The motive was no longer a mystery. Valerie alive was an obstacle. Valerie dead cleared the path to hundreds of millions of dollars.

Beatrice glared at Alexander with pure venom. “Are you really going to burn everything we built for a daughter who despises you?”

Valerie answered before he could. “No. He’s burning down the lie that kept you comfortable.”

For the first time, Beatrice lost her mask completely. “You have no idea what it’s like to marry into a family where everyone looks at you like an intruder!”

she screamed at Valerie. “To have a son who will never be blood, never be enough!”

Valerie took a slow breath. “Maybe I don’t know what you suffered. But I know what you did to me.”