Chapter 4: The Enemy Within
Victoria did not wait for the police. The revelation that someone had intentionally harmed her child awakened a ruthless protectiveness within her.
"Who drove that truck?" Victoria demanded, cornering Marcus. "Give me a name."
Marcus swallowed hard. "I didn't know him then. But I saw him in the papers years later. It was your business partner, Mr. Hayes. Arthur Vance."
The name dropped like a physical weight in the room. Arthur Vance was Richard’s oldest friend. He had been at the dinner party a year ago. He had comforted Richard when Lily was lost. And, cruelly, he was the one who had benefited most when the fire distracted Richard, allowing Arthur to take majority control of their joint real estate ventures.
Arthur’s Motives:
He was secretly facing bankruptcy eight years ago.
The lakeside property was heavily insured, and Arthur was a co-owner.
Richard's debilitating grief allowed Arthur to manipulate the company's board.
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"He tried to burn my life down for a payout," Richard said, his voice terrifyingly calm. "And he threw my daughter into the flames to cover his tracks."
Emily looked at her parents. The fragile, awkward tension that had defined their relationship for the past year was gone. In its place was a unified, unbreakable front. They were no longer strangers trying to force a bond. They were a family under attack, and they were fighting back together.
