Chapter 3 - THE CAMERA FILES SERENA DELETEDThe Blackwood security system stored thirty days locally.
Ninety days in encrypted backup.
Serena knew about the cameras.
She also knew some blind spots.
That concerned Victor.
He brought in an independent digital-forensics firm.
Not one of his own men.
Again, Lily noticed.
Whatever Victor’s reputation, when it came to Ethan he seemed determined to separate evidence from loyalty.
The investigators found something within hours.
Several nursery clips had been manually deleted.
User credentials:
VB-GUEST-ADMIN
Serena’s access.
But deletion did not erase cloud backups.
The restored clips were painful.
Not graphic.
Still bad.
Serena taking Ethan’s favorite blanket and placing it out of reach while he cried.
Closing him alone in a darkened walk-in closet for four minutes.
Removing his breakfast because he threw a spoon.
Speaking to him harshly whenever he reached for Lily.
One clip showed Serena saying:
“You need to stop needing her.”
Another:
“She’s not your mother.”
Ethan cried.
Serena continued:
“Soon she won’t be here.”
Lily felt sick.
Victor watched without moving.
Then one clip changed everything.
Serena on the phone.
She believed the nursery empty.
Her voice:
“The nanny is documenting too much.”
A male voice through speakerphone:
“Then get rid of her.”
Serena:
“Victor likes her.”
Man:
“Victor likes useful people. Make her look unstable.”
Victor paused the recording.
“Play that again.”
They did.
The voice sounded familiar to him.
Lily could tell.
“Who?”
Victor said nothing.
Then the investigator enhanced the audio.
Serena:
“And Ethan?”
Man:
“We need enough concerns before the wedding. Not real damage. Just a pattern.”
Lily’s stomach turned.
There.
Planned.
Controlled.
They wanted documented concerns around Ethan.
Not serious harm.
Just enough instability to manipulate a legal process.
Victor’s face became colder.
“Who is he?”
The investigator isolated several seconds.
Victor closed his eyes.
Then said:
“My cousin.”
Lily frowned.
“Who?”
“Dominic Blackwood.”
Victor’s first cousin.
Chief financial officer of Blackwood Logistics.
A man Lily had seen dozens of times.
Polite.
Quiet.
Always brought Ethan toy cars.
Never raised his voice.
Victor’s own blood.
Then the recording continued.
Serena:
“Once Ethan is moved, Julian gets protector status.”
Dominic:
“Temporarily.”
Serena:
**“And then?”
Dominic:
“Victor challenges it. The board freezes. We buy the distressed votes.”
Victor stared.
There it was.
The scheme was bigger than Serena.
Dominic did not want Julian to keep control.
He wanted a governance crisis.
A frozen board.
Market panic.
Forced sales.
Then he could consolidate power through debt and side agreements.
Ethan was not the target because he was a baby.
He was the lever because his trust controlled votes.
Serena wanted marriage and status.
Dominic wanted corporate control.
May you like
Both needed instability.
And Lily had become the obstacle because she documented too much.
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