Chapter 7: The Woman Who Wanted My Mother's Name
Victor Sloane looked exactly like the man in my mother's photograph.
Silver hair.
A narrow scar along his jaw.
An expensive dark coat.
He held an umbrella in one hand and a pistol in the other.
Patricia stood beside him.
Her face was pale, but her eyes were steady.
"Put the weapon down," Adrian ordered.
Victor smiled.
"Still giving orders, Blackwood?""
"You've got nowhere to go.""
"That's what Thomas used to say.""
My stomach tightened.
"You're the man who killed my mother.""
Victor looked at me.
For a moment, his expression almost resembled sympathy.
"Your mother was a brilliant woman, Evelyn. Unfortunately, she was also very stubborn.""
"Did you cut her brake lines?""
He tilted his head.
"Do you really want the answer?""
"Yes.""
He smiled.
"Then ask the woman standing beside me.""
I turned toward Patricia.
She didn't look at me.
"Patricia?""
Her hand trembled slightly around the gun.
"Your mother made a terrible mistake.""
"She trusted you.""
"She trusted too many people.""
"You helped kill her.""
Patricia finally met my eyes.
"I didn't know they would die.""
The words landed like a physical blow.
Adrian stepped forward.
"That's enough. Put the weapon down.""
Victor laughed.
"Do you think I'm afraid of your security team?""
He nodded toward the cemetery entrance.
Several men emerged from the darkness.
They were carrying weapons.
Marcus immediately raised his gun.
"Get down!""
The next few seconds became chaos.
Gunfire cracked through the cemetery.
A bullet struck the stone above my head.
Adrian grabbed my arm and pulled me behind a concrete monument.
"Stay down!""
I pressed my hands against my ears.
Another shot.
Then a shout.
Marcus was moving between the graves, directing his team toward the entrance.
I looked over the stone.
Patricia was still standing beside Victor.
She had lowered her gun.
"Why are you doing this?"" I shouted.
She looked at me.
"Because you don't understand what your mother left behind!""
"Then explain it!""
Victor grabbed her arm.
"Enough talking.""
He dragged her toward the SUV.
But Patricia suddenly twisted free.
She pointed her gun at Victor.
"Give me the notebook!""
Victor stared at her.
"You've become inconvenient.""
"I have the original contract!""
"You have a photocopy.""
Her expression changed.
I understood then.
They weren't partners anymore.
They were fighting over the same thing.
Victor raised his weapon.
Patricia fired first.
The shot struck the ground near his feet.
He stumbled backward.
Adrian took the opportunity to signal Marcus.
Two bodyguards moved toward Victor's men.
The cemetery became a maze of shadows, flashing lights, and shouted commands.
Then Patricia ran.
Straight toward me.
She dropped to her knees behind the monument.
"Evelyn, listen!""
I stared at her.
"Don't come near me.""
"Please. You have to help me.""
"You tried to kill my mother.""
"I told you I didn't know they would die!""
"But you knew what happened afterward.""
Patricia's face crumpled.
"Victor threatened me.""
"Then why did you marry my father?""
She looked away.
"Because I thought I could get everything without hurting anyone else.""
I laughed bitterly.
"You married a widower with a little girl because you wanted his money?""
"Your father's company was failing. I helped him rebuild it.""
"You stole from my mother.""
"Your mother was going to destroy everything.""
"Everything you wanted.""
Patricia grabbed my wrist.
"Your father had a document proving I was involved in the patent theft. If Victor found it, he would have killed me.""
I pulled away.
"Then you should have gone to the police.""
She laughed.
"Do you think powerful men like Victor go to prison because someone tells the truth?""
I looked toward Adrian.
He was approaching with Marcus.
"She has a point," Patricia whispered.
"You think Adrian is protecting you because he cares? He's protecting the company.""
I turned toward her.
"Is that true?""
Adrian stopped.
"Partly.""
I stared at him.
He continued.
"Blackwood International has a legal interest in the original intellectual property. But I am not going to let anyone take it from you.""
Patricia laughed.
"Ask him why he came to the competition.""
I looked at Adrian.
He didn't answer immediately.
"Because I knew your mother's name was connected to the collection," he finally said.
"I wanted to meet the person who had completed her design.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I didn't know whether you were aware of the inheritance.""
Patricia smiled.
"Exactly. Everyone has an agenda, Evelyn.""
A loud crash interrupted her.
Marcus had managed to disarm one of Victor's men.
The police sirens were approaching.
Victor was running toward the SUV.
Patricia suddenly stood.
"Victor!""
He turned.
She held out her hand.
"Give me the original contract.""
Victor raised his gun.
"You're finished.""
He fired.
Patricia collapsed.
I screamed.
Adrian pulled me down as the police rushed through the cemetery entrance.
Within seconds, Victor was surrounded.
He dropped his weapon.
Marcus moved toward Patricia.
"Medical assistance!""
I crawled toward her.
Blood spread across the front of her coat.
Her eyes found mine.
"Evelyn.""
I shook my head.
"Don't speak.""
She caught my hand.
"The box.""
"What?""
"The blue box. There's something inside you haven't seen.""
"Where?""
She struggled to breathe.
"Your mother... she recorded everything.""
"Where is it?""
Patricia's fingers tightened.
"Not in the box.""
I leaned closer.
"Then where?""
She whispered something I barely heard.
"Inside the dress.""
My heart stopped.
Phoenix Rising.
The gown Vanessa had worn.
The hidden lining.
The embroidered label.
Before I could ask another question, Patricia's eyes closed.
The paramedics rushed forward.
Adrian pulled me away.
"Let them work.""
I stared at the ambulance.
For the first time, I didn't feel anger toward Patricia.
I felt something worse.
The knowledge that the woman who had spent years hurting me might die before I learned the entire truth.
By sunrise, Victor Sloane was in police custody.
Three of his associates had been arrested.
Daniel, the bodyguard who had betrayed Adrian, was being questioned.
Patricia was in surgery.
And I was sitting in a hospital corridor with a notebook on my lap.
Adrian approached carrying two cups of coffee.
"How are you holding up?""
"Badly.""
He handed me one.
"That's understandable.""
I stared at the coffee.
"Why didn't you tell me about the trust earlier?""
He sat opposite me.
"Your father requested that I wait until you found the original documents.""
"Why?""
"Because he wanted you to understand that your mother's work was more than a financial asset.""
I looked at the notebook.
"Do you think I can finish the collection?""
"I think you already have.""
I frowned.
"What?""
"Phoenix Rising. The gown you created. The embroidery system. Your mother left the foundation, but you completed the design.""
I shook my head.
"I didn't even know.""
"Perhaps that's why it matters.""
A nurse approached.
"Mr. Blackwood?""
Adrian stood.
"Yes?""
"Patricia Cole is awake. She's asking for Evelyn.""
I looked at him.
He nodded.
"Go.""
Patricia looked smaller in the hospital bed.
Her hair was unbrushed.
Her face was pale.
Machines beeped quietly beside her.
I stood near the doorway.
"You wanted to see me?""
She turned her head.
"Yes.""
I didn't sit.
"Tell me about the dress.""
She closed her eyes.
"Your mother hid a recording inside the original phoenix pattern. She embedded a micro-storage device beneath the final embroidered flame.""
I stared at her.
"That's impossible.""
"She knew Victor would search every document. So she hid the evidence inside something nobody would think to dismantle.""
"How did you know?""
"Because I was there when she designed it.""
I stepped closer.
"You knew my mother?""
Patricia nodded.
"Before I married your father, I worked as her assistant.""
The room seemed to tilt.
"What?""
"I was young. I admired her. She taught me everything I knew about fashion.""
I stared at her.
"You were her assistant?""
"Yes.""
"Then why did you hate me?""
Patricia's eyes filled with tears.
"Because you reminded me of her.""
I couldn't speak.
She continued.
"Your mother was talented, kind, and respected. I spent years trying to become someone like her. But every time I succeeded, people still called me Claire's assistant.""
"So you stole her work.""
"I wanted something that belonged to me.""
"You stole my design.""
"I know.""
"You tried to take my inheritance.""
"I know.""
Her voice broke.
Then she looked directly at me.
"There's something else. Something your father never knew.""
I felt a chill.
"What?""
Patricia reached beneath her pillow and pulled out a folded piece of paper.
It was an old hospital document.
My mother's name appeared at the top.
Below it was another name.
*CHILD: FEMALE. BORN ALIVE. TRANSFERRED TO PRIVATE CARE.*
I stared at the paper.
"What is this?""
Patricia began crying.
"Your mother had another daughter.""
I couldn't breathe.
"Another daughter?""
"She gave birth to twins.""
The room fell silent.
My hands began trembling.
"Where is she?""
Patricia looked toward the window.
"I don't know.""
"Who took her?""
"Victor.""
I stepped backward.
"No.""
"Your father believed the second baby had died. But I found the hospital records years later.""
I stared at the document.
My mother had another child.
A sister.
Somewhere in the world.
And Victor Sloane had known.
May you like
Patricia whispered the final words.
"Her name was Charlotte.""
