Chapter 7 - The Price of Keeping Her.
The police sealed the study while firefighters cleared the smoke.
Nino refused to release Elena's hand.
Victor stood in the ruined doorway staring at the message on the wall.
"FIRE THE NANNY OR LOSE THE BOY."
His first reaction was rage.
His second was fear.
Fear made him more dangerous than rage ever had.
"Pack your things," he told Elena.
She looked at him.
"You think I wrote that?"
"I think someone is targeting this house because you are here."
"So you will reward them by doing exactly what they demanded?"
Victor's voice dropped.
"I will remove the variable I can control."
Nino began crying.
"No Elena go."
Victor ignored him.
"A car will take you wherever you need."
Elena stood very still.
"This is what Claire warned me about."
Victor's jaw tightened.
"Do not use my dead wife against me."
"She said you confuse control with protection."
The insult landed because it was true.
Victor pointed toward the hallway.
"Leave."
Elena went to her room.
Nino followed.
Victor did not stop him.
Twenty minutes later, Elena returned with one small suitcase.
Nino clung to her leg.
"Daddy bad."
Victor's face went white.
He had survived hostile takeovers, lawsuits, and public scandals without flinching.
Two words from his son nearly broke him.
Elena knelt.
"Your daddy is scared."
Nino sniffed.
"Scared mad."
"Sometimes grown-ups look mad when they are scared."
Victor looked away.
Elena hugged the boy.
Then she walked toward the elevator.
The doors opened.
Inside stood Detective Lena Ortiz with two uniformed officers.
"Nobody leaves," Ortiz said.
Victor frowned.
"Why?"
"Because we found something in the service corridor."
She held up an evidence bag containing a gray fabric button with black trim.
It matched Elena's uniform exactly.
Victor turned toward her.
Elena stared at the bag.
"That is not mine."
Ortiz studied her.
"We will verify that."
The detective searched Elena's room.
Inside her closet they found a second gray uniform dress.
One button was missing.
Victor's expression became unreadable.
Elena looked genuinely stunned.
"I did not wear that dress today."
"Who had access to your room?" Ortiz asked.
"Housekeeping. Security. Anyone with a master code."
Victor's phone buzzed.
A message had arrived from an unknown number.
It contained a photograph taken through the nursery window earlier that day.
Nino was asleep.
Beneath the photo were four words.
"Next time, no warning."
Victor's anger vanished.
He locked the entire building floor and ordered every employee detained for questioning.
Then Nino tugged his sleeve.
"Daddy."
Victor crouched.
The boy handed him a tiny black object.
"Found Elena bed."
It was a wireless microphone.
Detective Ortiz examined it.
"Someone has been listening to this room."
Elena slowly looked toward the ceiling vent.
Victor followed her gaze.
A faint red light blinked behind the grille.
They removed the vent cover.
Inside was a miniature camera.
And taped beside it was a printed photograph of Beatrice Hale.
Detective Ortiz arrived while smoke still drifted through the corridor and immediately separated every staff member for questioning.
Victor tried to direct the investigation until she told him, with visible irritation, that his penthouse was now a potential crime scene rather than an executive floor.
May you like
He almost argued.
Then Nino coughed from the smoke, and Victor finally stepped aside.
