Chapter 6 - The False Socialite
That evening, Ethan returned looking stressed.
His lawyer, Mr. Henderson, had accompanied him to the estate.
They were sitting in the drawing room, reviewing documents, when Sarah brought in a tray of coffee.
"Just leave it on the table, Sarah," Ethan said, maintaining his strict act.
As Sarah set the tray down, she caught a glimpse of the paperwork.
It was a prenuptial agreement, but the terms were outrageous.
"Ethan, I strongly advise against this clause," Mr. Henderson was saying.
"Victoria insisted," Ethan replied wearily.
"Transferring fifty percent of your liquid assets upon marriage is highly unusual," the lawyer argued.
Sarah poured the coffee, listening intently.
Victoria strolled into the room, her eyes zeroing in on the lawyer.
"Mr. Henderson, so lovely to see you," Victoria smiled falsely.
"Miss Sterling-to-be," Henderson nodded stiffly.
"Are the papers ready to sign?" Victoria asked eagerly.
"We are just discussing the asset transfer clause," Ethan said casually.
Victoria's smile tightened.
"We agreed on that, darling," Victoria purred, wrapping her arms around Ethan's neck.
"I'm just making sure everything is in order," Ethan replied.
Sarah finished pouring and quietly slipped out of the room.
She waited in the hallway until Mr. Henderson finally left.
Once the front door closed, Victoria went upstairs to change.
Sarah seized the opportunity and slipped into the drawing room where Ethan was packing his briefcase.
"We need to talk," Sarah whispered.
"Did something happen?" Ethan asked, looking up sharply.
"She has a burner phone," Sarah revealed. "I saw a text message."
Ethan's eyebrows furrowed. "A burner phone? What did it say?"
"Someone is blackmailing her," Sarah explained. "They said if she doesn't pay, her 'real name' comes out."
Ethan stood frozen, processing the weight of her words.
"Her real name..." Ethan muttered. "I ran a background check on Victoria Vance. It came back completely clean."
"Because Victoria Vance might not exist," Sarah realized aloud.
"Or she stole the identity of someone who does," Ethan concluded.
May you like
He quickly pulled out his phone.
"I'm calling my private investigator," Ethan said. "We need to dig deeper."
