NovelFinishCamille's point of view
Victoria's gaze sharpened. "Yes. Every lesson, every challenge, every seemingly excessive demand, they all
serve that purpose. To make you stronger than Sophia was. More prepared for the dangers wealth a "That too,"
she acknowledged. "The people who hurt you must pay for what they've done. But beyond revenge lies
something more important, your future. What you'll build after justice is served."
| considered her words, understanding for the first tthat Victoria's vision extended beyond my usefulness as
an instrument of revenge. She was investing infor reasons beyond my resemblance to Sophi "I still shouldn't
have cin here without permission," said after a moment. "This space is sacred to you. | violated that."
Victoria sighed, tension visibly leaving her shoulders. "Perhaps it was inevitable. Perhaps it was even
necessary." She turned fully toward me. "You cannot becwho you need to be while seeingas merely a
mentor or benefactor. You need to
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understand who | am beneath the power and wealth."
"A mother who lost her child," | said softly.
"Yes." The simple acknowledgment carried volumes of pain. "A woman who built an empire, then watched it
becmeaningless in an instant when her daughter's heart stopped beating."
She stepped into Sophia's room, beckoningto follow. This tthe invitation was deliberate, conscious. She
moved to the closet, sliding open the door to reveal clothing still hanging neatly, designer dresses sweatshirts.
"She was taller than you," Victoria observed. "More athletic build. Preferred blues and greens to the warm tone
that suit your coloring."
From a high shelf, she removed a small wooden box inlaid with mother-of-
pearl. "Sophia's jewelry. Things she cherished, mostly for sentimental
rather than monetary value."
She opened the box, revealing an eclectic collection, sfine pieces but also quirky earrings, friendship
bracelets, the kind of personal treasures that told a life's story.
Victoria selected something from the box, a delicate silver bracelet with a single charm, a tiny chess piece. A
knight.
"Her favorite piece," Victoria explained. "She said knights were the most interesting because they move
differently than everything else on the board. Unconventional. Less direct but sometimes more effective." She
held out the bracelet to me. "She would want you to have this."
The gesture stunned me, Victoria offering
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something that had belonged to Sophia, invitingto carry a piece of her daughter's memory.
"I couldn't possibly."
"You can," Victoria interrupted firmly. "And you will. Not because you're replacing her, no one could. But because
you're continuing something she valued, the courage to make in unexpected ways across the bo Victoria stopped
walking, turning to facefully in the grand hallway. Afternoon sun streamed through tall windows, highlighting
the silver in her hair, the fine lines around her eyes, signs of humanity often obscured by her powerful presence.
"What | see," she said carefully, "is someone finding her own path while carrying meaningful symbols from those
who cbefore. Not a replacement for my daughter. Not merely a vehicle for revenge. But a yo She touched
the phoenix pendant at my throat lightly, then the knight charm on my wrist. "These are reminders, not
definitions. You'll forge your own symbols in time."
As we continued walking, side by side through the mansion that had becmy home, | felt a subtle but
significant change in our relationship. For the first time, Victoria had allowedto see beyond her caref And for
the first time, | wondered if revenge alone would satisfy either of us. If perhaps something more complex, more
healing might lie beyond the destruction we'd planned for those who had wounded us.
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