“Hand over the key, Aria.”
In the secret room Victor’s voice echoed.
Aria stopped.
She held the little metal key in her hand.
Victor Laurent came down the staircase opposite the room, with measured steps.
He was not alone.
Two shadows trailed him, but Victor did not look back.
His eyes stayed on Aria.
Damien was in front of her.
“Don’t touch her,” he
Victor hesitated.
For the first time, something like disappointment flickered across his face.
“Still covering her.”
Damien’s voice tightened.
“You lied.”
“I looked after you.
“You said my mother was dead.”
I told you what to think.”
Damien’s hands clenched.
“You’ve ruined my whole life with your lies.
Victor showed little change of countenance.
“No.
You destroyed your marriage because you were blind to what was right in front of you.”
Aria narrowed her eyes.
“Don’t blame him for your plan.”
Victor glanced at her.
“You finally get that there was a plan.”
“I know enough.
“No.
He smiled slightly.
“You don’t understand anything.
Aria walked up to Damien.
“Then tell me.”
Victor’s eyes went to the key in her hand.
“Give it to me.”
“No.”
His face grew harder.
“You don’t know what that key unlocks.”
“I know it’s my family’s.
“Does it not.”
Aria paused.
Victor went on.
“That’s the first lie you’ve heard.”
Damien looked at him.
“Whose key is it then?”
Victor did not reply at once.
Instead he turned to Elena.
“You brought them here.
Elena’s face was cold.
“They needed to know.”
“They needed protecting.”
“They deserved to know the truth.
The truth nearly killed us all twenty years ago.
Elena stepped closer.
“No.
‘You killed us with your lies.
Victor’s face altered.
For the first time, there was anger.
“You have no idea what I gave up.
I know what you gave up.
Elena’s voice shook.
You sold out everyone who trusted you.
Victor turned round.
Aria watched them intently.
There was a history between them.
More than she realized.
‘Where’s my mother?’ said Aria.
Victor looked back at her.
You think if we find her, it’ll all be clear?
“I think she deserves to be able to speak for herself.
“Her call.”
“We have no choice.”
Victor said nothing.
Aria moved closer.
“You said Damien was a threat.”
“She was.”
“You told him she sold out the family.”
She did.
Elena’s face became hard.
“That’s bull shit.”
Victor glanced at her.
“You want to tell them what happened?
Uh-huh.”
“Then tell them.”
Elena paused.
Aria saw.
“What’s the matter?
Victor’s smile was gone.
“Your mother found the trust.”
Aria frowned.
“She knew,”
“She found out what it could do.”
Damien looked up to him.
“Mean what?”
Victor gazed at his son.
“It was never just a bequest, the Valmont trust.”
“I know.”
“No you don’t.”
Victor approached the table.
“The trust controls assets that were divided among several families several decades ago.
Aria glanced at the folders.
“And my family was the legal owner?
Victor shook his head.
“Not exactly.”
Aria’s expression went rigid.
“Then who was?”
Victor said nothing.
Elena did.
“The first owner.”
Aria turned to face her.
“Who?”
Sadness was in Elena’s eyes.
The family your father tried to keep you from.
Aria gaped.
“Which family?
Victor spoke before Elena could answer.
They are the reason your mom disappeared.
Damien moved forward.
‘You are lying still.
Victor’s eyes grew sharp.
You think you know everything just because you found some files?
“Not.”
Damien’s voice was icy.
I know because you were scared I’d find them.
Victor grinned.
“Now that confidence is new.
It’s not self-confidence.
Damien looked over at Aria.
It’s clarity.
Victor was quiet for a moment.
Then he glanced at Aria.
“You changed him.”
Aria said nothing.
Victor glanced down at the key.
“You were not supposed to have that.”
I’ve heard that one before.
“Because it’s the truth.”
“Why did my mother give it to me, then?”
“She didn’t.”
Aria’s expression shifted.
“Elena said I was carrying it the night she went missing.”
Victor shook his head.
“She was mistaken.
Elena gazed at him.
“I was there.
“You were a scared woman trying to save two kids.”
“I remember what happened.
Victor’s voice became hard.
“No.
You know what you wanted to happen.
Aria’s eyes darted between them.
Someone was lying.
But which?
Then she saw.
Victor wasn’t looking at Elena.
He was staring at Damien.
Like he was waiting for him to remember something.
Aria looked at Damien.
“What is it you’re not telling me?
Damien frowned.
“No.”
“Think!”
He looked at her
Aria raised the key.
“Your father showed you a file on your mother when you were seventeen.”
Yes, yes.
What else happened that night?”
Damien’s expression hardened.
I told you.
“You told me what you remembered.
“I remember.
Enough.”
“Nope.”
She moved closer.
“You know what you have been told.
Damien averted his eyes.
Aria lowered her voice.
“Damien, what do you actually remember?
He shut his eyes.
He was silent for several seconds.
Then his breathing shifted.
“I remember waking up.
Aria looked on.
“I was in my room.”
“After Elena was gone?”
“Yep.”
“What was the time before that?”
I heard them screaming.
Whose?”
“My parents.
“And?” he said.
I went downstairs.
Suddenly Victor’s expression changed.
Damien looked on.
“You remember.”
Victor’s voice was a low one.
“Stop.”
Damien looked past him.
“I saw my mom.
Elena’s eyes welled up with tears.
“What’s she doing?”
She was having an argument with Dad.
“What about?”
“Couldn’t hear everything.
So what?”
Damien pressed his fingers to his temple.
“There was somebody else there.
Aria’s heart jumped.
“Who?
“I don’t know.”
Victor’s jaw firmed.
“Enough.
Damien was looking at him.
“No.
The word had an unexpected force.
“You’ve been running this talk for years now.”
He moved a step closer to Victor.
“You don’t control it any more.”
Victor’s jaw tightened.
Damien went on.
“I remember somebody behind Mother.
Aria stared.
“Man or woman?”
“A man.”
“You remember his face?”
“Nope.”
“What’s going on?”
He had something in his hand.
“What is that?”
A folder.
Aria narrowed her eyes.
“Was there a symbol on it?”
Damien stopped moving.
“Yeah.”
“The three line circle?
“Yes.”
Aria glanced at Elena.
Elena nodded.
Victor said nothing.
Silence was answer enough.
Aria turned toward him.
“You know the sign.”
Victor regarded her.
“I do, of course.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means power.
“Whose power is this?”
“The one who controls it.”
Aria’s hand clenched around the key.
“So you want this because it makes you feel in charge.”
Victor grinned.
“Now you’re getting the idea.”
“Nope.”
Aria’s voice was gentle.
“You’re scared of what it might show.
Victor’s smile dropped.
Elena looked at Aria, almost proudly.
“That’s just what he’s afraid of.”
Victor looked at Elena.
“Why did you bring her here?”
“Did not.”
Aria interjected.
“I found my way here.
Victor turned to her.
“And that’s exactly the problem.”
There was a sudden metallic sound on the staircase.
One of the men behind Victor shifted.
“Noah replied instantly.
DON’T.
Man stopped.
Damien edged toward Aria.
Victor sighed.
“You think this is a win.”
“No,” said Aria.
“I think you’re running out of places to hide.”
Darkened was Victor’s eyes.
You know what happens when the truth comes out?
“Say.”
Your family falls.
Aria didn’t move.
My family has survived worse.
Victor shook his head.
“You don’t understand.”
“Then tell me.”
“Your father was no saint.
Aria’s face shifted.
Richard?
“Yes,”
“What did he do?”
“He was instrumental in setting up the trust.”
Aria frowned.
That doesn’t prove he’s guilty.
“He helped conceal its rightful owner.”
The room was quiet.
Aria looked to Victor.
“Why?””
Victor turned to Elena.
“Ask her.
Elena’s face hardened.
Aria turned.
“Is that right?
Elena nodded, slowly.
“Yes,” she answered.
“Why Richard hide the owner?
“Because the owner was being hunted down.
“For whom?”
Elena looked across at Victor.
“From those who wanted the trust.
Aria’s eyes narrowed.
“Victor?
“Nope.
Elena’s response was shocking.
“And then?”
Elena looked at the photograph, scarred.
The same guy that started Project Eclipse.”
Aria’s mind was racing.
Then Victor didn’t make Eclispe.
“No,”
Damien looked back up at his father.
“You were employed by someone.
Victor said nothing.
Aria moved closer.
“Who?” he asked.
Victor shut his eyes.
“You’re asking questions you’re not prepared to hear the answers to.”
“Test me.”
He studied her for a few seconds.
“Your mother made the mistake of putting her trust in the wrong person,” he said softly.
Aria felt her stomach clench.
“Who?
Damien’s eyes darted toward Victor.
“Your husband.
“Damien froze.
Aria glanced at Victor.
“Huh?
Victor smiled, but not a friendly smile.
Damien wasn’t just chosen to marry you.
Aria looked at her husband.
Damien appeared genuinely surprised.
Victor went on.
“He was selected because he was the only one who could eventually get access to the Valmont trust.”
Aria’s heart pounded.
“You said I was the heir.
“You are.”
“Then why him?”
“Because the trust was set up for the both of you.”
Damien’s expression changed.
What does that mean?”
Victor looked at him.
“Means your marriage was more than a loyalty test.
”
He hesitated.
“It was a machine.”
It was chilly.
‘What mechanism?
Victor dropped his voice.
The trust wouldn’t recognize Aria’s control until Damien chose.
“What choice?”
Victor looked straight at Damien.
To betray his own father.
Quiet.
Damien looked at him.
“An’ if I say no?”
Victor smiled.
Aria loses everything.
Aria squinted her eyes.
“Not possible.”
Victor shook his head.
“You think this is about money.
Still.
He stepped nearer.
“It isn’t.”
“What’s it about then?”
Victor turned his eyes to the key.
“Identity.
Aria’s heart started to pound.
Victor went on.
“It’s not the Valmont name that’s trusted.”
Then whose is it?”
Victor looked straight into her eyes.
“It’s the property of the man whose identity your mother spent twenty years keeping secret.”
Aria stiffened.
“Victor,” Elena breathed.
And yet he did not stop.
“You want to know why your mother vanished?
Yes.
“You wonder why Richard told a lie?
“Yes.”
“Want to know why Damien was ordered to marry you?”
“Yes.”
Victor’s voice turned cold.
“Because you’re not who you think you are.”
A chill slithered down Aria’s spine.
“What does that mean?”
Victor glanced at Elena.
“Tell her.”
Elena shut her eyes.
“Victor, don’t,”
“Tell her.”
Aria went over to Elena.
Tell me.
Elena’s eyes snapped open.
They were scared .
.
.
.
Not fear of Victor.
Fear of truth.
“Aria…”
“Yes?
Elena drew a shaky breath.
“The name Valmont…
She paused.
Aria waited.
Elena’s voice cracked.
“Wasn’t your real name.”
Aria was suddenly quiet inside.
Damien glanced at his mom.
Noah held his breath.
Victor smiled.
The key in Aria’s hand began to glow with a faint red light.
There was a metallic click, a hidden mechanism within.
Then a small compartment opened.
Inside was a folded sheet of paper.
Slowly, Aria pulled it out.
There was only one written sentence on it.
THE KEY IS YOUR REAL NAME.