Chapter 9 – The Trap
Chapter 9 – The Trap
Victor Blackwood had spent his entire life setting traps.
For enemies.
For traitors.
For people who believed they were smarter than him.
He knew how to make someone feel safe before taking everything away.
He knew how to wait.
How to watch.
How to strike at the perfect moment.
But this time was different.
This time, the person walking into the trap was someone he once loved.
And the bait was the truth.
Three days had passed since the hidden message was discovered.
Three days since Victor learned Isabella’s death was not an accident.
Three days since he realized his entire family had been surrounded by secrets.
The mansion had changed.
The servants spoke quietly.
The security doubled.
No one entered without permission.
No one left without being questioned.
Because Victor Blackwood was preparing for war.
But this time, he wasn’t fighting for territory.
He was fighting for his family.
“Are you sure about this?”
Lily asked.
She stood in Victor’s office, looking at the documents spread across the desk.
Victor looked up.
“Yes.”
“You’re going to pretend you believe Serena?”
“Yes.”
Lily frowned.
“That’s dangerous.”
Victor gave a small smile.
The first one she had seen in days.
“You’re worried about me?”
“I’m worried about Ethan.”
His smile disappeared slightly.
Then he nodded.
“Good answer.”
Lily looked at him.
“Victor.”
He became serious.
“She knows we found the diary.”
“How?”
“Because she reacted.”
Lily understood.
“So you’re going to make her think she still has a chance.”
“Exactly.”
“And then?”
Victor looked at the security monitor.
A small image of Serena entering the mansion.
“Then she reveals who she’s working with.”
The plan was simple.
Too simple.
Victor would do something he hated.
He would lie.
He would tell Serena that he believed her.
That the video had created doubt.
That Lily was becoming a problem.
That maybe…
Just maybe…
He was considering removing Lily from Ethan’s life.
It was a performance.
A dangerous one.
Because Serena needed to believe it.
That evening, Serena returned to the mansion.
She expected anger.
She expected confrontation.
Instead, she found Victor waiting in the dining room.
Alone.
“Sit.”
The command surprised her.
She slowly sat across from him.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Victor poured her a glass of wine.
Serena stared.
“What is this?”
“Peace.”
She almost laughed.
“Peace?”
Victor looked at her.
“I may have been too quick to judge.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“You believe me?”
“I believe there are things I don’t understand.”
Serena studied him carefully.
She was suspicious.
But hope was stronger.
“Finally.”
Victor looked at her.
“Finally?”
She smiled.
“Finally you see that Lily is dangerous.”
Victor lowered his eyes.
A perfect performance.
“She became too close to Ethan.”
Serena leaned forward.
“Yes.”
“She crossed a boundary.”
“Yes.”
Victor looked at her.
“And you think she should leave.”
Serena smiled.
“I think she should disappear.”
The words came too quickly.
Too naturally.
Victor noticed.
Of course he noticed.
But he only nodded.
“Maybe.”
Serena’s eyes brightened.
“Maybe?”
Victor looked away.
“I need time.”
She reached across the table.
Touching his hand.
“You’re doing the right thing.”
Inside, Victor felt disgust.
But he showed nothing.
Because he needed more.
After dinner, Serena returned to her room.
She closed the door.
Then immediately called someone.
“He believes me.”
The voice on the other end responded:
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
Serena smiled.
“He’s finally seeing Lily for what she is.”
A pause.
“What about the diary?”
Serena’s smile faded.
“He doesn’t know everything.”
“Are you certain?”
“Yes.”
She looked at the locked drawer beside her bed.
Inside was the missing page.
The final piece of Isabella’s diary.
The truth Serena had spent years hiding.
“He found the diary.”
She whispered.
“But not the page.”
Unknown to Serena…
Victor was listening.
A small device had been placed inside the room.
Marcus watched the recording from the security office.
“Sir.”
Victor stood beside him.
“Play it again.”
The audio repeated.
“He doesn’t know everything.”
Victor’s eyes darkened.
“She has the missing page.”
Marcus nodded.
“Now we know.”
But Victor wasn’t satisfied.
“Who was she talking to?”
Marcus looked at the number.
“We’re tracing it.”
The next morning, Victor continued the act.
He became colder toward Lily.
Exactly as planned.
And it hurt.
Even though she knew.
Even though he explained everything beforehand.
It still hurt.
“You’re leaving?”
Lily asked quietly.
Victor looked at her.
The emotion in her eyes almost broke his control.
“Temporarily.”
She nodded.
“I understand.”
But he saw the disappointment.
He hated himself for causing it.
Because Lily had spent weeks being accused.
Attacked.
Threatened.
And now he was pretending to doubt her.
Even if it was a plan…
It felt wrong.
Serena watched from the staircase.
And smiled.
She believed she had won.
She approached Lily.
“Looks like things are changing.”
Lily looked at her.
“What do you want?”
Serena smiled.
“I just wanted to say goodbye.”
Lily’s eyes narrowed.
“You think Victor will send me away?”
“I know he will.”
Serena stepped closer.
“You never belonged here.”
Lily stayed silent.
Serena whispered:
“You were always temporary.”
Then she walked away.
But she made one mistake.
She turned around too soon.
And Lily saw it.
The smile.
Not sadness.
Not relief.
Victory.
That evening, Marcus finally traced Serena’s call.
Victor entered the security room.
“Well?”
Marcus looked serious.
“The number belongs to a private company.”
“Whose?”
Marcus hesitated.
“Richard Blackwood.”
Victor’s expression changed.
Again.
Richard.
Always Richard.
But then Marcus added:
“There’s something else.”
Victor looked at him.
“What?”
“The company isn’t owned by Richard.”
“Then who owns it?”
Marcus placed a file on the desk.
Victor opened it.
And froze.
Because the owner’s name was impossible.
A name connected to Isabella.
A name he thought he would never see again.
Alexander Vale.
Lily noticed his reaction.
“Who is that?”
Victor slowly looked up.
“My wife’s brother.”
Silence.
“Isabella’s brother?”
Victor nodded.
“He disappeared after her death.”
Marcus continued.
“We found something strange.”
“What?”
“Alexander wasn’t missing.”
Victor looked at him.
“He was hiding.”
Meanwhile, Serena met Richard in an underground parking garage.
“You said everything was under control.”
Richard looked annoyed.
“It is.”
“No.”
Serena stepped closer.
“Victor is changing.”
Richard smiled.
“He always changes before he destroys someone.”
Serena looked nervous.
“Then we need to move faster.”
Richard handed her a file.
“What is this?”
“The final step.”
She opened it.
Inside was a document.
A legal document.
Her eyes widened.
“No…”
Richard smiled.
“Yes.”
The adoption papers.
For Ethan.
Already prepared.
Already signed.
With one missing signature.
Victor Blackwood’s.
Serena looked at the papers.
“When Victor signs this…”
Richard nodded.
“You become Ethan’s legal guardian.”
A slow smile appeared on her face.
“And Lily?”
Richard looked at her.
“She becomes irrelevant.”
But neither of them knew…
Victor was already ten steps ahead.
The document Serena received was not real.
It was a copy.
A copy with a hidden tracker.
And now Victor knew exactly where the final battle would happen.
Late that night, Victor stood beside Ethan’s crib.
The baby slept peacefully.
Lily stood beside him.
“You hate doing this.”
Victor looked at her.
“Yes.”
“Because you’re lying to Serena?”
“No.”
He looked at Ethan.
“Because I’m making you feel unwanted.”
Lily was silent.
Then she said:
“I know the difference.”
Victor looked at her.
“What?”
“Between pretending and believing.”
Her voice softened.
“I know you don’t believe her.”
For a moment, Victor said nothing.
Then quietly:
“Thank you.”
It was a small sentence.
But from Victor Blackwood…
It meant everything.
Outside the mansion, Serena entered the car.
She believed tomorrow would be the end.
The end of Lily.
The beginning of her life as Mrs. Blackwood.
She looked at the adoption papers.
And smiled.
But she didn’t know one thing.
Victor was not preparing to lose his family.
He was preparing to expose everyone who tried to destroy it.
The trap was set.
And this time…
May you like
Serena was the one walking into it.
End of Chapter 9
