Chapter 3: Shadows in the Study
At 2:00 AM, the mansion fell into a stillness broken only by the hum of the climate control and the distant roar of the ocean. Julian waited by his bedroom door, listening. Vincent’s heavy, rhythmic snores drifted from the master wing.
Julian slipped off his shoes. Without his cane, moving in total darkness would have once been impossible, but now the moonlight filtering through the skylights carved a clear, silvery path along the hallway.
He slipped into their father’s former study. Vincent had changed the locks, but Julian knew the house better than anyone—he had designed the architectural blueprints alongside his father five years ago. He pressed the hidden release behind the oak bookshelf, and the private wall safe clicked open.
Inside lay stacks of offshore account statements, property deeds, and a single, sealed manila envelope labeled *JULIAN - PRIVATE*.
Julian tore it open under the pale light. Inside was a handwritten letter from his father dated three days before the fatal fire, accompanied by an audio cassette.
*“Julian,”* the letter read. *“If you are reading this, I failed to protect us. Vincent is drowning in debts to people who do not negotiate. He believes the estate’s insurance policy is his salvation. Do not trust the attorneys. Find Elena at the harbor clinic. She knows the truth about the fire.”*
Julian’s throat tightened. His father hadn't died from smoke inhalation by accident; he had been trapped. Julian took out his smartphone, muted the shutter sound, and methodically photographed every single document in the safe.
May you like
A floorboard creaked out in the corridor. Julian instantly replaced the papers, locked the safe, and stepped behind the heavy velvet drapes just as the study door swung open.
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