Chapter 5 - THE HIDDEN COMPARTMENT
Gabriel moved faster than I could blink.
He slammed Beatrice against the doorframe, his forearm pressed against her throat. The black leather folder dropped to the floor, spilling fake documents across the carpet.
"Where is the real will?" Gabriel roared, all his careful control completely shattered.
Beatrice gasped for air, a sickening smile playing on her lips. "You... already signed it away. The catering contract... for tonight."
My stomach plummeted.
I remembered the caterer handing Gabriel a thick stack of liability waivers before the party. Isabella had rushed him, telling him it was just standard insurance forms.
He had signed away temporary guardianship under the guise of an event permit.
"You're stalling," Gabriel realized, his voice dropping to a deadly whisper. "There is no CPS coming. You were going to take her out through the service elevator while I was distracted with the safe."
Beatrice laughed, a wet, choking sound. "Isabella is waiting at the airstrip. You’ll never find the original will. She burned it."
Gabriel shoved her away. He pulled out his phone and dialed his security chief. "Lock down the perimeter. No one leaves. And tie this woman to a chair in the basement."
Two massive men appeared within seconds, dragging a cursing Beatrice down the hall.
Gabriel turned to me, his chest heaving. "Hannah. We need to leave. We'll take the private tunnels under the estate."
"Wait," I said, my mind racing. I looked down at the pearl rosary still clutched in my hand. "She said Isabella burned the will. But Isabella is vain. She wouldn't destroy her only leverage against your wife's family."
Gabriel paused. "What are you saying?"
"Sophie found this rosary in the hallway," I said, holding it up. "My mother gave this to Elena. My mother always told me, 'Hide the truth where only God can hear it'."
I looked around the room. Then, I remembered something from my very first day working at the estate.
"The piano," I breathed.
Gabriel frowned. "What?"
"The grand piano downstairs. Isabella hates it. She told me Elena used to play it for hours. Isabella ordered the lid locked a month ago and hid the key."
Gabriel didn't say another word. He scooped Sophie into his arms, and we ran.
We sprinted down the back servant stairs, avoiding the main hall where the remaining guests were buzzing in confused panic.
We reached the ballroom. It was empty now, save for the massive Steinway sitting in the center under a crystal chandelier.
Gabriel set Sophie down. He grabbed a heavy brass candlestick from a nearby table. With one brutal, precise swing, he smashed the lock on the piano bench.
He threw the lid open.
Inside, nestled amongst old sheet music, was a heavy, iron-clasped leather box.
Gabriel ripped it open.
Inside lay Elena’s original will. And beneath it, a pristine, notarized confession from Elena herself, dated two days before she died.
Gabriel read the first line, and the color drained from his face.
He handed the paper to me.
My eyes scanned the elegant handwriting.
May you like
If I do not survive this illness, I leave everything to Sophie. But Isabella Marconi must never know. Isabella is not Gabriel's savior.
Isabella is the one who poisoned me.
