Chapter 13 - THE NIGHT THE WHITMORES FELL
Richard Whitmore was arrested in his private office at 6:12 a.m.
The same office where he had once told Ava she was worthless.
The arrest followed a coordinated investigation involving financial fraud, falsified estate documents, unlawful confinement, and the suspected attack on Eleanor Monroe.
Victoria was arrested an hour later.
Both denied wrongdoing.
By breakfast, their photographs were on every major local news site.
Ava watched the coverage from Eleanor's bedside.
For a long moment, neither woman spoke.
Then Eleanor reached for the remote and turned off the television.
“I don't want their faces to be the first thing we see every morning.”
Ava nodded.
“Neither do I.”
But the hardest conversation was still ahead.
Bianca had asked to see her.
They met that afternoon in a private conference room arranged by their attorneys.
Bianca entered wearing plain jeans and a cream sweater.
Without designer jewelry or perfect makeup, she looked younger than Ava remembered.
Her eyes were swollen.
“Ava.”
Ava remained seated.
Bianca sat opposite her.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Bianca whispered, “I don't expect you to forgive me.”
“Good.”
Bianca flinched.
Ava continued.
“You tore my dress. You accused me of stealing. You let three hundred people laugh at me.”
“I know.”
“And you knew I had done the work for that collection.”
Tears spilled down Bianca's cheeks.
“Yes.”
Ava's voice trembled.
“Why did you hate me so much?”
Bianca stared at the table.
“Because Mom spent my whole life telling me you were trying to take everything away from us.”
Ava shook her head.
“I only wanted Dad to love me.”
Bianca covered her mouth.
“I know that now.”
Silence settled between them.
Finally, Bianca opened her handbag and removed a folder.
“These are my original design submissions. Every sketch I claimed was mine is actually yours.”
She pushed it across the table.
“I've signed a sworn statement. The foundation board has it. So do the investigators.”
Ava opened the folder.
Her own sketches stared back at her.
The ones she had drawn beside the washing machine.
The ones Bianca had presented as her own.
Ava slowly closed it.
“Thank you for telling the truth.”
Bianca began crying again.
“Can we ever be sisters?”
Ava looked at her for a long time.
“I don't know.”
Bianca nodded.
“I understand.”
Ava stood.
“But I hope you become someone who doesn't need to hurt another person to feel important.”
Bianca wiped her face.
“I want to try.”
Outside the conference room, Niko waited.
He didn't ask what happened.
He simply offered Ava a cup of coffee.
She accepted it.
“You okay?” he asked.
“No.”
He nodded.
“Want to talk?”
“Not yet.”
They walked together in silence.
Then Ava stopped.
“Niko.”
“Yes?”
“Why have you done all this for me?”
He turned toward her.
“Because your mother deserved justice.”
“And?”
He looked at her, his expression unexpectedly vulnerable.
“And somewhere between the ballroom and today, I realized I don't want you facing the rest of your life alone.”
Ava's breath caught.
Before she could answer, his phone rang.
Dante's voice was urgent.
“Boss, the district attorney has reviewed Thomas Vale's final statement.”
Niko listened.
Then his expression changed.
“What?” Ava whispered.
Niko lowered the phone.
“They've identified the person who secretly financed the operation that kept your mother hidden.”
“Who?”
Niko looked at her.
“My father's former business partner.”
Ava frowned.
“Who was that?”
May you like
He answered quietly.
“Richard Whitmore.”
