Chapter 4: The Person Behind the Curtain
I didn't sleep.
Every time I closed my eyes, I heard Emma's voice.
Someone in the family.
Not Victor.
Someone higher.
By sunrise, I had made a decision.
I wasn't leaving.
Fear was exactly what had protected them for years.
That morning, Richard called an emergency meeting with the estate staff.
Everyone gathered in the main hall.
The same place where guests had laughed while I stood dripping wet.
But this time, nobody was laughing.
Richard stepped forward.
"I owe every employee here an apology.""
The workers looked surprised.
People with power rarely apologized.
"I should have investigated sooner.""
A housekeeper named Maria raised her hand.
"Why now?""
Richard looked at her.
"Because I finally saw what was happening.""
I noticed Victor standing near the back.
Watching.
Waiting.
Then the doors opened.
Vanessa walked in.
She looked furious.
"You cannot destroy my reputation over one accident.""
Richard turned.
"An accident?""
She laughed.
"She slipped.""
I stepped forward.
"No.""
The room went quiet.
"I didn't.""
Vanessa stared at me.
"You have no idea who you're dealing with.""
I looked directly at her.
"Actually, I do.""
Her smile faded.
Richard asked security to escort her out.
But before she left, she leaned toward me.
"You think you won?""
Her voice dropped.
"You have no idea how deep this goes.""
Then she walked away.
Later that afternoon, Richard and I reviewed the flash drive again.
One file caught my attention.
A video.
The date was from the night Emma disappeared.
We opened it.
The camera showed a hallway inside the mansion.
Emma appeared.
She looked frightened.
Then Victor entered.
They argued.
But the audio was damaged.
Suddenly, someone else appeared.
A person we couldn't see clearly.
A voice.
A woman's voice.
"Give me the journal.""
Emma stepped back.
"No.""
The video ended.
Richard stared at the screen.
"That voice...""
I looked at him.
"You recognize it?""
He didn't answer.
That scared me more.
Finally, he whispered:
"Yes.""
"Who?""
He looked toward the mansion windows.
"The person who owns this estate.""
I frowned.
"But you said—"
"I said the mansion belonged to my family.""
A pause.
Then Richard said:
"The person behind everything is my sister.""
My heart stopped.
"Your sister?""
Richard nodded.
"And she has been hiding the truth for years.""
Before I could respond, the office door opened.
A woman stood there.
Elegant.
Calm.
Perfectly dressed.
She looked nothing like someone who had been exposed.
Richard went pale.
"Elizabeth.""
The woman smiled.
"Hello, brother.""
Then she looked at me.
"So this is Claire.""
I didn't move.
Elizabeth Ashford stepped inside.
The woman whose name had just changed everything.
The woman who had been watching.
The woman Emma feared.
May you like
And the first thing she said to me was:
"I was wondering when you would finally find the truth.""
