett raised a hand. Her cheek burned. She tasted blood.

Victoria looked shocked by her own action. Then fear replaced rage.

Scarlett slowly turned her chair back toward the desk and pressed a button.

The office camera light blinked red.

'You recorded this?' Victoria whispered.

'A queen does not beg people to believe her,' Scarlett said. 'She keeps evidence.'

Victoria backed toward the door.

'This will ruin you,' Scarlett continued quietly. 'But if you tell me what Evelyn did, I may decide how badly.'

Victoria's eyes filled with tears she would never let fall.

'You do not understand,' she whispered. 'Mother does not love anyone. Not even me.'

Then she ran.

Scarlett sat alone in the office, cheek aching, heart heavier than victory should feel.