Chapter 12 - Guest Wing PrisonThe guest wing of Vance House had once been Victoria’s kingdom.
She had chosen the silk wallpaper. She had replaced Amelia’s soft cream furniture with sharper, darker pieces. She had ordered mirrors placed along the hallway because she liked seeing herself reflected from every angle.
Now two security guards stood outside the double doors.
And Victoria was inside with no phone.
Marcus had not locked her in, not officially. But he had removed her access codes, dismissed her personal assistant, frozen the joint credit cards, and instructed the gatehouse that Mrs. Vance was not to leave the estate without police approval.
For a woman like Victoria, it was the same as a cage.
Elena learned all this from whispers in the kitchen.
By sunset, the whole staff knew more than they admitted.
Celeste had been taken for questioning.
Mara had given a formal statement.
The police had collected the tea sample, the amber bottle, the passport, the hallway footage from outside Elena’s room, and the work order proving the main hallway cameras had been disabled by a request from Victoria’s private secretary.
The house was no longer a mansion.
It was a crime scene wearing chandeliers.
Elena stayed in the nursery with Leo.
She refused dinner twice before Mrs. Hale, the housekeeper, entered carrying soup and bread on a silver tray.
“You’ll faint if you keep pretending you’re made of stone,” Mrs. Hale said.
Elena smiled weakly.
“I’m not hungry.”
“You never are when you’re terrified.”
Elena looked up.
Mrs. Hale closed the nursery door behind her.
“I worked for this family thirty-eight years,” the older woman said. “I know fear when it wears an apron.”
Elena glanced at the crib. Leo slept peacefully now, one hand open beside his cheek.
Mrs. Hale set the tray down.
“You did right today.”
“Did I?”
“You protected the child.”
“I brought trouble into this house.”
Mrs. Hale snorted.
“Child, this house had trouble in the walls before you were born.”
Elena looked toward the silver frame of Amelia.
“She knew, didn’t she?”
“Mrs. Amelia knew more than people thought. Quiet women often do.”
Elena touched her locket.
Mrs. Hale noticed but said nothing.
For that kindness alone, Elena almost cried.
A soft knock came.
Marcus entered before Mrs. Hale could answer. He had removed his suit jacket. His tie hung loose. He looked less powerful now and more exhausted.
Mrs. Hale picked up the empty bottle from the side table.
“I’ll leave you.”
Elena stood.
“Mr. Vance—”
“Marcus,” he said.
She blinked.
“What?”
“After today, I think we can stop pretending my last name makes this easier.”
Mrs. Hale’s eyebrows lifted, but she wisely left without comment.
Elena looked at Marcus.
“You should rest.”
“So should you.”
Neither of them moved.
He looked at Leo.
“Has he eaten?”
“Yes.”
“Fever?”
“No.”
“Still scared?”
Elena paused.
“Less than before.”
Marcus nodded.
Then his eyes moved to the photograph of Sofia, now sitting on the nursery side table where Elena had placed it after the search.
“I’m sorry they dragged your daughter into this.”
Elena looked away.
“She was already with me.”
Marcus’s face softened.
“Do you want tomorrow off?”
“No.”
“Elena—”
“No,” she repeated. “Not while Victoria is still in the house.”
Marcus looked at her for a long moment.
“You don’t trust me to protect him.”
She met his eyes.
“I don’t trust grief to make good decisions.”
The words landed hard.
Marcus did not defend himself.
“You’re right,” he said.
That surprised her.
He walked to the crib and touched the wooden rail.
“I married Victoria because I was drowning. She handed me something that looked like a rope.”
“But it was a leash.”
He gave a humorless smile.
“Yes.”
A scream echoed suddenly from the far side of the house.
Elena turned.
Marcus was already moving.
Another scream followed.
Victoria.
Then a guard shouted.
Marcus opened the nursery door.
A staff member came running down the hall, face pale.
“Sir! Mrs. Vance broke the guest wing mirror.”
Marcus stepped into the corridor.
The staff member swallowed.
“She cut herself with the glass.”
Elena’s heart stopped.
Then the staff member added the part that made Marcus go white.
“She wrote something on the wall.”
Marcus’s voice dropped.
“What?”
The staff member looked at Leo’s nursery door.
“In blood, sir.”
Elena grabbed the crib rail.
“What did she write?”
May you like
The staff member whispered.
“He isn’t Amelia’s.”
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