Chapter 4 - Box 317
Vicaro First Bank had been closed to the public for eleven years.
But the underground vault remained.
At midnight, Alio, Matteo and Adeline stood before box 317.
Adeline inserted her mother’s key.
It turned.
Inside was a leather folder.
Nothing else.
Adeline opened it.
Bank statements.
Letters.
Photographs.
And a handwritten ledger.
Matteo looked over her shoulder.
“Boss.”
“I see it.”
Dozens of transactions had been made under Evelyn Mercer’s employee credentials.
But the signatures didn’t match.
Adeline found a letter.
She read aloud.
“Antonio, if anything happens to me, ask Raymond Thorne why he needed my access code.”
Alio went completely still.
“Thorne?”
Adeline looked at him.
“Camille’s father?”
“Yes.”
Matteo took the ledger.
“Raymond worked for your father.”
Alio nodded.
“He managed international accounts.”
Adeline’s voice became quiet.
“So my mother was telling the truth.”
Alio looked at her.
“Yes.”
She closed her eyes.
Twenty-seven years.
Her mother had carried shame that belonged to someone else for twenty-seven years.
Then Matteo’s phone rang.
He answered.
“Russo.”
His expression changed.
“When?”
Alio watched him.
“What happened?”
Matteo ended the call.
“Camille didn’t go home.”
“Where is she?”
“She returned to the estate through the south entrance twenty minutes ago.”
Adeline’s face went pale.
“Why?”
Matteo looked at the folder.
“She knows this exists.”
They raced back.
When Alio entered the estate, Birdie was waiting.
“She went upstairs.”
“Where?”
“Your father’s office.”
Alio climbed the stairs.
Adeline followed.
“Stay downstairs,” he ordered.
“No.”
He turned.
“This could be dangerous.”
“My mother spent her life afraid of these people.”
“Adeline.”
“I’m done being afraid for her.”
Alio studied her.
Then nodded once.
“Stay behind me.”
They found Camille inside Antonio Vicaro’s office.
Documents were scattered across the floor.
“You found it,” Camille said.
Alio stopped.
“So you knew.”
“My father told me.”
“Raymond framed Evelyn Mercer?”
Camille laughed bitterly.
“Your father was going to discover millions missing. Mine needed someone disposable.”
Adeline stepped forward.
“My mother lost everything.”
Camille looked at her.
“And?”
That single word broke something inside Adeline.
Not rage.
Fear.
For the first time, she saw Camille clearly.
“You knew before I came here.”
“Yes.”
“That’s why you hired me.”
Camille smiled.
“I recognized your name.”
“The ladder.”
Camille’s smile disappeared.
Alio stepped between them.
“Careful.”
Camille looked at him.
“I wanted her gone.”
“By making her quit?”
“That was the idea.”
Adeline whispered, “You knew it was broken.”
Camille didn’t answer.
Alio did.
“Yes.”
Camille looked toward him.
“You can’t prove intent.”
“I don’t need to.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means our engagement is over. Your access to every Vicaro property is revoked. Your father’s financial records will be turned over to my attorneys tomorrow morning.”
Camille’s face changed.
“You wouldn’t destroy my family for a maid.”
Alio’s eyes hardened.
“Her name is Adeline.”
Camille stared at him.
Then at Adeline.
“This won’t make you one of them.”
Adeline stepped forward.
“I don’t want to be one of you.”
Camille’s mouth tightened.
Adeline continued.
“I wanted my mother’s name back.”
Alio picked up the leather folder.
May you like
“Then that’s what she gets.”
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