Chapter 4
A cold silence dropped over the private wing of the estate.
"Marco's keycard was deactivated eight years ago when we buried him," Victor said, his jaw tightening until the muscle ticked.
"It was reactivated forty-eight hours ago," Mateo answered gravely. "From the secondary server inside the east library."
Victor turned to Celeste. Her emerald dress seemed too heavy for her frame now. Her hands were clutched tightly over her diamond necklace.
"Celeste," Victor said, his tone deceptively smooth. "Where were you forty-eight hours ago?"
"I was in Milan, Victor! Shopping for wedding fabrics! My passport stamps will prove it!" Her voice hit an octave of raw panic. "You're accusing me based on a dead man's computer code? Look at the woman! She's the one who took fifty grand and ran!"
Claire took a step forward, unable to stay silent any longer. "The man who gave me the money at the clinic didn't use a keycard, Victor. He used your ring."
Victor's eyes snapped back to Claire. "What did you say?"
"He wore the Bellandi signet ring with the cracked onyx stone," Claire said, her voice steadying. "He held it against my cheek and told me that if I ever breathed your name to a reporter or a court, the family would make sure Eli disappeared from the nursery."
Victor's face went completely blank. Every man in the room held their breath.
There was only one signet ring with a cracked onyx in the entire history of the family. Victor had inherited it from his father, but it had vanished from the family vault the week his brother Marco was killed.
Victor turned back to Celeste. "When you unpacked your luggage from Italy yesterday, you brought a leather briefcase up to my private study. You said it was estate paperwork from your father."
"It was!" Celeste cried out.
Victor didn't wait. He grabbed Celeste by the forearm—firmly, without violence, but with an iron grip that left no room for resistance—and marched her down the long corridor toward the east wing.
Claire held Eli’s hand, hurrying behind them alongside Mateo and two armed guards.
Victor kicked open the heavy oak doors of the east library. He walked straight to the antique display cabinet where his family's ceremonial weapons and heirlooms were kept.
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Inside the velvet display box, sitting right beside Marco’s service medals, was a heavy gold signet ring with a distinct hairline fracture running across a black onyx stone.
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