Chapter 7: The Woman Behind the Name
Adrian stared at the phone after the call ended.
Nobody spoke.
The red security lights continued pulsing across the hidden office, washing every face in alternating crimson and shadow.
Camille stood beside the desk, staring at the screen.
*BENEFICIARY: CAMILLE COLE.*
Her hands trembled.
“My name is Camille Hayes.””
Victor closed his eyes.
“It was.””
She turned toward him.
“What does that mean?””
Victor couldn't answer.
Camille grabbed the front of his jacket.
“Tell me what my name is.””
“Camille—”
“What is my name?””
Adrian stepped between them.
“Let him answer.””
Victor looked at Adrian.
“You don't understand what you're asking.””
“I've been asking for twenty-three years.””
“You think knowing the truth will fix what happened?””
“No.””
Adrian's voice was cold.
“I think lying about it made everything worse.””
Camille released Victor.
She looked at the monitor again.
“My mother's sister.””
Victor nodded.
“Yes.””
“Why would she be my legal mother?””
“She wasn't.””
“Then why is she on this document?””
Victor swallowed.
“Because your mother gave you to her.””
Camille stared.
“You're saying my mother gave me away?””
“No.””
Victor shook his head quickly.
“She was trying to protect you.””
“From who?””
Victor looked at Adrian.
“From the people who wanted Elias Cole's family erased.””
Adrian's expression hardened.
“Who were they?””
Victor didn't respond.
Camille stepped closer.
“You keep saying they. Who are they?””
Victor looked toward the locked door.
“They had money. Lawyers. Private investigators.
People inside banks. People inside our company.””
Adrian said, “And you worked for them.””
Victor's eyes lowered.
“I did.””
Camille's face twisted.
“You helped them?””
“I thought I was saving my daughter.””
“You weren't my father.””
Victor looked at her.
Camille's voice cracked.
“You were the man who raised me. That's different.””
Victor flinched.
Adrian turned toward the monitor.
The mysterious caller had left one clue.
*Ask your sister.*
He typed a number into his phone.
Camille watched.
“Who are you calling?””
“My sister.””
Victor's face changed.
“You don't have her number.””
“I have an old one.””
Adrian pressed call.
Nothing.
Then a voice answered.
A woman's voice.
Older.
Calm.
“Adrian.””
His eyes closed.
For one second, the powerful, controlled man disappeared.
“Lena.””
Camille stared at him.
Victor whispered, “Oh God.””
Adrian gripped the phone.
“Where are you?””
“Somewhere you can't reach.””
“I've been looking for you.””
“I know.””
“Why didn't you come home?””
Silence.
Then Lena said, “Because home wasn't safe.””
Adrian looked at Victor.
“Was our father murdered?””
Victor's head snapped up.
Camille froze.
Lena didn't answer.
Adrian's voice became sharper.
“Lena.””
“He was killed because he refused to surrender the company.””
Victor whispered, “Adrian, stop.””
Adrian ignored him.
“Who killed him?””
Lena breathed slowly.
“Not who you think.””
“Then tell me.””
“You're standing next to the man who knows.””
Adrian looked directly at Victor.
Victor's face had gone gray.
Camille whispered, “Dad?””
Lena continued.
“And you're standing next to the woman who was supposed to inherit everything.””
Camille's eyes widened.
“Me?””
“Yes.””
Adrian asked, “Why did they change her name?””
“Because if anyone knew Camille was Elias Cole's granddaughter, she would have been the next target.””
Camille stepped closer to the phone.
“Who is my mother?””
Lena went silent.
Camille repeated herself.
“Please.””
Finally, Lena said:
“Her name was Naomi Cole.””
Camille's eyes filled.
“My mother was Naomi.””
“Yes.””
“Then why did Dad tell me she died?””
“Because Naomi wanted him to.””
Victor looked stunned.
Adrian frowned.
“What?””
Lena continued.
“Naomi knew someone inside the company was watching her. She knew that if they believed she was dead, they'd stop looking.””
Camille wiped her cheek.
“Is she alive?””
Another silence.
Then:
“She was.””
Camille's breath caught.
“When did she die?””
“She didn't.””
Victor staggered backward.
Adrian stared at the phone.
“What are you saying?””
Lena's voice softened.
“Naomi is alive.””
Camille covered her mouth.
“Where?””
“I don't know.””
Victor suddenly whispered, “That's a lie.””
The phone went silent.
Adrian turned.
Victor was staring at the floor.
“You know where she is.””
“I haven't seen her in years.””
“But you know.””
Victor shook his head.
“She disappeared.””
Adrian stepped closer.
“You said she was dead.””
“I said I believed she was.””
“No. You told Camille her mother died.””
Victor's voice broke.
“I had to.””
Camille stepped toward him.
“You always say that.””
She pointed at the screen.
“You had to change my name.””
Then at the contract.
“You had to hide the company.””
Then at Adrian.
“You had to hide him.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“What else did you have to do?””
Victor couldn't answer.
Lena's voice suddenly came through the phone again.
“Camille.””
She moved closer.
“Yes?””
“There's something you need to know.””
“What?””
“The person who controls the company isn't Adrian.””
Camille looked at him.
“Then who?””
Lena breathed in.
“The person who controls it is the one who possesses the original seal.””
Adrian's eyes dropped to the contract folder.
The old corporate seal.
He had seen it before.
Twenty-three years ago.
On his father's desk.
He whispered, “The seal.””
Lena said, “Your father gave it to Naomi.””
Victor suddenly lunged for the folder.
Adrian caught his wrist.
“Where is it?””
Victor struggled.
“Let me go.””
“Where is the seal?””
“I don't know.””
Camille stepped toward them.
“Dad!””
Victor stopped fighting.
His eyes moved to Camille.
Then to Adrian.
Finally, he whispered:
“It's been inside this store the entire time.””
The hidden office lights went dark.
A single spotlight appeared over the marble counter outside.
Monica screamed.
Someone had entered the showroom.
A woman's voice called from behind the steel door.
“Victor?””
Victor went completely still.
Camille whispered:
May you like
“Mom?””
The door handle began turning.
