Chapter 7 - THE ASSISTANT WHO WORKED FOR CARTER
Valeria’s assistant, Brooke Lane, admitted sending scheduling data to Carter. She believed Lucas faced an organized extortion attempt and that Carter represented the trust.
Brooke had also forwarded medical appointments, travel routes, and the wedding security plan.
Valeria fired her.
Brooke responded by releasing recordings of Valeria discussing how marriage would stabilize Lucas and “put an end to the Elena problem.”
The statement sounded damning. The complete conversation revealed Carter had used those words first. Valeria repeated them while asking what he meant. Brooke’s clip removed the question.
Valeria was being framed with material gathered through a system she had allowed.
Lucas still did not excuse her. “You invited him into every private part of our life.”
“Because your family owns every room I enter,” she said. “He was the one person who claimed he could make me safe inside it.”
Her resentment was real. So was her betrayal.
Naomi arranged a second video call using a device outside Moreno systems. Mia appeared beside Grace and a child advocate. She was alive, frightened, and suspicious of Lucas.
“Did you know my grandma?” she asked.
“Isabel was my mother.”
“She said you would help when you learned the truth.”
“Then tell me where you are.”
Mia recoiled. Grace ended the call.
The advocate later explained Lucas had repeated Carter’s pattern: demanding location before earning trust.
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One sentence survived before the connection closed.
“Mr. Carter says the wedding makes my mother disappear forever.”
