Chapter 6: The Hidden Enemy
Chapter 6: The Hidden Enemy
The old Valmont cemetery was covered in fog.
Mariana stood beside Victor Valmont's grave.
Adrian stood several feet away.
For the first time in years, they were standing on the same side.
But neither trusted the other completely.
Lucas handed Mariana a folder.
"These are the original financial reports."
Adrian looked through them.
The numbers made no sense.
Millions of dollars had disappeared.
Transferred through fake companies.
Hidden accounts.
False investments.
Someone had been draining the Valmont empire from inside.
"Who did this?"
Adrian asked.
Mariana looked at him.
"You already know."
His face tightened.
"No."
"Your father suspected someone close."
Adrian shook his head.
"My mother would never..."
Mariana interrupted.
"Your father wrote the letter."
Silence.
Adrian looked away.
Because part of him already knew.
But accepting it was different.
A voice suddenly came from behind them.
"You should have stayed away from this."
They turned.
Vivienne stood near the cemetery entrance.
Calm.
Elegant.
Dangerous.
Adrian stared.
"Mother..."
Vivienne smiled.
"I was hoping you would understand before it came to this."
Mariana stepped forward.
"You knew Victor discovered everything."
Vivienne looked at her.
"Yes."
Adrian's face collapsed.
"Why?"
Vivienne looked at her son.
"Because this family needed someone strong enough to survive."
"You killed him?"
The question came out broken.
Vivienne didn't answer.
She didn't have to.
Her silence was enough.
Adrian took a step back.
The woman who raised him.
The woman he trusted.
Was the reason his father was gone.
Mariana watched him carefully.
Because she knew this moment mattered.
A man could survive losing money.
A man could survive losing power.
But losing the person he believed in...
changed everything.
Vivienne turned toward Mariana.
"You think you won?"
Mariana remained silent.
"You have no idea what is coming."
Then Vivienne smiled.
A cold, terrifying smile.
"Because Victor wasn't the only person who knew the truth."
Mariana frowned.
"What does that mean?"
Vivienne walked away.
But before disappearing into the fog, she said:
"Ask yourself why your father chose you."
Mariana froze.
Adrian looked at her.
"What did she mean?"
For the first time in years...
Mariana had no answer.
Because there was one secret she had never told anyone.
Not even Adrian.
Victor Valmont hadn't just trusted her.
He had left her something.
Something hidden.
Something powerful.
Something that could destroy every person standing in her way.
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And now...
someone else knew about it.
