Charles forced a smile.
"Of course."
Victoria watched the exchange.
She didn't understand everything.
But she sensed that Charles knew more than he was admitting.
CHAPTER 5: THE WOMAN WHO HAD NOTHING TO PROVE
Richard invited Victoria to sit inside the private lounge.
She accepted.
A staff member brought coffee and water.
Richard remained standing for several moments, unable to settle down.
Finally, he sat opposite her.
"I have so many questions."
Victoria smiled sadly.
"I do too."
"Why didn't your mother contact me again?"
"She tried. She told me she sent letters."
Richard looked down.
"I never received them."
Victoria studied his face.
"My mother waited for you."
The words hurt more than anything else.
Richard covered his mouth.
"How long?"
"Years."
He closed his eyes.
"Why didn't she tell me about you?"
Victoria took a breath.
"Because she believed you had abandoned us."
Richard shook his head.
"I would never have done that."
Victoria nodded.
"I believe you."
He looked surprised.
"You do?"
"My mother kept your photograph. She never spoke badly about you. Even when she was sick, she said that you were probably a good man who had made a terrible mistake."
Richard's eyes filled again.
He had built an empire.
He had negotiated with presidents, investors, and international corporations.
He had faced bankruptcy threats and survived financial crises.
But nothing had prepared him for the realization that he had missed twenty-four years of his daughter's life.
He looked at Victoria.
"Do you have any brothers or sisters?"
"No."
"Did you have a happy childhood?"
Victoria thought for a moment.
"My mother did everything she could. We didn't have much money, but she made sure I never felt unloved."
Richard nodded slowly.
"She was always like that."
Victoria smiled.
"She told me you were terrible at cooking."
Richard laughed unexpectedly.
"That's true."
For a brief moment, the sadness became lighter.
Then Victoria looked toward the hangar.
"Is that your airplane?"
Richard followed her gaze.
"Yes."
"My mother had a photograph of it."
He nodded.
"She helped me with the first flight demonstration."
Victoria looked surprised.
"Really?"
"Yes. Before I became a businessman, I wanted to become an aircraft designer. Eleanor believed in me when nobody else did."
He paused.
"That aircraft was named after her."
Victoria stared at him.
"What's its name?"
Richard smiled faintly.
"ELENA."
Victoria looked through the glass.
The registration and name were visible near the aircraft's entrance.
For the first time, she understood why her mother had kept that photograph for so many years.
CHAPTER 6: THE SECRET INVESTIGATION
Richard asked James, his chief operating officer, to investigate the old correspondence.