Chapter 3 - The Letter Behind the Wall
Nora barely slept.
At six in the morning, she was standing outside Arthur's office.
The door was locked.
She looked at the note again.
Don't trust Dad.
The handwriting looked feminine.
But that meant nothing.
People could imitate handwriting.
She stepped away.
“Looking for something?”
Arthur's voice came from behind her.
Nora turned.
He wore a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up.
“You scared me.”
“Good.”
She held up the note.
“Did you write this?”
Arthur's face changed.
“Where did you find it?”
“In my room.”
He took it.
His jaw tightened.
“Where?”
“Under the pillow.”
Arthur looked toward the children's hallway.
“Who gave it to you?”
“Thomas.”
He closed his eyes.
“Of course.”
“What does it mean?”
Arthur folded the paper.
“My wife wrote hundreds of notes.”
“About you?”
“About everything.”
“Why hide them?”
“I didn't.”
“Then where are they?”
Arthur hesitated.
“My wife kept a private journal.”
“Where?”
“Her bedroom.”
Nora stared at him.
“You never read it?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because after she died, I couldn't touch anything.”
His voice cracked slightly.
Then he recovered.
“She deserved one room that belonged only to her.”
Nora understood grief.
Not because she had lost a husband.
But because she had spent her entire life surrounded by people who treated love like a transaction.
Arthur's grief was different.
He had too much love and nowhere to put it.
They entered the late Mrs. Costa's bedroom.
Dust covered the furniture.
A piano sat untouched near the window.
Nora noticed a small scratch beneath the desk.
She crouched.
“Arthur.”
He came closer.
“Look.”
A loose floorboard.
They lifted it.
Inside was a metal box.
Arthur stared.
“I've never seen that.”
Nora opened it.
Inside were photographs.
Bank records.
A USB drive.
And a letter.
Arthur recognized the handwriting.
His face went pale.
Nora opened the letter.
Arthur,
If you're reading this, something happened to me before I could tell you the truth.
Do not trust the Hayes family.
Arthur's eyes snapped toward Nora.
She continued.
Richard Hayes was involved in the bombing.
Silence.
Nora stopped breathing.
Her father.
Her father had killed Arthur's wife?
Arthur took the letter.
His hands trembled.
“No.”
Nora whispered, “Arthur…”
“No.”
He read further.
The shipment wasn't meant for you.
It was meant to destroy evidence.
Someone inside our organization is selling information to the Hayes family.
I discovered it.
I was going to expose them.
Richard found out.
Arthur's face became terrifyingly still.
Nora backed away.
“My father…”
Arthur looked at her.
“You knew?”
“No.”
His eyes searched hers.
“I swear.”
The room felt suddenly smaller.
Then the bedroom door opened.
Elena stood there.
She had been listening.
“Mom knew Dad didn't kill her.”
Arthur froze.
Elena looked at him.
“She told me.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I was scared.”
“Of me?”
Elena nodded.
Arthur looked devastated.
Nora stepped between them.
“Elena, what else did your mother tell you?”
The girl swallowed.
“She said the person who betrayed her wasn't in your family.”
Arthur stared.
“What does that mean?”
“I don't know.”
Elena pointed toward the metal box.
“She said there was one more thing.”
“What?”
“She said if you ever found the box, you should ask…”
She hesitated.
“Ask who?”
“Ask why Dad's youngest child was born with a different blood type.”
Arthur's face drained of color.
Thomas.
Nora immediately understood.
“The bombing wasn't the only secret.”
Arthur looked at the children.
And for the first time, fear entered his eyes.
Not fear for himself.
Fear for his family.
That evening, DNA results were ordered.
But before the test could be completed, someone broke into the mansion.
The alarm screamed.
Gunfire shattered the windows.
Arthur grabbed Nora and pushed her behind the stone wall.
“Stay here.”
“Arthur!”
He disappeared into the corridor.
Nora heard shouting.
Then silence.
She emerged cautiously.
A man lay unconscious near the staircase.
Arthur stood above him.
He looked at Nora.
The intruder's face was familiar.
It was Richard Hayes's personal driver.
Nora's stomach dropped.
Arthur looked at her.
“This isn't about your father's debt anymore.”
He picked up the man's phone.
A message was displayed on the screen.
GET THE GIRL BACK. SHE KNOWS TOO MUCH.
Nora stared at it.
“Who?”
May you like
Arthur looked toward her.
“You.”
