Chapter 2: The Maid's Secret
Elena had worked at Vance Manor for twenty-three years.
She knew which floorboards creaked, which windows refused to close during winter, and which members of the Vance family preferred their secrets buried beneath expensive carpets.
She also knew where the bodies were hidden.
Not literally.
Although, in the case of the Vance family, that distinction had never been particularly comforting.
At 8:17 that evening, Elena sat alone in her small basement apartment.
Her uniform hung over the radiator.
A damp towel rested against her neck, and a red patch had appeared on her cheek where Victoria's chemical mixture had burned her skin.
On the narrow table in front of her lay the black walkie-talkie.
It was an unusual device.
No ordinary household radio could communicate through the reinforced walls of Vance Manor, but this one had been modified with a private encrypted frequency.
Elena pressed the side button.
"Unit Seven, do you copy?""
Static.
Then a man's voice answered.
"Elena? Are you safe?""
She closed her eyes.
"Not anymore, Samuel.""
"Did you find it?""
Elena glanced toward the locked metal cabinet beside her bed.
"Yes.""
"Where?""
"Inside the study. Behind the portrait of Mr. Vance.""
A long silence followed.
Then Samuel spoke again.
"Tell me you didn't touch anything.""
"I didn't.""
"Good. Listen carefully. You need to leave that house tonight.""
Elena shook her head.
"I can't.""
"Elena, they've already started.""
"I know.""
"Then why are you still there?""
She looked toward an old photograph sitting on her bedside table.
It showed a younger Elena standing beside a smiling man in a dark suit.
Richard Vance.
Daniel's father.
The former chairman of Vance Global Industries.
He had died six months earlier after supposedly suffering a sudden cardiac arrest during a business trip.
Elena had worked for him since Daniel was nine years old.
She had seen him laugh, rage, threaten employees, and dismiss entire departments with a single signature.
But she had also seen him cry.
Three weeks before his death, Richard had summoned Elena to his private study.
He had been pale, sweating, and visibly frightened.
"Elena," he had whispered, "if anything happens to me, don't trust Daniel.""
She had stared at him.
"Sir?""
"Don't trust my son. And whatever you do, don't let Victoria wear the green silk.""
He had opened a drawer and placed a small metal key in her hand.
"There's a recording. Everything is on it.""
Two days later, Richard Vance was dead.
The official report declared natural causes.
The funeral was attended by senators, billionaires, corporate executives, and hundreds of employees who had lost their jobs under his leadership.
Daniel had delivered a beautiful speech about his father's integrity.
Victoria had cried into a white lace handkerchief.
And Elena had stood near the back, holding the secret that could destroy them all.
Now, twenty-three years of loyalty had brought her to a single decision.
She would expose the truth.
Even if it cost her life.
A sudden knock interrupted her thoughts.
Three sharp taps.
Elena quickly hid the walkie-talkie beneath a folded blanket.
"Who is it?""
"House security.""
She recognized the voice.
Marcus Bell.
The head of security had worked for the family for nearly fifteen years. He was a broad-shouldered man with a shaved head and a habit of tapping his wedding ring against his flashlight.
Elena opened the door.
Marcus stood in the corridor holding a clipboard.
"Mr. Vance wants your room searched.""
Elena's stomach tightened.
"Why?""
"Company property is missing.""
"What property?""
Marcus looked directly at her.
"A recording device.""
Elena kept her expression neutral.
"I don't know anything about that.""
He stepped inside without asking permission.
His shoes left muddy marks across the clean floor.
He checked the wardrobe, opened drawers, lifted the mattress, and even examined the bathroom cabinet.
Then he stopped beside the bedside table.
His eyes settled on Richard's photograph.
"Who is that?""
"Mr. Vance.""
"Why do you keep his photograph?""
"Because he was kind to me.""
Marcus picked it up.
"Kindness is an expensive habit in this family.""
He placed the photograph face down.
Then he walked toward the metal cabinet.
Elena moved immediately.
"Please don't touch that.""
Marcus turned.
"Why?""
"Personal belongings.""
He smiled without humor.
"Since when do servants have personal belongings?""
Before he could open it, the walkie-talkie crackled beneath the blanket.
Both of them froze.
A male voice came through.
"Elena, answer me. The second shipment has arrived. Repeat, the second shipment is inside the east garage.""
Marcus slowly turned toward the bed.
Elena lunged for the device.
But he was faster.
He grabbed the walkie-talkie and pressed the transmission button.
"Who is this?""
Silence.
Then the voice answered.
"Samuel Price.""
Marcus's face changed.
He looked at Elena.
"Where is he?""
Elena said nothing.
Marcus stepped closer.
"Do you have any idea what you've done?""
He pulled out his phone.
"I've got her.""
Elena's heart hammered.
Marcus began dialing.
But before he could complete the call, a voice came from the doorway.
"Put the phone down, Marcus.""
Both turned.
Victoria stood there.
She had changed into a cream-colored silk robe, her hair perfectly arranged. A faint red mark remained on her left wrist.
Marcus immediately straightened.
"Miss Vance.""
"Leave us.""
"Mr. Vance instructed me—"
"Daniel is in the wine cellar. I will explain everything to him.""
Marcus hesitated.
Victoria smiled.
It was the same beautiful, polished smile she used at charity galas.
But there was no warmth behind it.
"Do I need to repeat myself?""
Marcus placed the walkie-talkie on the table.
Then he left.
Victoria closed the door.
For several seconds, neither woman spoke.
Finally, Elena said, "You shouldn't be standing so close to me.""
Victoria glanced at the red mark on her own wrist.
"Is that what the poison does?""
Elena's expression hardened.
"I told you to take off the gown.""
"I did.""
"Then why are you still wearing silk?""
Victoria looked down at her robe.
"Because I have more than one dress.""
Elena swallowed.
"Who told you?""
Victoria walked toward the table.
"Someone called me. She said Daniel arranged the poison.""
Elena slowly sat down.
"Then you know.""
"Know what?""
"That your fiancé doesn't intend to marry you.""
Victoria laughed nervously.
"That's ridiculous. We have a wedding in the morning.""
Elena reached into her apron and removed a folded document.
She placed it on the table.
Victoria opened it.
It was a laboratory report.
The first page contained the name of a chemical compound associated with a rare industrial toxin.
The second page contained the results of a fabric analysis.
The third page showed the manufacturing order.
And at the bottom was a signature.
Daniel Vance.
Victoria's face went white.
"Where did you get this?""
"Your dress was treated with the compound in a private laboratory owned by Vance Global.""
"Why?""
Elena leaned forward.
"Because someone needs to die before tomorrow's wedding.""
Victoria stared at her.
"Who?""
Elena looked toward the ceiling, where the grandfather clock in the main foyer chimed nine times.
Then she whispered:
"The woman wearing the gown.""
Victoria stepped backward.
"But why would Daniel want me dead?""
Elena didn't answer immediately.
Instead, she pulled another document from her pocket.
This one was a copy of a confidential insurance agreement.
The beneficiary was Daniel Vance.
The insured person was Victoria Vance.
The payout was $850 million.
Victoria's fingers began trembling.
"He would never...""
Elena interrupted her.
"Your fiancé has already signed the paperwork.""
Victoria sank into the chair.
For the first time, the woman who had spent years humiliating others looked genuinely powerless.
Then the walkie-talkie crackled.
Samuel's voice returned.
"Elena, listen carefully. I found the original recording.""
Elena snatched the device.
"Where are you?""
"Outside the estate.""
"Did you listen to it?""
A pause.
"Yes.""
"What did you hear?""
Samuel's answer came so quietly that Elena almost missed it.
"Richard Vance didn't die of natural causes.""
Elena closed her eyes.
"I know.""
"No, you don't understand. The recording identifies the person who administered the poison.""
Elena's fingers tightened around the device.
"Who?""
Samuel took a shaky breath.
Then he spoke four words.
"Your son, Elena. Daniel.""
The walkie-talkie slipped from her hand.
Victoria stared at her.
"Elena?""
The housekeeper looked up, tears filling her eyes.
"Daniel isn't just Richard's son.""
May you like
She swallowed hard.
"He is mine.""
