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.

would never be so foolish-stranded in a snowstorm, car out

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

navigating the cutthroat world of business,

the person she loved most-who

he'd heard the news, all he'd been able to

family's shares ever be worth more than Victoria's

enough for her. I've played along for your sake, helped save her

let me tell you, we'll all be

nothing, quietly slipping out of the

had he stepped into the hallway than his

was Gwyneth, calling

Mommy? Is it true-did

hadn't seen her father in days. That morning, she'd woken up cheerful, eaten breakfast, and gone looking for Violet to chat. Instead, she'd found Violet sobbing in

Mommy had dragged Daddy away again, and that was why Violet was upset. She'd been about to stand up for Violet when Violet told her

lately, Victoria was her real mommy. She'd burst into tears

these past few days, Gwyneth's heart was heavy with

first thing out of her mouth-punctuated by sniffles-was about