Chapter 4 - The Framed Governess
Thursday afternoon brought an icy storm over the estate.
Julian had just returned from a high-stakes negotiation in Chicago, his dark eyes shadowed with fatigue as he walked through the front doors. Before he could even unbutton his wool overcoat, Victoria rushed down the grand staircase, sobbing theatrically with a handkerchief pressed to her cheek.
"Julian! Thank God you're home!" Victoria wailed, throwing her arms around his rigid neck. "It’s that girl. That maid you insisted on keeping!"
Julian gently pried Victoria’s fingers off his collar, his expression unreadable. "What did Nora do?"
"She stole your mother’s diamond locket from the safe!" Victoria cried, gesturing wildly toward the library. "Marcus searched her locker in the staff quarters and found it tucked inside her coat! When I confronted her, she tried to attack me!"
Marcus stepped forward, placing a velvet pouch on the hall table, his face a mask of solemn regret. "It's true, Boss. Found it ten minutes ago. We have her held in the conservatory."
Julian’s gaze darkened. His mother's locket was the only heirloom he had left from before the syndicate wars. Stealing from the Mercer family was an automatic death sentence. Without a word, he strode toward the conservatory, his heavy boots echoing with terrifying finality.
Inside, Nora was being held against the glass wall by two armed guards. Her cheek was bruised where Marcus had shoved her down, but her head was held high.
"Did you take it?" Julian asked, his voice dead, colder than the winter rain beating against the glass.
"No, Mr. Mercer," Nora replied evenly, looking straight into the eyes of the deadliest man in the city. "I did not."
"Liar!" Victoria shrieked from behind Julian. "Put a bullet in her, Julian! Show the staff what happens when someone betrays this family!"
Julian drew his custom Kimber 1911 from his shoulder holster, the metal clicking loudly in the dead silence.
Suddenly, a small, fragile voice broke the tension like lightning shattering midnight.
"No."
Julian froze. Every guard in the room stiffened.
Theo walked slowly out from the library shadow, tears streaming down his small face. He pointed a trembling finger at Victoria.
"She... she put it in Nora's coat," the five-year-old whispered, speaking his first words in two years. "Victoria did it."
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👉 Before Victoria could defend herself, the perimeter alarms howled into the winter sky.
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