Chapter 2 - The House the Maid Had Never Entered
Matteo Vale's home was not a mansion in the way people imagined.
It was worse.
It was quiet.
Stone walls.
Tall windows.
Long corridors.
A library large enough to swallow a small apartment.
Security cameras disguised as antique lamps.
Doors that locked automatically.
And a silence that seemed to know every secret spoken inside it.
Norah stared through the windshield as the gates opened.
“Wow.”
Matteo glanced at her.
“What?”
“This is your house?”
“Yes.”
“Do you live alone?”
“Yes.”
She considered that.
“That's sad.”
Luca coughed to hide a laugh.
Matteo stared out the window.
He had been called many things.
Cruel.
Ruthless.
Dangerous.
Never sad.
They entered the house.
A woman named Helen rushed forward.
“Mr. Vale.”
Her eyes moved to Norah.
Then the babies.
Then back to Matteo.
“What happened?”
“Prepare the east guest suite.”
Helen froze.
“Sir?”
“Two cribs.”
“A nursery?”
“Yes.”
“Tonight?”
“Yes.”
She immediately called staff.
Norah held Matteo's sleeve.
“Is my mom here?”
“She'll be here after the doctors finish.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“What if they say she can't come?”
“They won't.”
“How do you know?”
Matteo looked at her.
“Because I said so.”
Norah smiled.
“That sounds like something a mean person says.”
Matteo almost smiled again.
“I'm apparently reconsidering my personality.”
Luca turned away.
“Did you hear that?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
The babies were placed in temporary bassinets while staff prepared formula.
Norah stood nearby, watching.
Her stomach growled.
Matteo heard it.
“Did you eat?”
She shook her head.
“What did you eat today?”
“Half a cracker.”
Matteo turned.
“Helen.”
“Yes?”
“Food.”
“What kind?”
“Everything.”
Helen smiled.
“Finally.”
She disappeared into the kitchen.
Norah followed.
Matteo watched from the doorway.
She looked more comfortable near food than she did around people.
Within minutes, she was eating soup, bread, fruit, and potatoes.
She slowed after the first few bites.
“What's wrong?”
“I shouldn't take so much.”
“Who told you that?”
“Mom.”
“Why?”
“Money.”
Matteo looked away.
He had spent millions on restaurants where nobody asked what a plate cost.
This child was afraid to take another piece of bread.
He pushed the basket toward her.
“Eat.”
“I'll get fat.”
Matteo's expression hardened.
“Who said that?”
Norah looked confused.
“People say things.”
He sat.
“You're seven.”
“Eight.”
“Eight.”
“Almost nine.”
“Then you're eight.”
She smiled.
The first real smile he had seen from her.
It was small.
But it changed her whole face.
“You're funny.”
“No one says that.”
“They should.”
A baby cried.
Norah immediately stood.
“That's Noah.”
“How can you tell?”
“He makes the sad cry.”
Matteo watched her approach the nursery.
She picked him up expertly.
The little boy settled.
“You're good with him.”
“He gets scared.”
“Of what?”
“Everything.”
“So do you.”
She looked at him.
“I don't.”
Matteo raised an eyebrow.
Norah whispered:
“Sometimes.”
The phone rang.
Luca answered.
He looked at Matteo.
“The hospital.”
Matteo took the phone.
“Yes.”
Pause.
“What do you mean she woke up?”
He listened.
Then his expression hardened.
“Put the doctor on.”
A second later:
“Her condition is stable. She keeps asking for her children.”
Matteo looked at Norah.
“Can she travel?”
“No.”
“How long?”
“The doctor says at least two days.”
“Then move her.”
“Mr. Vale, she needs observation.”
“She gets observation somewhere private.”
The doctor hesitated.
Matteo ended the call.
Norah looked up.
“Mom's okay?”
“Yes.”
“Can I see her?”
“Tomorrow.”
“Promise?”
“Yes.”
She nodded.
Then:
“Did you find the key?”
Matteo froze.
“What?”
“The silver one.”
He stared at her.
She touched the red string around her neck.
“Mom said someone would ask.”
“Who?”
She shook her head.
“She said not to tell.”
“Not even me?”
Norah looked at him.
“Especially you.”
Matteo's mouth tightened.
“Fair.”
At midnight, he entered his private study.
He placed Lucia's key on the desk.
LV 17.
He had not seen it since his sister's apartment had been sealed twelve years earlier.
He called an old associate.
“Bring me the Valenti archives.”
“The entire set?”
“Yes.”
“Tonight?”
“Yes.”
The man hesitated.
“Boss, those records haven't been opened in years.”
“Open them.”
Two hours later, the archives arrived.
Matteo spent the night reading.
Property deeds.
Payroll records.
Housekeeper rosters.
Medical files.
Lucia's private correspondence.
Then he found it.
Grace Bell.
Position:
Household assistant.
Employment:
Eight months.
Termination:
None.
The record simply stopped.
No final paycheck.
No exit signature.
No replacement.
Matteo frowned.
“She disappeared.”
Luca looked over his shoulder.
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Twelve years ago.”
Matteo looked at the date.
Three days before Lucia died.
His stomach tightened.
“Find out where she went.”
Luca nodded.
Then found something else.
“Boss.”
Matteo turned.
Luca held a file.
“There's a second employee.”
“Who?”
“Calvin Mercer's niece.”
Matteo took the file.
Her name was Nina Mercer.
She worked for Lucia.
She also disappeared three days after Grace.
“Why didn't we know?”
“Because Mercer controlled the payroll archive.”
Matteo went cold.
He stood.
“Bring Calvin.”
At 2:13 a.m., Calvin Mercer entered the study.
He was sixty-seven, silver-haired, immaculate, and carrying himself with the calm confidence of a man who had spent decades believing he could not be touched.
Matteo placed the key on the table.
Calvin's eyes changed.
Only for a second.
But Matteo saw it.
“Where did you get that?”
“From Grace Bell's daughter.”
Calvin's face tightened.
“Grace?”
“You know her.”
“No.”
“You just reacted.”
“You're imagining things.”
Matteo smiled.
It was not a pleasant smile.
“I've killed men for less convincing lies.”
Calvin remained still.
“I've worked for your family for thirty years.”
“And my sister trusted you.”
“Yes.”
“She died.”
“Yes.”
“Grace disappeared.”
“I don't know anything about that.”
Matteo stood.
“Then why did you try to access her employment record today?”
Calvin went pale.
Luca looked up.
“We tracked it.”
Calvin said nothing.
Matteo walked closer.
“You've made one mistake.”
“What?”
“You thought the girl was helpless.”
Calvin's eyes hardened.
“What girl?”
“Norah.”
A pause.
Then Calvin whispered:
“You don't understand what that child is.”
Matteo stopped.
“What is she?”
Calvin stared at him.
“Lucia's daughter.”
Silence.
Matteo's face went cold.
“My sister had no children.”
“That is what you were told.”
“By whom?”
Calvin smiled sadly.
“By the man who killed her.”
Matteo grabbed him by the collar.
“Who?”
Calvin's voice dropped.
“Your father.”
The room went dead silent.
Matteo released him.
“My father died eighteen years ago.”
“Yes.”
“Then explain.”
Calvin shook his head.
“I can't.”
“You will.”
“No.”
Matteo's eyes hardened.
Calvin reached into his pocket.
Luca raised his weapon.
But Calvin only pulled out a folded photograph.
He placed it on the desk.
Matteo picked it up.
Lucia.
Pregnant.
Standing beside a younger Grace Bell.
And behind them—
a little boy.
Matteo stared.
“That isn't Norah.”
“No.”
“Who is he?”
Calvin whispered:
“Lucia's son.”
Matteo's blood turned cold.
He looked at the nursery monitor.
Norah was sleeping beside the babies.
Calvin continued.
“The little girl is not the reason Lucia left that key.”
Matteo's voice was barely audible.
“Then what is?”
Calvin looked at him.
“Because someone is looking for the boy.”
Matteo's heart hammered.
“What boy?”
“Your nephew.”
“Where is he?”
Calvin smiled.
“Closer than you think.”
May you like
Then the lights went out.
A gunshot exploded somewhere in the hall.
