Chapter 3 - THE MONSTER IN THE HALLWAY
The silver watch dangled from Julian’s fingers. It was undeniably hers—the intricate ivy engraving on the casing was a detail burned into my childhood memory.
"Marcus didn't just stumble upon this," I whispered, stepping toward him. "That watch has a false back. It’s where my mother kept the master ledger."
Before Julian could hand it to me, a small, fragile voice broke the tension. "Papa?"
We both turned. Standing in the grand archway was Lily, Julian’s six-year-old daughter. She clutched a crumpled child's drawing in her small hand, her bare feet silent on the cold marble. She hadn't spoken since her mother’s sudden passing two years ago.
Julian’s hardened exterior melted instantly. "Lily, sweetheart, what are you doing awake?"
She didn't answer. Instead, she walked straight to me, holding out the drawing. It was a chaotic sketch in black crayon: a tall, shadowy figure with a distinctive, jagged necklace.
Julian frowned. "She’s been drawing that monster for weeks. Child psychologists said it’s grief."
I looked closer at the jagged lines. My blood ran cold. "Julian, this isn't a monster. It’s a family crest. The same crest Eleanor wears on her vintage emerald collar."
I took the silver watch from Julian’s frozen hand, pressing the hidden latch. The back popped open, revealing not a ledger, but a tiny, folded photograph. I smoothed it out. It was a picture of Eleanor, standing over the wreckage of Julian's father's car.
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Eleanor hadn't just plotted a corporate takeover. She had orchestrated a murder, and Lily had seen something she shouldn't have.
"She's not trying to steal your company," I said, my voice trembling. "She's trying to silence the last remaining witnesses."
