Chapter 3 - The Paper Trail
Before dawn, I slipped into the servant quarters in the east wing basement to find Martha, our head housekeeper who had worked for my family for over thirty years. Martha had been a second mother to me after my father died, and she had formed a close, affectionate bond with Grace during my long business trips.
I found Martha in the pantry folding linens, her hands trembling. When she turned and saw me standing in the doorway, her eyes welled with instant panic and sorrow.
"Master Ethan," she gasped in a whisper, immediately glancing over both shoulders into the hallway. "You shouldn't be down here."
"Martha, where is Grace?" I asked, stepping forward and taking her wrinkled hands in mine. "I know she didn't leave on her own. Look at me. Tell me what happened in this house while I was in San Francisco."
Martha began to weep silently, her chest hitching. "Your mother... she found out about the private medical trust Grace set up."
"What trust?"
"Miss Grace discovered that your mother and Julian were siphoning millions from the Caldwell Meridian charitable foundation into offshore shell accounts," Martha whispered frantically. "She hired a forensic accountant. She was gathering proof to give to you the moment you got home. Two weeks ago, she told Madam Victoria that she wouldn't let them corrupt the legacy you were building for your baby."
A chill ran down my spine. "And Victoria?"
"Madam Victoria was furious. She brought Dr. Sterling into the house—the family physician Julian keeps on retainer. They said Miss Grace was suffering from pregnancy delusions and needed 'specialized rest.' Tuesday night, I heard shouting from the old conservatory in the sealed north pavilion. Then... then they padlocked the corridor doors and told the staff that anyone who spoke of it would be fired and sued for breach of non-disclosure."
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The north pavilion had been abandoned since my grandfather’s death, sealed off during renovations five years ago. It had its own private entrance, soundproofed double walls, and no direct access from the main guest corridors.
"Take this," Martha whispered, pressing a small brass master key into my palm. "The service elevator behind the wine cellar goes directly to the pavilion attic. Please, Ethan... save her before Dr. Sterling induces the labor."
