“Is the main house secure?” I asked.

“Yes, Elena,” Thomas said. “But we have a situation at the South Gate.”

“Vivian,” Alexander said.

“Yes, sir,” Thomas replied. “She tried to force her way through in her sports car. When the guard refused to open the gate, she offered him her diamond necklace.”

“Where is she now?” Alexander demanded.

“Marcus and his team are escorting her to the grand parlor,” Thomas said. “She is refusing to cooperate.”

Alexander lowered the gun and tucked it back inside his jacket.

He turned to me.

“Keep that folder safe,” he said.

“I will not let it out of my sight,” I whispered.

We left the dusty archive room and walked quickly down the narrow hallway.

The fluorescent lights flickered overhead, casting long, jumping shadows on the peeling wallpaper.

The estate felt different tonight.

The silence was heavy, filled with secrets that had been buried for years.

We reached the grand staircase and descended into the main hall.

The marble floor was cold beneath my thin-soled shoes.

The double doors to the grand parlor were wide open.