Chapter 12 - WHISPERS IN THE MANSION|
Two weeks passed.
Elena’s shoulder healed into a thin, pale scar. She didn't take the apartment in Manhattan. She stayed at the Alura estate, moving her belongings into the master wing.
She was no longer a waitress. She had become Adrien's shadow—managing his legitimate corporate real estate portfolios during the day, sitting beside him in private dining rooms at night.
The staff treated her with terrified respect, calling her "Miss Ellis" with bowed heads.
Yet, despite the luxury, a quiet paranoia began to grow in Elena’s chest.
Adrien was away in Chicago for forty-eight hours dealing with union negotiations. The vast estate was quiet, guarded only by Marcus and a dozen security men patrolling the perimeter.
While browsing the estate’s extensive library, Elena noticed a heavy oak bookcase that sat slightly out of alignment with the baseboard.
Curiosity piqued, she stepped closer, pressing her fingers along the wooden trim. She found a small brass toggle hidden behind a row of leather-bound law books.
CLICK.
The bookcase swung outward, revealing a narrow steel door with an electronic keypad.
Elena stared at the panel. She tried the date Adrien used for his private safe: 10-24—the day they had met at Bissimos.
The light flashed green. The heavy door clicked open.
Inside lay a small, windowless surveillance room lined with computer monitors and steel filing cabinets.
Elena walked over to the central desk. A heavy Manila folder lay opened under a desk lamp. Stamped across the front in red ink was her own name:
ELLIS, ELENA MARIE.
She opened the file. Inside were hundreds of photographs of her—not from the last few weeks, but dating back three years.
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Photos of her attending her father's funeral. Photos of her working at the café. Photos of her walking home in the rain.
Adrien hadn't bumped into her by chance at Bissimos. He had been tracking her life long before Tommy ever touched a deck of cards.
