The words were familiar. Helen had used variations of them whenever Victoria challenged a decision that favored Richard or questioned an explanation that did not make sense.
She had always presented the family as something fragile that Victoria alone was capable of damaging.
If Victoria asked a difficult question, she was selfish.
If she disagreed, she was disrespectful.
If she insisted on fairness, she was creating division.
Meanwhile, Richard could insult her, dismiss her achievements, and now strike her in public without receiving the same judgment.
Victoria no longer wanted to participate in that arrangement.
VICTORIA: "I am not destroying this family by asking what happened."
HELEN: "You have no idea how much I sacrificed to keep us together."
VICTORIA: "Then tell me what you sacrificed."
HELEN: "Everything I did was for you and Richard."
VICTORIA: "That is not an answer."
Helen's face tightened.
HELEN: "You think because you have a title and a uniform, you can sit in judgment over everyone who raised you."
VICTORIA: "My rank has nothing to do with this."
HELEN: "It has everything to do with it. Ever since you started succeeding, you have looked at us differently."
VICTORIA: "I have spent years trying to understand why you treat me differently."
HELEN: "Because you made different choices."
VICTORIA: "I chose to serve."
HELEN: "And Richard chose to stay close to his family."
VICTORIA: "Richard chose to stay close to you. Those are not the same thing."
Helen's eyes flashed.
HELEN: "He was here when your father needed him."
VICTORIA: "I came home whenever my duties allowed."
HELEN: "You were always somewhere else."
VICTORIA: "I was serving my country."
HELEN: "And we were supposed to wait for you to remember that you had a family?"
Victoria leaned back slightly.
The accusation hurt because it was built around a truth Helen had repeatedly distorted.
Victoria had been absent for long stretches. Military service had required her to miss birthdays, family dinners, and important occasions. She had sometimes been unable to answer calls, and there had been periods when even a short message was difficult to send.
But absence had never meant indifference.
She had sent money when her father needed help with expenses. She had arranged medical appointments when she could. She had asked relatives to check on him during assignments that prevented her from returning home.
She had done what she could with the time and information available to her.
Helen had never asked about those efforts.
She had only counted the occasions when Victoria could not be present.
VICTORIA: "You could have told me when he was struggling."
HELEN: "We did not want to distract you."
VICTORIA: "You could have told me when his condition became serious."
HELEN: "You had responsibilities."
VICTORIA: "You could have asked me to come home."
Helen looked down at the table.
VICTORIA: "Did you ask me?"
No answer came.
Victoria waited.
The silence lasted long enough for Thomas to glance toward Daniel.
Finally, Helen spoke.
HELEN: "Your father did not want you to abandon your career."
VICTORIA: "That still doesn't answer my question."
HELEN: "You would have come rushing home and made everything more difficult."
VICTORIA: "For whom?"
Helen's jaw tightened.
HELEN: "For everyone."
Victoria slowly shook her head.
VICTORIA: "You keep using the word everyone when you mean yourself."
Helen looked up sharply.
HELEN: "How dare you?"
VICTORIA: "You told me that I was making a scene tonight when Richard hit me. You said he was the real soldier. You defended him before you even asked whether I was hurt. And now you're asking me to believe that every decision you made was for my benefit."
Helen's expression changed.
For a brief moment, the anger gave way to something closer to shame.
Then it disappeared.
HELEN: "Richard made a mistake."
VICTORIA: "He assaulted me."
HELEN: "He lost his temper."
VICTORIA: "That doesn't make it less serious."
HELEN: "He is your brother."
VICTORIA: "And I am his sister. Why does that only matter when you want me to forgive him?"
Helen looked away again.
Daniel waited until the silence settled before speaking.
DANIEL: "There is another reason Frank wanted these documents preserved."
Victoria turned toward him.
DANIEL: "He was concerned that you had been given an incomplete account of certain financial arrangements made during your early career."
VICTORIA: "What financial arrangements?"
Daniel opened the folder again.
This time, he removed several sheets and arranged them in a neat stack. The first document appeared to be a formal summary of an account, with dates, references, and handwritten notes in the margins.
Victoria scanned the page.
The terminology was familiar, but the details were not. Several entries referred to transfers made over a period of years. Some were marked as deposits, while others were described as disbursements or administrative adjustments.
At the bottom of the page, a handwritten note referenced an agreement bearing her name.
Victoria looked up.
VICTORIA: "What agreement?"
DANIEL: "That is what we need to establish."
VICTORIA: "My signature is on this?"