Chapter 4 - The Camera He Didn't Know About
Harland returned to the estate that evening.
He walked into my study as though nothing had happened.
“Mr. Vance.”
I looked up.
“George.”
“I've been trying to reach you.”
“Have you?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
He hesitated.
“There was a misunderstanding with Maria.”
I smiled.
“Was there?”
He nodded.
“She became emotional.”
“She's sick.”
“Unfortunately.”
“Because of chemicals.”
His face changed for half a second.
Then he recovered.
“I don't know what you mean.”
I leaned back.
“You're a terrible liar.”
His jaw tightened.
“I've served this family for eleven years.”
“And stolen from it for five.”
Silence.
He looked toward the door.
Security guards were standing outside.
Harland's face went pale.
“You can't prove that.”
“I don't need to prove anything to you.”
I placed the chemical report on the desk.
He stared at it.
Then I placed the photograph of him meeting Victor.
He said nothing.
“You have two choices.”
“What choices?”
“You tell me everything.”
“And the other?”
“You spend the rest of your life explaining yourself to people who don't care about your excuses.”
He laughed nervously.
“You think you're untouchable.”
“No.”
I stood.
“I think you're replaceable.”
His face hardened.
“You're making a mistake.”
“No.”
I walked around the desk.
“You made one.”
I pointed toward the door.
“You used my name to frighten a three-year-old.”
Harland looked confused.
“What?”
“You told Nora that her mother would lose everything.”
“She needed discipline.”
I stared at him.
“She's three.”
“She needs to learn.”
“Learn what?”
“That people have responsibilities.”
My voice became quiet.
“She already learned something.”
“What?”
“That adults can be cruel.”
Harland swallowed.
I stepped closer.
“She learned it from you.”
He turned toward the door.
Security blocked him.
Then Marcus entered.
“Sir.”
“What?”
“We checked the security archive.”
“And?”
“There was a camera in the laundry room.”
I frowned.
“I didn't authorize one.”
“It wasn't yours.”
“What?”
Marcus placed a small device on the desk.
“Harland installed it.”
I stared at it.
Then he explained.
Harland had been recording staff.
Not for security.
For blackmail.
He had footage of employees breaking rules.
Taking breaks.
Complaining.
Arguing.
He used those recordings to control them.
But there was more.
The camera had captured him placing the chemical packets.
It had captured him threatening Maria.
And it had captured him telling Nora:
“Your mother doesn't work, you don't eat.”
I watched the footage.
My hands shook.
Not from anger.
From memory.
My mother.
The hotel.
Her bleeding hands.
The same sentence.
Different man.
Same cruelty.
I realized then why Nora had affected me so deeply.
Harland had recreated my childhood.
Under my roof.
With my permission.
Because I had trusted the wrong person.
I looked at Marcus.
“Call the police.”
Harland finally panicked.
“Luca, wait.”
I didn't move.
“Please.”
I turned away.
“You should have thought about that before you taught a child to fear hunger.”
As the police entered, Harland was handcuffed.
But before they took him, he looked at me.
“You think this ends with me?”
I turned.
“What do you mean?”
He smiled.
“Victor Hale already has what he needs.”
Then he was gone.
I stood there.
“What does Victor have?”
Marcus looked at his phone.
A message had just arrived.
May you like
Your mother's name is on the original contract.
My blood went cold.
