Chapter 2 - THE VEILED THREAT

“Is there something you need, Ms. Shaw?” Claire asked, keeping her voice even despite the frantic beating of her heart.

Madeline smiled, though her eyes remained entirely devoid of warmth. She took a sip of her coffee, the diamond on her left hand catching the pale morning light filtering through the window.

“I simply wanted to check on our newest guests,” Madeline said smoothly. “You left the library in quite a hurry last night, Claire. You dropped this.”

Madeline reached into the pocket of her robe and pulled out the small, jingling stuffed rabbit. She held it out by one soft ear.

Claire’s stomach plummeted. She had hoped against hope that Dean and Madeline hadn’t seen who had been standing in the hall. Now, the rabbit was proof.

“Abigail asked me to retrieve it,” Claire lied softly, taking the toy. “I couldn’t find it in the dark. I must have been mistaken about where she left it.”

“You must have been,” Madeline agreed. She stepped closer, the scent of her expensive jasmine perfume overpowering the small room. “It’s very easy to get lost in a house this size. To see things that aren’t there. To misunderstand conversations that don't concern you.”

Claire met the woman’s gaze. She knew exactly what Madeline was doing. It was the subtle, terrifying intimidation of the elite—the kind that didn't require raised voices or overt violence.

“I only concern myself with the girls, Ms. Shaw.”

“Good,” Madeline whispered. “Because Gabriel values loyalty above all else. But he is a busy man, and he doesn’t have the patience for staff members who cause unnecessary drama or spread wild, unfounded rumors. If you were to say... misunderstand something you thought you heard, it wouldn’t just be your job on the line. Westchester is an expensive county. Medical care for a sick toddler is astronomically high. It would be a tragedy if you found yourself on the streets again.”

The threat was clear.

Keep your mouth shut, or I will ruin you and your child.

Madeline turned and walked to the door. “Breakfast is at eight. Please ensure the girls are dressed appropriately. Gabriel has an important associate arriving today.”

When the door clicked shut, Claire sank onto the edge of the bed. Her hands were trembling so violently she had to grip the mattress to steady them. She had stumbled into a conspiracy to murder Gabriel Mercer, and the people orchestrating it were the two people he trusted most in the world.

She couldn't just tell Gabriel. He was a mafia boss. Dean was his closest lieutenant, a man who had taken a bullet for him. Madeline was his fiancée. If a new, low-level housekeeper accused them of treason without a shred of hard evidence, Gabriel wouldn't believe her. Worse, Dean would make sure Claire and Lucy quietly disappeared.

She needed proof.