Chapter 6: The Woman Who Disappeared
Eleanor Vale had been a brilliant investor.
By the age of thirty, she’d accumulated a substantial fortune through property development, engineering patents, and private financing.
When Harrington Holdings was founded, Eleanor contributed most of its initial capital.
In exchange, she received controlling ownership.
But twenty-four years earlier, Eleanor vanished.
Her disappearance became a minor newspaper story.
Within months, Victoria Harrington emerged as the company’s controlling shareholder.
I looked toward Mercer.
“What happened to Eleanor?”
He hesitated.
“She was declared dead.”
“Was her body found?”
“No.”
Victoria suddenly stood.
“This is outrageous!”
Mercer continued.
“Isabelle Laurent was Eleanor’s closest friend.
She believed Eleanor’s disappearance was connected to an illegal transfer of company shares.”
I looked down at my dress.
“That’s why she created this?”
Mercer nodded.
“Isabelle reportedly hid evidence in a special bridal gown.
But the gown disappeared after her death.”
Victoria looked terrified.
Adrian stepped forward.
“Mother, what are you hiding?”
“Nothing!”
“Then why did you destroy Emma’s dress?”
Victoria looked at me.
For a moment, genuine hatred twisted her face.
“Because she should never have worn it!”
Her voice echoed through the ballroom.
“That dress was never meant for her!”
I swallowed.
“Then who was it meant for?”
Victoria didn’t answer.
Instead, she turned toward my mother.
And whispered:
“You.”
