Chapter 9: The Secret Room
The message appeared on Malcolm’s phone.
One sentence.
No explanation.
No name.
Just words.
STOP DIGGING, NIA.
My stomach tightened.
Arthur immediately reached for the phone.
“Who sent it?””
Malcolm handed it over.
Arthur studied the screen.
“No number.””
“How is that possible?”” I asked.
Malcolm looked serious.
“They wanted us to know they were watching.””
Vanessa sat down slowly.
For the first time, she looked old.
Not wealthy.
Not powerful.
Just tired.
Arthur noticed.
“Who is it?””
Vanessa looked at him.
“I don’t know.””
“You expect me to believe that?””
She shook her head.
“I know who helped me.””
Everyone went silent.
My heart started pounding.
Arthur stepped closer.
“Then say the name.””
Vanessa looked at me.
And I knew she was afraid of what would happen next.
“Vanessa.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“The person who helped me…”
She stopped.
“Say it.””
She whispered:
“Your brother.””
Arthur froze.
“My brother is dead.””
“Yes.””
The answer was immediate.
Too immediate.
Arthur stared at her.
“What are you talking about?””
Vanessa looked at the floor.
“Your brother wasn’t the only person involved.””
The room became silent.
Malcolm looked at her.
“You’re still protecting him.””
Vanessa’s face changed.
“You don’t understand.””
“No,” Malcolm said.
“You don’t understand. Nia deserves everything.””
Arthur’s voice was cold.
“Everything about what?””
Vanessa didn’t answer.
Arthur slammed his hand on the table.
“Enough!””
The entire mansion seemed to shake.
“You don’t get to give me pieces of the truth whenever it becomes convenient.””
Vanessa looked at him.
“I was trying to protect you.””
“No.””
He shook his head.
“You were protecting yourself.””
I looked at the letter again.
At my mother’s words.
The person who helped Vanessa was still close.
Still watching.
Still waiting.
Then I remembered something.
A small detail from years ago.
Something I had never thought mattered.
“Vanessa.””
She looked at me.
“Why did you hire me?””
Her face changed.
Arthur noticed.
“Answer her.””
Vanessa swallowed.
“Because I knew who you were.””
The words hurt.
Even though I expected them.
“You knew.””
“Yes.””
“You saw me every day.””
“Yes.””
“You let me serve your food.””
Her eyes filled.
“I didn’t know how to fix what I did.””
I stared at her.
“You could have told me.””
“I was scared.””
“You keep saying that.””
Because it was true.
Fear had destroyed everything.
A loud crash came from upstairs.
Everyone froze.
Arthur looked toward the ceiling.
“What was that?””
Malcolm immediately stood.
“You need to leave.””
Arthur looked at him.
“Why?””
“Because someone else is in this house.””
Vanessa went pale.
“No.””
The word came out like a whisper.
Arthur looked at her.
“What?””
She stood quickly.
“The room.””
“What room?””
Vanessa didn’t answer.
Malcolm’s expression changed.
“There is a room in this house?””
Vanessa looked trapped.
Arthur stepped toward her.
“Where?””
She closed her eyes.
Then whispered:
“The old office.””
I had cleaned that room hundreds of times.
Or at least I thought I had.
Because Vanessa never let me open one cabinet.
Never let me move one painting.
Never let me touch one locked drawer.
Arthur grabbed the keys from the table.
“Show me.””
Vanessa hesitated.
Then walked toward the hallway.
We followed.
The mansion suddenly felt unfamiliar.
Every hallway looked different.
Every shadow looked like someone hiding.
We reached the old office door.
Vanessa unlocked it.
The door opened slowly.
Dust covered the room.
A desk.
Bookshelves.
Old photographs.
And a hidden compartment behind a painting.
Arthur stared.
“What is that?””
Vanessa said nothing.
Malcolm walked closer.
“Open it.””
Arthur pulled the painting away.
Behind it was a small locked box.
My heart raced.
Because I knew.
Whatever was inside had been hidden for years.
Arthur opened the box.
Inside was a stack of documents.
A passport.
A photograph.
And one handwritten page.
He picked it up.
His face changed.
“What?””
I stepped closer.
Arthur looked at me.
Then at Vanessa.
Then read the words aloud.
“This is proof that Nia was never supposed to be found.””
A silence followed.
Then he turned the page over.
A signature was written at the bottom.
A signature I recognized.
Because I had seen it before.
On every paycheck.
Every work document.
Every contract in the mansion.
Arthur whispered:
“The person who hid you…”
He looked toward Vanessa.
“…wasn’t just helping her.””
A pause.
“He was helping someone inside this house.””
The office door suddenly slammed shut behind us.
May you like
And a voice came from the darkness outside.
“You should have left the past buried.””
