Chapter 7 - THE DEAD MAN’S VOICEThe first voice message arrived at 2:13 in the morning.
Victor was awake.
Lily was awake.
Thomas was awake.
No one inside Eleanor’s house trusted sleep anymore.
Victor’s phone vibrated.
Unknown number.
He answered.
Silence.
Then a man’s voice.
“Victor.”
Victor froze.
Lily watched his face.
“Who is this?”
A quiet laugh came through the speaker.
“You sound like your father.”
Victor’s hand tightened.
“Who is this?”
The voice answered.
“Someone your family buried.”
Then the call ended.
Thomas immediately took the phone.
“Trace it.”
The number vanished.
Victor looked at Eleanor.
She had become pale.
“Adrian.”
Victor whispered.
Eleanor slowly shook her head.
“He was dead.”
“Were you there?”
“No.”
“Then how do you know?”
Eleanor looked away.
Lily saw it.
“You’re hiding something.”
Victor turned toward his aunt.
“Aunt Eleanor?”
She remained silent.
Victor stepped closer.
“What aren’t you telling me?”
Eleanor’s eyes filled with tears.
“Your father told us Adrian was dead.”
Victor stared.
“That’s different.”
“Yes.”
Lily whispered, “Your father lied.”
Eleanor nodded.
Victor stepped backward.
For years, Victor had believed he knew his family.
Now every hour revealed another secret.
Thomas interrupted.
“Victor.”
He held up a tablet.
“We traced the call.”
“Where?”
Thomas looked confused.
“Near the Blackwood mansion.”
Victor froze.
“What?”
Lily felt cold.
“The mansion?”
Thomas nodded.
“Someone made the call from inside.”
Victor immediately reached for his coat.
“No.”
Lily stepped forward.
“You’re going there?”
“Yes.”
“Serena could be waiting.”
“Exactly.”
Thomas nodded toward two guards.
“We’ll secure it.”
Lily looked at Victor.
“I’m coming.”
“No.”
“Victor.”
“No.”
Lily stared at him.
“You believed I hurt Ethan this morning.”
Victor’s expression changed.
“That was before.”
“And now?”
“Now I know you’re in danger.”
“Then I’m safer with you.”
Victor looked at her.
For several seconds, no one spoke.
Finally he nodded.
“Stay beside me.”
They arrived at the mansion shortly before dawn.
The house looked exactly the same.
Beautiful.
Silent.
Deadly.
Victor entered first.
Thomas followed.
Lily stayed between two guards.
Every room was searched.
Nothing.
The foyer.
Empty.
The dining room.
Empty.
The west wing.
Empty.
Then Lily stopped.
“Victor.”
He turned.
“What?”
She pointed toward the marble floor.
A tiny dark stain.
Victor crouched.
Blood.
Fresh.
Thomas called for the guards.
They followed the trail.
It led through the hallway.
Downstairs.
Toward the servants’ quarters.
Lily’s heart began pounding.
“Margaret.”
Victor opened the door.
The room was empty.
But the floorboard beneath the dresser was loose.
Lily stared.
“What is that?”
Thomas lifted it.
Underneath was Margaret’s phone.
Victor picked it up.
The screen was cracked.
But working.
Thomas looked through it.
“Video.”
Lily stopped breathing.
Victor pressed play.
The recording began.
Serena’s voice.
“You think anyone will believe some cheap nanny?”
Lily covered her mouth.
The video shook.
It showed Serena standing over Lily.
Then Ethan crying.
The image moved.
Serena grabbed the baby.
The recording ended.
Fourteen seconds.
But it was enough.
Victor stared at the screen.
Nobody spoke.
Lily began crying.
Not loudly.
Just quietly.
Victor looked at her.
“I’m sorry.”
Lily shook her head.
He stepped closer.
“I’m sorry.”
“You didn’t believe me.”
“I know.”
“You let her call me a liar.”
Victor closed his eyes.
“I know.”
Lily wiped her tears.
Then something moved on the screen.
Thomas frowned.
“What?”
He replayed the video.
At the final second, there was a reflection in the marble.
A man.
Standing behind Serena.
Victor stared.
“Freeze.”
Thomas paused the frame.
The reflection was unclear.
But one thing was visible.
A tattoo on the man’s hand.
Eleanor, who had insisted on coming, suddenly gasped.
Victor turned.
“What?”
She whispered.
“I know that tattoo.”
Everyone stared at her.
“Whose?”
Eleanor looked terrified.
“Adrian Varga.”
Victor’s face went pale.
Then a voice came from behind them.
“You should have listened to your mother.”
Everyone turned.
May you like
Serena stood in the doorway.
A gun was pointed at Lily.
