Chapter 20
Part 21: The Man Who Had Already Lost
Adrian Vale sat across from Sofia in a secure interview room.
Two investigators watched through the observation window.
Vale wore a dark suit.
His silver hair remained perfectly combed.
He appeared almost pleased to see her.
"Princess."
"Sofia."
"As you wish."
She sat down.
"I found the final compartment."
For the first time, his expression changed.
"Did you?"
"Alexander's restitution ledger."
Vale's jaw tightened.
Sofia placed a photocopy on the table.
"He knew who he hurt.
He kept records.
He planned how to repay them."
Vale stared at the page.
"He was a sentimental coward."
Sofia studied him.
"You're angry he left a way to correct the damage."
"He spent decades pretending his cruelty was necessary.
Then he wanted a document to absolve him."
"He never carried out the payments."
"Exactly."
Sofia leaned forward.
"Who put my bracelet inside the sculpture?"
Vale looked toward the observation window.
Then back at her.
"Your mother."
Sofia froze.
"Claire?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"She returned to the palace secretly during the final months before she disappeared.
Madeleine helped her access the protected archive.
Claire placed the bracelet and a personal note inside the second compartment."
Sofia frowned.
"Then you knew it was there."
"No. I knew Claire had hidden something.
I didn't know what.
Alexander ordered the sculpture sealed after the next jubilee."
Sofia thought of the first night.
The green light.
The bracelet.
Her mother's letter.
"You sent the message about the final compartment."
Vale smiled faintly.
"Perhaps."
"Why?"
"Because I wanted you to find what Alexander left behind."
She stared at him.
"You spent twenty years protecting his secrets."
"No."
Vale leaned forward.
"I spent twenty years waiting for someone who could destroy his reputation completely."
Sofia felt a chill.
"You hated him."
"He refused to recognize me as his son.
Yet whenever the Crown needed someone to do its dirtiest work, I was suddenly family."
"And you obeyed."
"At first."
"You framed Claire."
Vale's expression darkened.
"She was going to expose the network.
I wanted her removed from succession."
"Because she was your sister."
"Because she was the only person who might have stopped me."
Sofia swallowed.
"Did you kill Jonathan Reed?"
Vale was silent.
"Answer me."
He looked at the floor.
"Yes."
The admission landed like a physical blow.
"He discovered too much.
He tried to give Claire information about the financial accounts."
Sofia stared at him.
"You killed an innocent man."
Vale said nothing.
"And then you let Victor grow up believing Jonathan was just a gardener."
A flicker of discomfort crossed his face.
"I didn't know the boy was Jonathan's son when I ordered it."
"Would that have changed anything?"
Vale didn't answer.
Sofia stood.
"You don't regret what you did."
Vale looked up.
"I regret that my father made monsters of all of us."
Sofia shook her head.
"Alexander made choices.
Gabriel made choices.
Madeleine made choices."
She leaned toward him.
"And you made yours."
Vale looked away.
Sofia moved toward the door.
Then he spoke.
"Your mother visited me once before she died."
Sofia stopped.
"When?"
"Five months ago."
She turned.
Vale continued.
"She knew she was running out of time.
She asked me to stop watching you."
Sofia's throat tightened.
"What did you say?"
"I told her I wouldn't touch you."
"Why would she believe you?"
Vale looked down.
"She didn't."
He reached into his pocket.
The guard immediately stepped forward.
Vale raised his empty hand.
"There's a letter in the evidence box.
Claire gave it to me.
I never opened it."
Sofia stared at him.
"Why?"
May you like
He gave a bitter smile.
"Because I was afraid she might forgive me."
