Chapter 2 - The Daughter Victoria Wanted Gone
Victoria Caldwell had spent the entire evening treating Grace like she was invisible.
Now she was staring at her as though she'd seen a ghost.
Jonathan stepped between them.
"Victoria, how do you know Eleanor Bennett?"
His wife recovered quickly.
"She worked for your father. Everyone knew her."
"Then why did you react that way?"
Victoria gave a brittle laugh.
"Because it's a coincidence."
Grace looked down at the photograph.
"Did you know my mother personally?"
Victoria's expression sharpened.
"No."
Jonathan turned toward her.
"Don't lie."
The words hung in the hallway.
Victoria's smile vanished.
"Excuse me?"
"You knew exactly who Grace was before tonight."
Grace felt her heart hammering.
"Mrs. Caldwell?"
Victoria refused to look at her.
Jonathan continued.
"You requested this restaurant. You insisted on this particular table. And Martin assigned Grace to serve you."
"That's ridiculous."
"Is it?"
Victoria folded her arms.
"Jonathan, you're embarrassing yourself."
He looked toward Martin Doyle, who had appeared near the kitchen.
"Bring me the staff assignment records."
Martin hesitated.
"Sir, those are internal documents."
"Then preserve them for the investigators. Nobody changes anything."
Victoria laughed nervously.
"Investigators? Over a torn dress?"
Grace glanced down at the damaged uniform beneath Jonathan's jacket.
Until that moment, she'd been thinking only about losing her job.
Now she understood that something much larger was happening.
Jonathan turned toward her.
"Grace, you should go home. I'll make sure your statement is documented and you're paid what you're owed."
Victoria stepped forward.
"Absolutely not."
Everyone stared.
Grace's stomach tightened.
"Why?"
Victoria's eyes flashed.
"Because she stole something from my house."
Jonathan went still.
"What?"
Victoria pointed toward Grace.
"Her mother stole confidential family documents. Now this girl is trying to get money from us."
Grace stared in disbelief.
"My mother never stole anything."
Victoria sneered.
"How would you know?"
Grace's face burned.
"Because my mother was an honest woman."
"Honest women don't hide stolen property."
Jonathan's voice cut through the hallway.
"Enough."
Victoria turned.
"You're defending her?"
"I'm asking for evidence."
Grace swallowed.
"My mother left me a wooden box."
Victoria froze.
Jonathan noticed immediately.
"What box?"
Grace looked between them.
"She told me to keep it somewhere safe."
Victoria took an involuntary step forward.
"Where is it?"
Grace's fear deepened.
"Why?"
"Because it belongs to my family."
Jonathan turned toward his wife.
"You just said Eleanor stole documents. Now you're claiming ownership of a box you've never seen."
Victoria's mouth opened.
Then closed.
Grace realized something.
Victoria wasn't angry because Grace had served her table.
She was afraid of what Grace might know.
Jonathan removed his phone.
"I'm calling my attorney."
Victoria grabbed his wrist.
"No!"
He looked down at her hand.
"Let go."
She slowly released him.
Then leaned close enough to whisper.
"You have no idea what Eleanor did to your father."
Jonathan's expression changed.
"What are you talking about?"
Victoria's eyes filled with something that looked suspiciously like fear.
"Ask your precious waitress why her mother was dismissed from the Caldwell estate."
Grace stared.
"My mother told me she resigned."
Victoria smiled coldly.
"Then she lied."
Jonathan's phone rang.
He answered.
Listened.
And slowly turned toward Grace.
His attorney had just located an old internal report.
Eleanor Bennett hadn't resigned.
She had been fired following an accusation of theft.
But that wasn't the shocking part.
May you like
The report had been signed by Victoria Caldwell.
And dated three months before Victoria ever claimed to have met Jonathan's father.
