Chapter 6: The Accusation That Destroyed Everything
By the time I returned to Cedar Hollow, the estate was in chaos.
Two security guards stood near the main entrance. Martin was speaking to someone in the hallway, and my grandmother sat in the living room with a blanket around her shoulders.
Natalie was standing beside the fireplace.
She held a folded piece of paper.
When she saw me, she immediately approached.
"Adrian, thank goodness you're here.""
I ignored her.
"Where's Elena?""
Natalie sighed.
"She's gone.""
"Where?""
"She was dismissed.""
"By whom?""
"By me, with your father's approval.""
I looked toward Martin.
He lowered his eyes.
I turned back to Natalie.
"Why?""
She unfolded the paper.
"Because she stole from this family.""
The room became silent.
My grandmother gripped the armrest.
"That's a lie.""
Natalie didn't look at her.
"Mrs. Cole, please. I know this is upsetting, but we have to be realistic.""
I took the paper from Natalie's hand.
It was a written incident report.
The accusation stated that Elena had removed an original legal document from Eleanor's private cabinet.
The report included a list of household valuables and a statement claiming Elena had been seen carrying a brown envelope out of the study.
At the bottom was a signature.
Richard Cole.
I looked up.
"Where is my father?""
Natalie folded her arms.
"He had to leave for a business appointment.""
"Convenient.""
She frowned.
"What's that supposed to mean?""
"It means I want to speak to him.""
Natalie stepped closer.
"Adrian, you need to understand that this is serious. I found evidence that Elena had been accessing your grandmother's private belongings without permission.""
"What evidence?""
"She had the keys.""
"Which keys?""
"Keys to the cabinet.""
"Who gave them to her?""
Natalie hesitated.
Then she answered.
"She had access because she worked here.""
I looked at Martin.
"Is that true?""
Martin shook his head.
"No, sir. Elena was never given a key to the private cabinet.""
Natalie's head snapped toward him.
"Excuse me?""
Martin stood straighter.
"I have maintained the household key register for fifteen years. Elena never received that key.""
Natalie's face reddened.
"Then how did she access the cabinet?""
I looked at her.
"Perhaps you should explain that.""
She stared at me.
"What?""
"The security footage shows you entering the study with my father.""
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Then Natalie laughed.
It was a short, disbelieving sound.
"Adrian, are you spying on me?""
"I'm reviewing security footage from my own house.""
"You had no right to record private family conversations.""
"I didn't record a conversation. I recorded two people entering a restricted room and removing documents.""
Her expression changed.
My grandmother leaned forward.
"Natalie, where are my papers?""
Natalie turned toward her.
"I don't know what you're talking about.""
"The papers your grandfather gave your mother. The ones I asked Elena to protect.""
Natalie shook her head.
"You're confused again, Eleanor.""
Grandma slammed her hand against the armrest.
"Don't you dare call me confused!""
I had rarely heard her raise her voice.
She pushed herself upright.
"That girl spent six years looking after me. She never stole anything. She never lied to me. And you have the nerve to accuse her?""
Natalie crossed her arms.
"She was becoming careless.""
"Careless?"" Grandma repeated.
"She was the only person who remembered my medication this morning!""
I stepped between them.
"Enough.""
Natalie turned to me.
"Adrian, please. We have guests arriving next week. The wedding is almost here. We cannot allow a domestic employee to create this kind of scandal.""
I stared at her.
"You're worried about the wedding?""
"Of course I am.""
"An innocent woman has just lost her job and been accused of theft. And you're worried about the wedding?""
She lowered her voice.
"Don't make this bigger than it needs to be.""
I looked at the report again.
The date was yesterday.
But something was wrong.
The report stated that Elena had removed the document at 8:30 p.m.
I remembered where I had been at that time.
I had been at a business dinner with my father.
And Elena had been in the estate kitchen preparing dinner for my grandmother.
I turned to Martin.
"Do we have the kitchen security footage from yesterday evening?""
"Yes, sir.""
"Get it.""
Natalie immediately stepped forward.
"Adrian, there's no need to involve security in this.""
I looked at her.
"Why not?""
"Because the matter has already been handled.""
"Not by me.""
Martin returned with a tablet.
He opened the recording.
At 8:21 p.m., Elena appeared in the kitchen carrying a tray.
At 8:34 p.m., she was still there, helping Eleanor with dinner.
At 8:47 p.m., she walked upstairs carrying a glass of water.
She never entered the study.
I paused the recording.
Then I looked at Natalie.
"Explain this.""
She stared at the screen.
For the first time, I saw genuine fear in her eyes.
"That doesn't prove anything.""
"It proves Elena couldn't have stolen the document at the time you specified.""
"Maybe she did it earlier.""
"Then why did you write 8:30?""
Natalie opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
My grandmother shook her head.
"I want Elena brought back.""
Natalie turned sharply.
"That's impossible.""
"Why?""
"Because she's already been dismissed.""
I looked at her.
"Then I'll reverse the dismissal.""
Natalie stepped closer.
"You can't do that without discussing it with me.""
I stared at her.
"She's an employee of the Cole estate. Not yours.""
Her lips tightened.
"After the wedding, everything will be different.""
I almost smiled.
"Yes. It will.""
I walked away and called Martin.
"Find Elena's address. I want to speak to her personally.""
He nodded.
Within an hour, I was standing outside a small apartment building on the eastern side of Cedar Hollow.
The hallway smelled of cooking oil and fresh laundry.
A child's bicycle leaned against the stairwell.
I knocked on apartment 3B.
A teenage boy opened the door.
He had dark hair and Elena's eyes.
"Can I help you?""
"Are you Mateo?""
He immediately became guarded.
"Who are you?""
"My name is Adrian Cole. I work at the estate where your sister was employed.""
His expression hardened.
"Are you here to accuse her of stealing?""
The question hit me.
"No. I'm here because I believe she was treated unfairly.""
He stared at me for several seconds.
Then he stepped aside.
Elena was sitting at a small kitchen table, still wearing her work clothes. A half-packed suitcase rested beside her chair.
When she saw me, she stood immediately.
"Mr. Cole?""
I looked at her.
"Elena, I'm sorry.""
She shook her head.
"Please don't apologize, sir. I understand. People like me don't always get to defend ourselves.""
"That's not true.""
She gave a tired smile.
"I've already lost the job. There's nothing more to discuss.""
I pulled out a chair.
"Actually, there is.""
I placed a printed photograph from the security footage on the table.
It showed Natalie inside Eleanor's study, holding the brown folder.
Elena stared at it.
Then her face went pale.
"Where did you get this?""
"Security footage.""
She looked toward Mateo.
Then she lowered her voice.
"Mr. Cole, you need to understand something. Mrs. Warren wasn't looking for just any document.""
"What was she looking for?""
Elena opened a small drawer and removed a folded piece of paper.
"I found this inside your grandmother's cabinet several weeks ago. I didn't know what it meant, but I recognized your mother's name.""
She placed it in front of me.
It was a handwritten note.
The writing belonged to Patricia.
If the original agreement disappears, do not trust the person who claims to be protecting Adrian.
Beneath the sentence was a name.
Not Natalie's.
Not my father's.
A name I had never expected to find connected to my mother's final wishes.
Elena looked directly at me.
"There's something else, Mr. Cole.""
"What?""
She swallowed.
"Your father came to see me the night before I was dismissed.""
I leaned forward.
"What did he say?""
Her voice trembled.
"He offered me money to leave Cedar Hollow permanently.""
"How much?""
"Fifty thousand dollars.""
I stared at her.
"Why?""
Elena shook her head.
"He said if I stayed, something terrible would happen to my brother.""
My hands curled into fists.
Before I could respond, Mateo suddenly stood.
"Adrian, there's something you should see.""
He hurried into the bedroom and returned carrying an old mobile phone.
"My sister recorded the conversation because she was scared.""
Elena looked at him in surprise.
"Mateo, I told you not to—"
"I know, but you shouldn't have to face this alone.""
He unlocked the phone and played the recording.
My father's voice filled the small kitchen.
"Take the money, Elena. Forget what you saw. And whatever happens next, don't tell Adrian what his mother really left him.""
Then another voice spoke.
Natalie's.
"Richard, we don't have time. The wedding is in three weeks. If he finds out before then, everything we've arranged will fall apart.""
The recording ended.
I sat completely still.
My mother had left me something.
My father and Natalie knew about it.
And they were willing to threaten a thirteen-year-old boy to keep me from discovering the truth.
I looked at Elena.
"Did you hear anything else?""
She nodded.
"One thing.""
"What?""
She reached into her suitcase and removed a small envelope.
"Your mother gave this to me shortly before she died.""
My breath caught.
"How?""
Elena's eyes filled with tears.
"She asked me to keep it safe. She said that one day, when you were ready to understand, I should give it to you.""
I took the envelope.
My name was written across the front in my mother's handwriting.
But before I could open it, Elena whispered something that made my blood run cold.
"Mr. Cole, there's a reason your father wants you to marry Natalie before the trust documents are found.""
I looked at her.
"What reason?""
Elena swallowed.
"Because according to the document your mother left behind, the moment you get married, you could lose the right to control your own inheritance.""
I stared at the envelope.
Three weeks remained before my wedding.
May you like
And suddenly, I understood that Natalie wasn't planning a marriage.
She was planning a takeover.
