Chapter 8: The Unveiling

Later That Night…

Lena paced the length of her hotel room, her mind spinning.

Something was wrong.

Everything about Victoria set off alarms in her head. The way she carried herself, the way she subtly asserted dominance in any situation, the way Ethan-powerful, confident Ethan seemed uneasy around her.

Lena pulled out her phone and dialed Trina.

It rang twice before her best friend picked up.

“Lena? Finally! Do you know how long it’s been since you—”

“Trina,” Lena cut in, voice urgent. “I need you to dig into someone for me.”

There was a pause.

“Uh, okay. Who are we talking about?”

“Victoria Caldwell.”

Trina let out a low whistle. “As in Victoria Caldwell? The socialite? The woman who’s practically royalty in the business world?”

“Yes.”

A pause. “Lena… what the hell have you gotten yourself into?”

Lena ran a hand through her hair, exhaling. “I don’t know yet. But I need to find out.”

“Okay, I’ll see what I can dig up.”

Lena hung up and sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the floor.

She had a bad feeling about this.

And she had learned a long time ago—when her instincts told her something wasn’t right, she needed to listen.

Meanwhile…

Ethan stood in the dimly lit hallway of his penthouse,his fists clenched.

Victoria had followed him up, her perfume thick in the air between them.

“I don’t like her,” Victoria murmured, stepping closer. “She’s meddling.”

Ethan exhaled sharply, fighting the urge to tell her to leave.

“She’s a journalist. It’s her job.”

Victoria’s eyes darkened. “And what happens when she digs up something she shouldn’t?”

Ethan’s stomach tightened.

He knew exactly what Victoria was implying.

She had always been capable of manipulation, of calculated cruelty when it suited her. But the look in her eyes now?

It was something else entirely.

Something ruthless.

Something dangerous.

Ethan straightened. “Stay out of this, Victoria.”

She let out a soft, amused laugh, as if the idea of him ordering her around was cute.

“You know I can’t do that,” she whispered.

Ethan clenched his jaw. “Lena’s off-limits.”

Victoria’s smile didn’t falter, but the air around her seemed to shift like a predator toying with its prey.

“We’ll see about that,” she murmured before turning and walking away, her heels clicking ominously against the marble floors.

Ethan stayed rooted in place, his heart pounding.

Lena had no idea what she was up against.

And he wasn’t sure if he could protect her from what was coming.

Because one thing was certain,Victoria wasn’t going to let this go.

And when Victoria wanted someone destroyed, she didn’t stop until they were in ruins.

Lena sat in her hotel room, her laptop open, the glow from the screen casting eerie shadows on the walls. The city outside was alive with twinkling lights and the occasional honk of passing cars, but she barely registered any of it. Her mind was consumed by one person—Victoria Caldwell.

She scrolled through articles, business reports, and social media pages, trying to piece together a clearer picture of the woman who had Ethan tangled in her web. Victoria wasn’t just an ordinary heiress,she was calculated, ambitious, and dangerously manipulative.

According to public records, Victoria came from old money. Her family had deep roots in high society, with business ventures spanning generations. On the surface, she was the perfect socialite—poised, charitable, well-educated. But as Lena dug deeper, the cracks in her polished facade became glaringly obvious.

Victoria had a history of strategic relationships. She had been engaged twice before,both times to powerful men. The first engagement ended abruptly when her fiancé’s company mysteriously collapsed. The second ended in a scandal when the man was accused of insider trading,just months after Victoria had gained access to his business dealings.

Lena’s fingers flew across the keyboard, searching for connections between those incidents and Victoria’s current involvement with Ethan. She clicked on a tab she had kept open, rereading an article she had found earlier:

“Victoria Caldwell and Billionaire Ethan Montgomery: A Power Couple in the Making?”

The article painted a picture of a fairytale romance, but Lena saw right through it. She wasn’t just a journalist hunting for a story anymore,this was personal.

She pulled out her notebook and began jotting down details:

1)Victoria’s Past Engagements: Ended in financial scandal or ruin.

2)Her Family’s Business Interests: Investments in several companies connected to Ethan’s competitors.

3)Social Connections: Close ties to influential figures who had opposed Ethan in the past.

4)Recent Moves: Increased involvement in Ethan’s businesses, gaining access to confidential information.

Lena clenched her pen. She’s playing a long game.

Her phone buzzed, breaking her concentration. It was Trina.

“Hey, girl. How’s your investigation going?” Trina’s voice was light, but Lena could hear the curiosity behind it.

“You won’t believe what I’m uncovering,” Lena said, rubbing her temple. “Victoria isn’t just some gold digger,she’s a full-on predator. Every man she’s been with has either lost their fortune or their reputation.”

Trina let out a low whistle. “Damn. And Ethan’s next on the list?”

“Looks like it.” Lena sighed. “She’s positioning herself to take control of his empire. But the thing is, Ethan isn’t stupid. He must have suspected something.”

“Then why is he still with her?”

Lena paused. That was the real question, wasn’t it? Why would Ethan, a man known for his sharp instincts and ruthless business acumen, allow someone like Victoria to sink her claws into him?

“Maybe he has a blind spot when it comes to her,” Lena murmured. “Or maybe there’s something he’s not telling me.”

Trina was silent for a moment. “Be careful, Lena. If Victoria is as bad as you say, she won’t sit back and let you expose her.”

Lena knew that. But she wasn’t backing down.

She opened a new tab and typed in another search: Victoria Caldwell + Montgomery Enterprises.

What she found made her blood run cold.

A leaked document,recently published by an anonymous whistleblower,detailed a proposal that would give Victoria full legal control over several of Ethan’s key assets.

Lena’s breath hitched. "She’s planning to take everything from him".

Trina managed to say in shock "and if Ethan didn’t see it coming… she would have to make him".