Chapter 4: The Hidden Ledger
While the family dined, Clara was tasked with turning down the beds in the master suite. Her hands shook as she smoothed the luxurious silk sheets on Victoria’s side of the bed. The scent of Victoria’s heavy, floral perfume lingered in the air, making Clara feel nauseous.
As she moved to close the heavy velvet drapes, she knocked against Victoria’s ornate vanity. A silver hand mirror clattered to the floor. Clara gasped, dropping to her knees to retrieve it. As she reached under the vanity, her fingers brushed against something taped to the underside of the lowest drawer.
Heart pounding, Clara peeled away the thick adhesive tape. It was a small, leather-bound notebook, completely hidden from plain view.
She knew she shouldn't look. If Victoria caught her, she wouldn't just be fired; she would be ruined. But the memory of Leo hitting the marble floor fueled her courage. Clara opened the book.
It wasn't a diary. It was a ledger of contacts, bank transfers, and meticulous notes. Clara’s eyes widened as she scanned the pages. There were records of massive withdrawals from Ethan’s personal accounts, funneled into offshore trusts under Victoria’s maiden name. But worse was the final entry, written in Victoria’s sharp, slanted handwriting:
May you like
Dr. Aris - St. Jude’s Asylum. 50,000 upfront. Custody transfer upon Ethan’s 'accident'.
Clara’s blood ran cold. Victoria wasn't just trying to send Leo away. She was plotting to get rid of Ethan entirely, seize the rest of his assets, and lock the child in an asylum where no one would ever find him.
