CHAPTER 2: Shadows of the Estate
The gasps from the distinguished guests rippled through the ballroom like wildfire. High-society reporters from New York and Boston stood frozen, holding their champagne glasses as security guards scrambled to assist Victoria. But Victoria scrambled backward herself, staring at Evelyn as if she were looking at a ghost.
Evelyn lifted Lily into her arms, pressing her daughter’s tear-stained face into her shoulder. The warmth of her daughter kept Evelyn anchored, but inside, her blood burned with ten years of suppressed pain.
"Call the police! Escort this woman off the property!" Victoria screeched from the floor, her silver updo beginning to unravel. "She’s insane! She has no right to be here!"
"I have every right," Evelyn replied coldly, taking a quiet step toward the mahogany stage at the front of the ballroom. "In fact, as the legal guardian of Julian Vance’s sole heir, I own fifty-one percent of Vance Enterprises, including this estate."
Murmurs erupted across the room. Julian Vance, Victoria’s eldest son and the golden boy of American finance, had tragically died four years ago in a mysterious boat crash off the coast of Martha's Vineyard. Since then, Victoria had ruled the family empire with an iron fist, pushing Evelyn into the background and treating little Lily as an illegitimate outcast.
"Lie! It’s all lies!" Victoria yelled, her voice cracking as her youngest son, Richard Vance, rushed to pull her up.
"Is it a lie, Victoria?" Evelyn asked, pulling an encrypted silver flash drive from her clutch. "Or should I play the audio recording from the night Julian disappeared? The recording where you demanded he sign over his trust fund to Richard, or face being disowned?"
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Richard froze, looking at his mother with sudden suspicion. Victoria’s chest heaved violently. She grabbed Richard’s arm, her fingers digging through his tailored tuxedo. "Don't listen to her, Richard! She's trying to divide us!"
"I don't need to divide you," Evelyn said softly. "You destroyed this family yourself the day you prioritized greed over your own son's life."
