Chapter 1 - THE NAME BEHIND THE MIRROR
“CARRY IT DOWNSTAIRS YOURSELF!” THE MAFIA BOSS'S FIANCÉE ORDERED A YOUNG MAID TO MOVE A MASSIVE ANTIQUE MIRROR WITHOUT HELP. WHEN THE MAID'S HAND BEGAN BLEEDING AND THE MIRROR SLIPPED, THE MAFIA BOSS CAUGHT IT JUST BEFORE IT SHATTERED. THEN HE SAW A WOMAN'S NAME WRITTEN ON THE BACK—AND HIS FIANCÉE SUDDENLY DEMANDED THAT HE DESTROY IT.
“Don't drag it, Hannah! You'll scratch the floor!”
Vanessa Sterling stood at the top of the marble staircase, watching twenty-four-year-old Hannah Collins struggle with a six-foot antique mirror.
Its carved wooden frame was heavier than she'd expected.
“Ma'am, could someone help me?”
Vanessa folded her arms.
“Are you incapable of doing one simple job?”
Hannah swallowed.
“No, ma'am.”
“Then move.”
The mirror had hung in Elena Moretti's bedroom for years.
Elena was Dominic Moretti's late wife.
She'd died four years earlier, leaving behind a husband who rarely spoke about her.
Vanessa wanted every trace of her removed before the wedding.
Hannah carefully descended another step.
The mirror tilted.
A sharp metal bracket sliced her palm.
She gasped.
Blood ran between her fingers.
“Please,” she whispered. “It's slipping.”
Vanessa rolled her eyes.
“Stop being dramatic.”
Hannah lost her grip.
The mirror lurched forward.
She screamed.
Suddenly, a man's hands caught the heavy frame.
“Easy!”
Dominic Moretti had appeared at the bottom of the staircase.
He braced the mirror against the wall, preventing it from crashing onto Hannah.
Then he noticed her bleeding hand.
“Hannah, you're hurt.”
She lowered her eyes.
“I'm sorry, sir.”
Dominic frowned.
“Why are you apologizing?”
Vanessa hurried downstairs.
“Darling, she's just being careless.”
Dominic looked at the mirror.
“Why is she carrying this alone?”
Vanessa shrugged.
“It's old. I wanted it removed.”
Dominic's expression changed.
“This was Elena's.”
Vanessa sighed.
“Exactly. It's time to move on.”
Dominic slowly turned the mirror to examine its damaged bracket.
Then he froze.
On the wooden backing, written in faded blue ink, were a woman's name and a date.
MARGARET VALE — OCTOBER 17, 2021.
Beneath them were three smaller words.
WHERE THE LIGHT FALLS.
Dominic stared.
Elena had died on October 18, 2021.
One day after that date.
Vanessa's face drained of color.
“Dominic, put that down.”
He looked up.
“What?”
“It's damaged. Have someone destroy it.”
Dominic stared at her.
“Destroy it?”
“Yes. Immediately.”
He glanced at the writing.
Then back at Vanessa.
His voice turned cold.
“Why do you want this destroyed?”
Vanessa couldn't answer.
Hannah pressed a cloth against her bleeding palm.
Then whispered:
“Sir… I've seen that name before.”
Dominic turned.
“Where?”
“In your wife's old appointment book.”
Vanessa snapped:
“Hannah, that's enough!”
But Dominic was already looking at the maid.
“What appointment book?”
Hannah swallowed.
“I found it while cleaning the attic. Margaret Vale was listed as an emergency contact.”
Dominic went still.
Elena had never mentioned anyone named Margaret Vale.
That evening, Dominic ordered the mirror preserved and sent Hannah to have her hand treated.
Then he searched Elena's belongings.
Inside the appointment book, he found an entry dated October 17.
Margaret. 4:30 p.m. Bring the documents.
Below it, Elena had written:
If I cannot reach Dominic, the mirror will tell him where to look.
Dominic's heart pounded.
He returned to Elena's bedroom.
The mirror had originally hung opposite the west-facing window.
At sunset, sunlight passed through the glass and struck a narrow section of the fireplace mantel.
Dominic examined the stone.
One panel was loose.
Behind it lay a sealed metal box.
Inside were financial records, photographs, and a handwritten letter.
Dominic, I discovered someone has been transferring money from your mother's charitable foundation into private accounts.
Margaret helped me obtain the evidence.
If anything happens to me, don't trust the people who tell you my death was an accident.
Dominic froze.
Elena had supposedly died after falling down the mansion's back staircase.
He'd always believed she'd slipped.
Now he wasn't sure.
He examined the financial documents.
The transfers led to a company controlled by Richard Sterling.
Vanessa's father.
Dominic immediately called his attorney.
But before he could speak, Hannah appeared in the doorway.
“Sir, there's something you should know.”
He turned.
“What?”
She swallowed.
“Margaret Vale isn't dead.”
Dominic stared.
“How do you know?”
Hannah's eyes filled.
“Because she's my mother.”
The room went silent.
Hannah continued.
“My mother worked as your wife's private nurse. After Elena died, she disappeared because someone threatened our family.”
Dominic slowly lowered the phone.
“Where is she now?”
Hannah hesitated.
“In protective care outside Chicago.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
Hannah's voice broke.
“Because she made me promise not to. She said the person responsible was still living in this house.”
Dominic felt cold.
“Vanessa?”
Hannah shook her head.
“My mother said Vanessa was helping someone.”
Dominic stared.
“Who?”
Hannah reached into her apron.
And handed him a folded note.
“My mother told me to give you this if you ever found the mirror.”
Dominic opened it.
Inside were seven handwritten words.
“ASK YOUR BROTHER WHO WAS ON THE STAIRS.”
Dominic stopped breathing.
His younger brother, Adrian Moretti, had been the last person to see Elena alive.
He'd told police he was in the garage when she fell.
And Dominic had believed him.
Then his phone vibrated.
A message from Adrian.
Vanessa says you found Elena's documents.
Dominic stared at the screen.
Another message appeared.
“Before you accuse me, ask why Elena changed her will the morning she died.”
Dominic slowly looked toward the metal box.
Beneath the financial records was one final envelope.
Stamped by a law office.
Dated October 18, 2021.
The morning Elena died.
Across the front were four words:
LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT.
And inside was a handwritten amendment naming someone Dominic had never expected to inherit a single dollar.
May you like
The full story continues in the first comment. Thank you for reading!
---
