Chapter 6: A Late Son's Legacy
By the morning of the third day, Clara’s health had stabilized under Dr. Evans' care, though she remained confined to the safety of the east wing. Arthur had placed two trusted private security guards outside her door, ensuring she could rest without fear of Eleanor's intrusion. Clara spent her quiet afternoons sitting by the window, watching the golden autumn leaves fall across the vast, lonely estate. She missed Julian terribly; his sudden absence was a constant ache in her chest, but looking down at her growing belly gave her the strength to keep fighting.
Needing a distraction, Clara began sorting through a small wooden box of Julian’s personal belongings that Arthur had brought to her room. Among his old watches, sketches, and letters, her fingers brushed against a false bottom in the box. With a faint click, a hidden compartment popped open, revealing a folded piece of heavy parchment.
Clara opened it, recognizing Julian’s neat, hurried handwriting immediately. Her breath hitched as she began to read.
"Clara, my love," the letter began, dated just two days before his tragic accident. "If you are reading this, it means my worst fears have come to pass. I have been quietly investigating our family’s corporate shipping accounts, and I found massive financial discrepancies. Someone has been funneling millions of dollars into offshore bank accounts. The trail leads directly to Aunt Eleanor and her son, Marcus. They are desperate, Clara. When I confronted Eleanor about it, she threatened me openly. She said that if I went to my father, I would regret it. I am planning to show Arthur the full financial evidence tomorrow after my trip to the city. If anything happens to me, please take this letter to my father immediately. Trust no one else in this house. I love you, and I will protect our family's future."
Clara clutched the letter to her chest, tears spilling over her lashes. Julian’s "accident" on the rain-slicked highway six months ago hadn't been an accident at all. He had been murdered because he found the truth. Eleanor and Marcus had killed her husband to protect their greed, and now they were trying to kill her baby for the same reason.
May you like
"Julian," she sobbed softly, her body shaking with grief and newfound anger.
She stood up, her white lace dress whispering against the polished hardwood floorboards as she walked to the door. She unlocked it, her hand no longer shaking, and nodded to the guard outside. "Please find Arthur," she said, her voice steadying with a cold, protective determination. "Tell him I have found the truth about Julian's death, and we have work to do."
