Chapter 1
SHE ACCUSED A HOUSEMAID OF STEALING A DEAD WOMAN’S EMERALD BRACELET—BUT HER FIANCÉ KNEW ONE TERRIFYING SECRET ABOUT THAT JEWELRY.
The entire engagement reception fell silent when Octavia grabbed the young housemaid’s wrist and held it high for everyone to see.
“LOOK! She stole it! She stole my fiancé’s dead mother’s bracelet!”
Lisette stood frozen in the middle of the luxurious mansion, her face drained of color.
Only moments earlier, Octavia herself had forced the antique emerald bracelet onto Lisette’s wrist.
And when the terrified maid tried to remove it, Octavia struck her across the face.
“Don’t you dare take that off,” Octavia had hissed. “You’re going to stand there and take the blame.”
Now, surrounded by elegantly dressed guests, Octavia was performing the role of a heartbroken woman who had just discovered a terrible betrayal.
“This belonged to Godric’s mother!” she cried, tightening her grip on Lisette’s arm. “How could you steal something so precious from a dead woman’s room?”
Whispers swept through the reception.
Guests stared at the trembling maid.
Some looked disgusted. Others shook their heads.
Lisette’s eyes filled with tears. She opened her mouth, but fear stole her voice.
Octavia knew exactly what she was doing.
A housemaid’s word against the future mistress of the mansion?
She believed no one would question her.
But then a deep voice cut through the room.
“Octavia. Let her go.”
Godric stood several feet away, his expression unreadable.
Octavia immediately softened her voice.
“Darling, thank goodness! I caught her stealing your mother’s jewelry. Just look at what she’s wearing!”
Godric didn’t look at Octavia.
He looked at Lisette.
The young maid was shaking so badly that the emeralds trembled against her skin.
“Release her wrist,” Godric repeated.
Something in his voice made Octavia obey.
He stepped closer and examined the bracelet.
For a long moment, he said absolutely nothing.
Then he asked one simple question.
“Lisette, who put that bracelet on you?”
Octavia’s smile tightened.
“Godric, surely you don’t believe—”
“I asked Lisette.”
The room grew painfully quiet.
Lisette looked from Octavia to Godric, struggling to breathe.
Finally, she whispered, “Miss Octavia did, sir.”
A collective gasp filled the room.
Octavia’s face hardened.
“That’s a lie!”
“She put it on me,” Lisette repeated, tears running down her cheeks. “I tried to take it off, but she hit me. She told me I had to take the blame.”
Octavia stepped forward furiously.
“How dare you accuse me! Godric, this girl stole it from your mother’s room. I caught her!”
But Godric remained terrifyingly calm.
He gently lifted Lisette’s wrist and unfastened the antique clasp.
The emerald bracelet slid into his palm.
He carried it to the velvet jewelry case resting nearby, placed it carefully inside, and closed the lid.
The soft click seemed strangely loud.
Then he looked directly at Octavia.
“You said Lisette stole this from my mother’s room?”
“Yes!” Octavia snapped. “That’s exactly what happened!”
Godric studied her face.
“And you're absolutely certain?”
“Of course I am!”
His next words sent a chill through the entire mansion.
“That's impossible, Octavia.”
She blinked.
“What?”
Godric placed his hand on the closed jewelry case.
“My mother was buried wearing this exact bracelet.”
Nobody moved.
Octavia’s expression collapsed.
The color disappeared from her face as she stared at the case.
Godric’s eyes narrowed.
Because the question was no longer whether Lisette had stolen a bracelet.
It was how jewelry buried with his mother had returned to his mansion.
And why Octavia had been so desperate to blame the one housemaid who might have seen something before the engagement reception.
Godric slowly turned toward Lisette.
“Tell me what you saw before the guests arrived.”
May you like
Lisette looked at Octavia.
And the moment Octavia realized the maid might finally speak, pure terror crossed her face.
