Chapter 22 - Shadows of the Past
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While the guests continued celebrating down by the garden terrace, Elena carried sleeping Leo and Maya into the second-floor nursery. She placed them gently into their custom twin cribs, pulling the soft cashmere blankets up to their shoulders.
As she stepped out into the quiet hallway, she passed the old corner study that had once served as Vanessa’s executive home office. The room had been cleared out months ago, but the maintenance team was scheduled to repaint it the following week.
Out of sheer curiosity, Elena pushed open the door and stepped inside.
The room smelled faintly of old paper and fresh paint. The heavy oak desk sat empty against the far wall. Elena walked over, running her fingers along the smooth wooden edge.
As her hand brushed beneath the lower right drawer unit, her fingers caught on a small, hidden latch concealed within the wood grain—a secret compartment that even the federal search team had missed during their raid.
Elena paused, her heart skipping a beat.
May you like
She pressed the hidden latch firmly.
With a soft, metallic click, a narrow false-bottom panel popped open beneath the drawer.
