Chapter 3: Shadows in the Study
At midnight, Derek slipped through the wrought-iron gates of the Vance Estate. The sprawling Victorian mansion felt hollow, an empty monument to fractured memories. Heavy rain drummed against the stained-glass windows as he unlocked the heavy oak door to his father’s private study.
The room smelled of old leather, pipe tobacco, and damp paper. Derek approached the massive cherrywood bookcase behind Arthur’s desk. Recalling his father’s whisper, he ran his fingers along the ornate molding until he felt a small, concealed latch behind an antique copy of *The Count of Monte Cristo*.
The panel clicked open with a soft sigh.
Inside the wall niche rested a weathered steel lockbox and an envelope sealed with crimson wax. Derek used the small brass key Arthur wore around his neck to open it.
Inside lay a revised, notarized testament signed just three days before Arthur’s poisoning. Arthur had stripped Marcus of his executive voting power, transferring the Vance estate and all foundation assets directly into an irrevocable trust managed by Derek. Attached was an audio microcassette and a ledger filled with offshore bank accounts.
A floorboard creaked outside the study door.
Derek froze, pocketing the documents and cassette into his inside coat pocket. He drew his breath in softly, pressing himself into the dark alcove beside the heavy velvet curtains.
May you like
The door swung open slowly. A flashlight beam swept across the room, illuminating Marcus’s face—twisted with frustration and desperation.
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