The Perfect Wife's Perfect Revenge

Chapter 19

Langford Mansion

In the study, the tea sitting on the desk had long since gone cold.

The old man paced back and forth, hands clasped behind his back, wearing a path into the slate floor.

Finally, McNeil arrived. Normally striking, his face was drawn with exhaustion, deep shadows pooling beneath his eyes.

He hadn't slept properly in days.

A porcelain teacup clattered to the floor near McNeil's feet, spilling tea everywhere.

"Where is she? The news is all over the place-saying Victoria's dead. Is that really her in the morgue?"

The old man's reaction to the news wasn't shock or grief, but barely contained rage.

McNeil looked as tired as he felt, but there was no sadness in his expression. "No," he answered flatly.

He'd gone straight to the police to identify the body. Of course, it wasn't Victoria.

he knew would never be so foolish-stranded in a snowstorm,

takes, you find her. Do you realize Victoria holds fifty percent of our family's shares? If she vanishes and decides to come back swinging, you, me-everyone in the Langford family

spent his life navigating the cutthroat world of

the person she loved most-who knew

moment he'd heard the news, all he'd been able to think about was

of the family's shares ever be worth more than

her away as soon as possible. The Langford family's done more than enough for her. I've played along for your sake, helped save her life,

me tell you, we'll all be

quietly slipping out

he stepped into the hallway than his phone

calling

find Mommy? Is it true-did

cheerful, eaten breakfast, and gone looking for Violet to chat. Instead, she'd found

why Violet was upset. She'd been about to stand

her real mommy. She'd burst into tears right

unreachable these past few days, Gwyneth's heart was heavy with worry, and she'd lost all

McNeil, the first thing out of her mouth-punctuated