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.

knew would never be so foolish-stranded in a snowstorm, car out of gas and broken

don't care what it 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,

life navigating the cutthroat world of business, priding himself on reading

lost the person she

news, all he'd been

shares ever be worth

I've played along for your sake, helped save her life, put

run off, let me tell you, we'll all be out on

said nothing, quietly slipping out

sooner had he stepped into the hallway than his phone

was Gwyneth, calling from

Is

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

Daddy away again, and that was why Violet was upset. She'd

close to Violet lately, Victoria was her real mommy. She'd burst

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

finally getting through to McNeil, the first thing out of her mouth-punctuated by sniffles-was about