Chapter 3 - THE LOCKED ROOM
The next morning, Chloe discovered a black envelope on her pillow.
No name.
No explanation.
Inside was a photograph.
Her brother Tommy leaving a medical clinic.
On the back, someone had written:
You should have stayed invisible.
Chloe's hands began to shake.
She immediately went downstairs.
Victor was in the study.
She knocked.
"Come in."
She entered and placed the photograph on his desk.
Victor looked at it.
His face changed.
"Where did you get this?"
"It was on my bed."
"Who saw it?"
"I don't know."
Victor stood.
"Marco."
His security chief appeared within seconds.
Victor handed him the photograph.
"Lock the estate."
Marco's expression hardened.
"Already?"
"Nobody leaves."
Chloe stared.
"This is because of me."
Victor looked at her.
"Yes."
She swallowed.
"Then I should leave."
"No."
"If someone is threatening your family—"
"You're under my protection."
"I don't need—"
"You don't understand."
His voice was unusually sharp.
"This isn't about pride anymore."
Chloe went silent.
Victor stepped closer.
"Someone entered a secured wing of my house."
He held up the photograph.
"They know where your brother receives treatment."
His eyes met hers.
"This means someone has access to information inside my organization."
Chloe whispered, "Who would want to hurt me?"
"That's what I'm going to find out."
That afternoon, Victor discovered something worse.
A confidential file had disappeared from his locked archive.
The file concerned a property acquisition near the South Harbor.
Inside was information about a rival organization.
Only five people had access.
Victor.
Marco.
His attorney.
His accountant.
And Vanessa.
He said nothing.
He simply began watching.
Meanwhile, Chloe tried to keep working.
Victor stopped her.
"You're not cleaning today."
"What am I supposed to do?"
"Stay inside."
She crossed her arms.
"I'm not a prisoner."
"I know."
"Then don't treat me like one."
Victor paused.
"You want something to do?"
"Yes."
He thought.
"Come with me."
She followed him to the library.
He pointed toward several shelves.
"Choose a book."
She stared.
"That's my job?"
"For today."
She smiled.
"You're paying me to read?"
"I'm paying you to stay alive."
Chloe picked a novel.
Victor returned to his desk.
For two hours, neither spoke.
But something changed.
The estate no longer felt entirely cold.
Later that evening, Victor found Chloe asleep in a chair.
A book had fallen against her chest.
He stood there quietly.
She looked peaceful.
He covered her with a blanket.
Then he noticed a bruise near her wrist.
His expression darkened.
He gently moved the sleeve.
There were two more.
"Chloe."
She woke.
"What?"
"Who did this?"
She looked down.
"I bumped into something."
"Don't lie to me."
Her eyes lifted.
"I've been poor for most of my life, Victor. Bruises aren't always evidence of a conspiracy."
He studied her.
Then she asked softly, "Why do you care?"
Victor had no answer.
That frightened him.
Because he was beginning to realize that Chloe had slipped past every wall he had spent years building.
Not through seduction.
Not through manipulation.
Through kindness.
The next day, Vanessa arrived.
She walked into the study wearing a cream coat and carrying flowers.
Victor barely looked up.
"Why are you here?"
"I wanted to see you."
"I'm busy."
She placed the flowers on his desk.
"I heard about the threat."
Victor finally looked at her.
"How?"
Vanessa smiled.
"People talk."
"Who told you?"
She hesitated.
"Does it matter?"
"Yes."
Victor stood.
Vanessa's smile disappeared.
"You're suspicious of me?"
"Of everyone."
Her eyes moved toward the doorway.
Chloe stood there carrying tea.
Vanessa looked at her.
Then back at Victor.
"You're really doing this?"
"Doing what?"
"Letting a maid become part of your life."
Chloe immediately turned to leave.
Victor stopped her.
"Stay."
Vanessa's expression tightened.
"I didn't mean anything by it."
Victor's voice was cold.
"You did."
Silence.
Vanessa picked up her bag.
"I'll see you later."
She left.
Chloe stared at Victor.
"You didn't have to defend me."
"I wasn't defending you."
She raised an eyebrow.
"Really?"
"I was correcting her."
"That's almost worse."
Victor looked away.
For the first time in years, he realized something terrifying.
May you like
He had begun caring what Chloe thought of him.
And somewhere outside the estate, someone was preparing to use exactly that weakness.
