“He sat outside every dance recital.”
“He taught me to drive.”
She looked at Daniel.
“I gave him the keys to every house I own.”
Daniel felt his anger changing shape.
Not disappearing.
But changing.
Victoria stared at the screen again.
Then another thought reached her.
She looked toward the empty jewelry box in her own hand.
“Oh my God.”
The security chief straightened.
“What?”
Victoria’s eyes shifted toward him.
“The bracelet was my mother’s.”
“We know.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“That’s not what I mean.”
Her voice became unsteady.
“Thomas knew.”
“He was there the day she gave it to me.”
The room went silent.
Mia, still standing near her father, spoke softly.
“Maybe there’s a reason.”
Every adult looked at her.
Mia shrugged uncomfortably.
“I mean… maybe.”
Daniel put a hand on her shoulder.
Victoria closed her eyes.
For a moment she looked less like the billionaire CEO of Sterling International and more like someone who had just discovered one of the pillars holding up her childhood had been hollow.
Then her security chief’s phone vibrated.
He checked it.
“Ms. Sterling.”
Victoria opened her eyes.
“Thomas isn’t answering.”
Her expression changed again.
“Find him.”
The chief nodded.
He turned toward the bay.
Victoria remained beside the monitor.
Daniel waited.
Finally she looked at him.
The accusation between them had not disappeared merely because a new betrayal was larger.
She knew that.
He could see it.
“Daniel.”
He said nothing.
“I was wrong.”
Mia looked at her.
Victoria’s voice tightened.
“I accused you without proof.”
Daniel folded his arms.
“Yes.”
One of her security men looked uncomfortable.
Victoria swallowed.
“I’m sorry.”
Daniel nodded toward Mia.
“Tell her.”
Victoria froze.
Daniel’s daughter looked up at him.
He did not move.
Victoria turned toward the eleven-year-old.
Mia stood with her arms folded over a purple sweatshirt, dark hair falling from a loose ponytail.
Victoria stepped closer.
Not too close.
“Mia.”
Mia’s expression remained guarded.
“I accused your father of stealing something because I believed the easiest explanation.”
Mia said nothing.
Victoria continued.
“I was wrong.”
“And I said it in front of you.”
“That wasn’t fair to him.”
“Or to you.”
Mia looked at Daniel.
Then back at Victoria.
“You thought he stole because his garage looks cheap.”
Victoria flinched.
Daniel almost interrupted.
He didn’t.
Victoria answered carefully.
“I think that was part of it.”
The honesty surprised everyone.
Even Daniel.
Mia asked:
“Would you have accused him that fast if this place looked expensive?”
Victoria’s eyes filled slightly.
“I don’t know.”
“That means probably not.”
Daniel closed his eyes for half a second.
His daughter was going to become terrifying.