Chapter 3: The Infiltration
For the next three months, Arthur Miller lived in bliss, unaware that the walls of his world were closing in. He had moved on, trying to secure a merger with a prominent firm, using the last of Victoria’s money to maintain the illusion of success.
Victoria, meanwhile, had returned to the society scene under a pseudonym: Eleanor Vance. She became the primary donor for the very charity board Arthur was desperate to join. She smiled across dinner tables at him, watching him brag about his "success" and his "single father" struggles.
"I hear you have a daughter, Arthur," she said over cocktails at a prestigious gala, her voice light and teasing. "I’d love to meet her sometime. I’m quite fond of children."
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Arthur, blinded by his own arrogance and attracted to the mysterious, wealthy Eleanor, didn't recognize his own wife behind the refined makeup and the shift in posture. "She's... away at boarding school," he lied effortlessly. "Difficult child. I prefer to keep her out of the spotlight."
Victoria’s smile didn't reach her eyes. She felt the micro-recorder in her clutch hum. He had just confirmed his abandonment of their daughter to a room full of the city’s elite. The trap was set.
