Chapter 7 - THE TRAITOR AT THE DINNER TABLE
The Ashford estate went into lockdown.
Every door was sealed.
Every guard was questioned.
Every camera was reviewed.
Adrian trusted no one.
Not the guards.
Not the servants.
Not even his own brother.
Elena sat in the library while Dr. Mason examined her injuries.
Her arm was still broken.
The surgery had been postponed because of the attack.
Adrian stood by the window.
Daniel sat across from him.
Marcus entered.
“We checked every camera.”
“And?”
“Someone disabled the cameras for exactly twelve minutes.”
“Who?”
Marcus placed a tablet on the table.
“Mrs. Bell.”
Elena looked up.
The housekeeper who had worked at the estate for twenty years.
Adrian frowned.
“Mrs. Bell?”
“She left the house thirty minutes before the attack.”
“Where did she go?”
“Her daughter's apartment.”
“Confirm it.”
“Already did.”
Marcus hesitated.
“But there's something else.”
Adrian turned.
“What?”
“Someone accessed your private security system from inside the house.”
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
“Who has access?”
“Four people.”
Marcus listed them.
Adrian.
Marcus.
Caleb.
And Victoria.
Adrian stared.
“My mother.”
“She accessed the system two days ago.”
“Why?”
“We don't know.”
Elena stood.
“She knows about the hidden passage.”
Adrian looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because she told me to go to the old house.”
Daniel shook his head.
“Victoria would never send you there unless she wanted you to find something.”
Adrian looked at him.
“Or unless she wanted us killed.”
A knock came at the door.
Everyone turned.
Caleb stood outside.
Adrian's hand moved toward his weapon.
Caleb raised both hands.
“I'm not here to fight.”
“You kidnapped Elena.”
“I didn't.”
“You held a gun to her head.”
“To protect her.”
Adrian laughed.
“You have a strange definition of protection.”
Caleb walked inside.
His face looked exhausted.
He placed a flash drive on the desk.
“This contains everything I know about Richard.”
Adrian did not touch it.
“Why should I believe you?”
“You shouldn't.”
Caleb looked at Elena.
“I should have told you the truth years ago.”
Elena stared at him.
“You knew my father was alive.”
“Yes.”
“You knew Richard had him.”
“Yes.”
“And you let me work in this house?”
“I was trying to protect you.”
“You attacked me.”
Caleb's face twisted.
“I was trying to stop you from finding the photograph.”
“What photograph?”
Caleb looked at Adrian.
“The one that proves your mother was involved.”
Adrian's eyes hardened.
“Involved in what?”
Caleb swallowed.
“Your father didn't die because of the company.”
“Then why?”
“Because he discovered that Victoria had been secretly funding someone.”
“Who?”
Caleb looked toward the door.
“Your uncle.”
Adrian went still.
His uncle had been dead for twenty years.
Caleb continued.
“Your father believed your uncle was dead.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Because the man who died wasn't your uncle.”
Silence filled the room.
Daniel slowly stood.
“That's impossible.”
Caleb shook his head.
“No.”
He looked at Adrian.
“Your uncle is alive.”
Adrian stared.
“Where?”
Caleb said:
“Inside this house.”
At that moment, the door opened.
An elderly man stepped inside.
Elena recognized him.
He was one of the estate's oldest employees.
Mr. Thomas.
The quiet gardener.
The man who had worked at Ashford for twenty-five years.
Adrian stared at him.
The old man's expression changed.
May you like
Then he smiled.
“Hello, nephew.”
