Chapter 15 - The Golden Key
As Adrian and Maria rushed down the silent, carpeted hallway of the second floor, the rhythmic, desperate pounding became audible. Adrian’s jaw tightened. He rounded the corner and saw the small boy, Leo, pressing his tear-streaked face against the thick glass door, his small fists raw and red.
"Hang on, kid!" Adrian shouted, though he knew the acoustic glass blocked the sound. He grabbed the brass handle, throwing his considerable weight into pulling it, but the lock held firm.
"Where is the master key?" Adrian demanded, turning to Maria.
"I don't know, sir! It usually hangs on the console table by the study, but it's missing!"
Before Adrian could order Maria to fetch a heavy tool from the maintenance closet, the rapid, sharp clicking of high heels echoed down the corridor.
Claudia appeared from the shadows of the adjacent hallway. She was still wearing her massive, magnificent wedding gown, her veil trailing behind her. She was breathing heavily, her face flushed with a mixture of panic and furious indignation. In her right hand, clutched tightly against the lace of her dress, was the heavy golden skeleton key.
She had noticed Adrian abandoning the altar from her position at the top of the stairs and had frantically tracked him down, realizing her meticulously crafted plan was unraveling in real-time.
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"Adrian! What are you doing here? The ceremony is starting!" Claudia gasped, plastering a look of concerned innocence onto her face. She rushed forward, holding the key out. "Please, get out of the way, darling! One of the staff told me a child wandered off. I grabbed the key. I can handle this myself. Go back to the altar!"
She tried to push past him to unlock the door, her eyes fixed entirely on silencing the boy before he could speak.
