Chapter 3 - The Woman in the Photograph
Three weeks after Hannah began working for the Ravalinis, she found a photograph hidden behind the books on the library's lowest shelf.
It showed Isabella standing in a garden with Matteo in her arms.
Beside her was another woman, younger and dressed in a pale blue coat.
The woman looked remarkably like someone Hannah had seen in the penthouse.
Margaret Vale.
Lucas's personal assistant.
Margaret had worked for the family for nearly a decade. She managed Lucas's schedule, handled sensitive correspondence, and seemed to know where every key and document belonged.
She was also the only person in the household who had never welcomed Hannah.
“You shouldn't be in here,” Margaret said from the doorway.
Hannah turned.
“I was looking for Matteo's picture books.”
“His books are in the nursery.”
“I know. I found this while looking for something else.”
Margaret took the photograph from her.
Her fingers tightened around its edges.
“Mrs. Ravalini was a private person. Mr. Ravalini doesn't like people rummaging through her things.”
“I wasn't rummaging.”
“Then perhaps you should be more careful where you look.”
Margaret slipped the photograph into her pocket and walked away.
Hannah watched her go.
Something about the exchange unsettled her.
That evening, while Lucas reviewed documents in his study, Hannah asked him about the photograph.
“Was Margaret close to your wife?”
Lucas stopped writing.
“Why do you ask?”
“I found a picture of them together. Margaret seemed upset when she saw it.”
He leaned back.
“Margaret worked for Isabella. They were friendly.”
“Were they?”
Lucas's gaze sharpened.
“Miss Cooper, is there something you think I should know?”
“I don't know yet.”
He studied her.
Then he closed the folder on his desk.
“Tell me what happened.”
Hannah explained the encounter.
Lucas listened without interrupting.
When she finished, he picked up his phone and called his head of security.
“Bring me the archived personnel records from the year Isabella died.”
Hannah frowned.
“Why?”
“Because Margaret told the police she was at the office the night my wife died.”
He looked at her.
“And if she was lying, I want to know why.”
An hour later, the records arrived.
Lucas read them in silence.
Then he asked his security chief to leave.
Hannah had never seen him look so pale.
“What is it?”
He handed her a page.
The office access log showed that Margaret had entered the Ravalini residence at 8:42 p.m. on the night Isabella died.
She had not left until 11:16.
According to the original police statement, Isabella had been alone in the house.
Lucas stood and walked toward the window.
“My wife died in a car accident,” he said. “The police told me she left the house at eight and lost control of her car on a wet road.”
“But Margaret was here.”
“Yes.”
“Did you know?”
“No.”
He turned toward Hannah.
For the first time, she saw genuine fear in his eyes.
“Someone lied to me about the last hours of my wife's life.”
Before Hannah could respond, the study door opened.
Margaret stood in the doorway.
Her gaze moved from Lucas to the document in Hannah's hand.
Then her expression changed.
“You should not have looked into this,” she said.
Lucas's voice turned cold.
“Explain yourself.”
Margaret took a step backward.
“I can explain everything.”
“Then start with why you lied to the police.”
She swallowed.
May you like
And the next words she spoke would change everything Hannah thought she knew about the Ravalini family.
“Because Isabella wasn't supposed to die that night.”
