Chapter 4 - The Shadow of the Past
Six years before the interrupted wedding, the Vance Estate had been struck by a tragedy that dominated the headlines for months.
Adrian Vance, heir to the massive Vance Enterprise shipping conglomerate, had been deeply in love with his wife, Eleanor. Eleanor was a brilliant, kind-hearted orphan who had risen through the ranks as an architect. Together, they had built a life based on genuine trust.
When Eleanor became pregnant with their first child, Adrian felt his life was complete. But behind the scenes, jealousy was festering like a poison.
Victoria, Eleanor’s ambitious half-sister, had always believed that she deserved the wealth, status, and luxury that Eleanor possessed. Victoria had tried for years to seduce rich men in high society, but none compared to Adrian’s vast fortune and power.
When Eleanor went into labor six years ago during a severe storm, Victoria had offered to drive her to the private hospital in the mountains. Two hours later, state troopers found Victoria wandering along the highway, soaked in blood and sobbing uncontrollably.
She claimed that the car had skidded off the cliff, catching fire upon impact. She claimed she had tried desperately to pull Eleanor from the burning wreckage, but the flames had devoured the vehicle whole.
No remains were ever recovered due to the intense inferno that consumed the canyon below.
Drowned in unbearable grief, Adrian spent three years in absolute isolation. Victoria stayed by his side, cooking his meals, managing his household, and slowly convincing him that she was the only person left in the world who truly cared for his pain.
Eventually, under heavy pressure from his board of directors and Victoria’s persistent manipulation, Adrian agreed to move on. He had proposed to Victoria three months ago, believing she was the loyal woman who had shared his sorrow.
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He had lived a lie for six entire years.
👉 What really happened on the stormy night Eleanor's car went over the cliff?
