Chapter 6: The Room That Held the Answer
The storage room door stood open.
That alone was impossible.
Salvatore had personally watched the guard lock down that section of the house after Sophie was found.
Nobody should have been inside.
The hallway lights cast long shadows across the floor.
Ethan walked beside him, tense and silent.
Behind them, Rosa stayed with Sophie and Marianne.
Salvatore raised a hand.
“Wait.””
He listened.
Nothing.
No footsteps.
No voices.
Just silence.
He stepped inside.
The room looked different.
Not because anything was missing.
Because something had been disturbed.
Boxes had been moved.
Old family belongings had been shifted.
Someone had searched.
Ethan looked around.
“They’re looking for something.””
Salvatore nodded.
“The question is what.””
A small sound came from the corner.
Ethan turned.
“Who’s there?””
A figure moved.
But it wasn’t Victoria.
It was a man.
Older.
Wearing a dark suit.
Salvatore immediately stepped forward.
“Identify yourself.””
The man slowly raised his hands.
“Relax.””
Ethan stared.
“Charles?””
The man looked uncomfortable.
“Yes.””
Salvatore looked at Ethan.
“You know him?””
Ethan nodded.
“Charles worked with my father.””
The older man gave a nervous glance toward the doorway.
“I didn’t want to be found.””
“That’s obvious,” Salvatore said.
Charles looked at the floor.
“I came because Elena asked me to.””
Ethan froze.
“When?””
“Before she died.””
The words hit the room.
Salvatore studied him.
“Why didn’t you come forward?””
Charles looked ashamed.
“Because I was afraid.””
“Afraid of who?””
Charles hesitated.
That hesitation told Salvatore everything.
“Who?””
Charles looked toward the ballroom.
“Victoria.””
Ethan closed his eyes.
“No.””
Charles shook his head.
“You don’t understand.””
“Then explain.””
Charles took a breath.
“Elena discovered that someone was moving money through accounts connected to the family company. She thought Victoria was involved.””
Ethan looked angry.
“Then why didn’t Elena tell me?””
“Because she thought you were being watched.””
The answer was painful.
Salvatore stepped closer.
“Watched by whom?””
Charles looked at him.
“Your own business partner.””
Silence.
Ethan’s face changed.
“My father’s old partner?””
Charles nodded.
“Richard Vale.””
The name meant something.
Salvatore knew it immediately.
Richard had been around for years.
A respected businessman.
A family friend.
Someone who attended birthdays.
Someone who had stood beside them at funerals.
Someone nobody would suspect.
“Where is he now?”” Salvatore asked.
Charles looked nervous.
“That’s the problem.””
“What problem?””
“He arrived tonight.””
Ethan’s eyes widened.
“What?””
Charles nodded.
“He’s in the ballroom.””
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then the meaning became clear.
The person Elena feared had been standing among them the entire night.
Salvatore turned toward the door.
But Charles grabbed his arm.
“Wait.””
Salvatore looked down.
“Why?””
“Because Elena left another message.””
Charles reached inside his coat and removed a small envelope.
Ethan stared.
“Where did you get that?””
“She gave it to me.””
“Why didn’t you bring it sooner?””
“Because she told me not to open it unless the music box was found.””
Salvatore took the envelope.
The seal was old.
And on the front was a name.
Not Sophie.
Not Ethan.
Not Salvatore.
Victoria.
Everyone froze.
Ethan whispered.
“She wrote a letter to Victoria?””
Salvatore opened it carefully.
Inside was a single page.
He read the first line.
Then his expression changed.
“What does it say?”” Ethan asked.
Salvatore looked up.
His voice was quiet.
“Elena knew Victoria wasn’t the mastermind.””
Ethan looked confused.
“What?””
Salvatore continued reading.
“She knew Victoria was being controlled.””
Charles nodded.
“That’s what I was trying to tell you.””
A chill moved through the room.
Victoria had been hiding something.
But she wasn’t the top of the chain.
She was a piece.
A frightened piece.
Salvatore read the final lines.
Then he handed the letter to Ethan.
Ethan read it.
And his hands began to shake.
“What?””
Salvatore looked toward the ballroom.
“Richard Vale wasn’t just involved.””
He paused.
“He was the person Elena discovered everything about.””
A loud crash of voices came from the ballroom.
Someone shouted.
Then the music stopped.
Everyone turned.
Charles whispered.
“He knows we found it.””
Salvatore walked toward the doorway.
The truth had been hidden for years.
May you like
But now it had a name.
And that name was standing just a few rooms away.
