Hope lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.
Victoria's words echoed in her mind.
"As long as you're here, people will wonder if Richard plans to put you in his will."
She had brushed it off, but the truth lingered.
Would Richard ever consider her as family not just someone he took in?
Would she ever truly belong?
A knock on the door pulled her from her thoughts.
It was Richard.
"Can I come in?"
Hope quickly sat up. "Of course."
Richard entered, his usual warm smile in place. But something was different. His expression was tight, his eyes serious.
He held a document in his hand.
The same document Victoria had tried to make her sign.
Hope's breath caught.
"Hope," Richard said gently, "why didn't you tell me about this?"
Confrontation in the Study
Hope hesitated. "I didn't want to cause problems."
Richard sighed, rubbing his temple. "Victoria had no right to do this." His voice was calm, but there was an underlying anger she had never seen before.
Hope swallowed. "I didn't sign it."
Richard's lips pressed together, and for a moment, he just looked at her.
Then he stood. "Stay here."
Hope watched as he strode out of the room, his movements sharp, controlled.
She knew exactly where he was going.
To Victoria.
Victoria's Mask Slips
Hope stayed in her room, but she could hear the raised voices from the study.
"Why, Victoria?" Richard's voice was cold. "Why would you go behind my back like this?"
Victoria's tone remained silky smooth. "I was only protecting our family's interests. You know how people talk."
"I don't care how they talk," Richard snapped. "Hope is family."
There was a pause. Then Victoria's voice, lower, sharper.
"She is not your daughter, Richard. No matter how much you want her to be."
Silence.
Hope's stomach twisted.
Then Richard's voice, firm and unshaken:
"She may not be by blood, but she is by choice."
Hope felt a lump rise in her throat.
Victoria's voice turned icy. "So, what now? You'll rewrite the will? Give her everything?"
"This isn't about money," Richard said. "It's about trust. And you broke mine."
Another silence.
Then Victoria spoke, her voice quieter but filled with something dangerous.
"You'll regret this, Richard."
Hope shivered.
Victoria never lost without a fight.
A Father's Promise
That night, Richard found Hope sitting on the balcony, hugging her knees.
He sat beside her. "I'm sorry you had to hear that."
Hope shook her head. "I don't want to come between you and Victoria."
Richard exhaled. "Victoria and I… we've had our struggles long before you came into our lives. This isn't your fault."
Hope looked down. "She thinks I want your money."
Richard gently turned her face toward him. "I know better."
A tear slipped down Hope's cheek. "Then why does it feel like I'll never truly belong?"
Richard's expression softened. "Do you remember the day I found you?"
Hope nodded. "At church."
"You were just a little girl, clinging to my leg like I was your lifeline," Richard said with a smile. "That day, I made a choice. To protect you, to love you."
He reached for her hand.
"And nothing no paper, no words can change that."
Hope let out a shaky breath.
For the first time in a long while, she believed him.
The Storm Ahead
The next morning, Victoria was unusually quiet at breakfast.
But Hope didn't miss the way her fingers tightened around her coffee cup.
She had lost this battle.
But war was far from over.
And Hope knew Victoria was planning her next move.