Chapter 9 - The Witness Everyone Had ForgottenEvery head turned toward the far end of the entrance hall.
An elderly butler stepped away from the line of servants.
For over thirty years, Samuel Brooks had served three generations of the Harrington family. Guests knew his face, but few remembered his name. He had always been invisible—the kind of man who saw everything and said nothing.
Until now.
"I know what Mrs. Harrington means," Samuel said quietly.
Victoria spun toward him.
"You stay out of this."
Samuel ignored her.
He looked only at Adrian.
"Sir... your father asked me to protect your mother if anything ever happened to him."
A murmur swept through the guests.
Adrian's expression tightened.
"My father spoke to you?"
Samuel nodded.
"The night before he passed away."
Victoria's breathing became uneven.
"He's lying."
Samuel reached inside his jacket and carefully removed a small brass key attached to an old leather tag.
"I've carried this for twelve years."
Adrian recognized it immediately.
"The library vault."
Samuel placed the key into Adrian's hand.
"Your father said I should never give it to anyone except you... unless your mother told me the time had finally come."
Eleanor slowly nodded through her tears.
"The time... is now."
Victoria stumbled backward.
For years she had searched every safe, every office, every locked cabinet in the mansion.
May you like
She had never known the one place she never checked...
...was waiting beneath the library floor.
Related Stories
