THE SECRETS IN THE EAST WING

THE TRUTH

Lina woke up at 7AM.

Adrian's arms were still around her.

The hotel room was quiet. Safe.

For 5 minutes, she pretended Victor was gone.

That the text was a lie.

Then her phone buzzed.

Blocked number.

`Look in the envelope. Page 2. -V`

Lina sat up. Adrian stirred.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Lina lied. "Go back to sleep."

She went to the bathroom. Locked the door.

Pulled out the envelope Victor dropped last night.

Page 1: The company sale.

Page 2: A photo.

It was Elena.

Standing in the East Wing.

Smiling.

But behind her, in the mirror,

was a man.

Blurry. Watching her.

Written on the back in red pen:

`She wasn't alone when she died.

Ask Adrian who was in the East Wing that night.

-V`

Lina's hands shook.

Elena didn't die alone?

But the police report said suicide.

In the East Wing.

---

Adrian was already dressed when she came out.

"Police called," he said. "Victor made bail."

Lina dropped the envelope.

"He sent me this."

Adrian picked it up. Saw the photo.

His face went white.

"Where did he get this?" Adrian whispered.

"You tell me," Lina said. "Who was in the East Wing that night, Adrian?"

Adrian didn't answer. He walked to the window.

"Victor is lying. He's always lying."

"Then explain the photo," Lina said. "Explain why Elena was smiling

10 minutes before she jumped."

Adrian turned. "She didn't jump."

The room went silent.

"What?" Lina said.

"I said she didn't jump," Adrian said. Louder.

"Everyone thinks she did. The police. The staff. Me.

For 3 years I thought she did."

Lina sat down. "Then what happened?"

Adrian closed his eyes. "I found her.

In the East Wing. At the window.

There was someone else there. A shadow.

By the time I got to her, she was gone."

"Did you see who it was?"

"No," Adrian said. "It was dark. The power was out."

He laughed bitterly. "I told the police. They said I was in shock.

Grief. They wrote it off as suicide and closed the case."

Lina's chest hurt. "You've been carrying this alone?"

"Who would believe me?" Adrian said.

"The Duke whose wife killed herself? Pathetic."

Lina stood up. Walked to him.

"I believe you."

Adrian looked at her like she was the first real thing he'd seen in years.

"Victor was there that night," he said.

"He and Elena fought. About the company. About me.

He left 20 minutes before I found her."

"So Victor killed her?" Lina asked.

"I don't know," Adrian said. "But he knows something.

And he's been blackmailing me with it for 3 years."

---

They checked out of the hotel at 10AM.

Back to Blackwood Manor.

With guards.

Lina couldn't stop thinking about the photo.

Elena was smiling.

If she was going to jump, why smile?

At 2PM, Mrs. Hawthorne stopped Lina in the hall.

"Miss, can I talk to you?"

They went to the kitchen.

"I worked here when Mrs. Blackwood was alive," Mrs. Hawthorne said.

"She was... unhappy. But she wasn't the type to jump."

She lowered her voice. "That night, I saw someone.

Leaving the East Wing. Around 11PM."

"Who?" Lina asked.

"A man. Tall. In a black coat."

Mrs. Hawthorne shook her head. "I thought it was Mr. Blackwood.

But he was downstairs with me. Having tea."

Lina felt cold. "Did you tell the police?"

"They didn't ask me," Mrs. Hawthorne said. "

And Mr. Blackwood told me not to talk about it.

For his own good."

---

That night, Adrian took Lina to the East Wing.

The door creaked open.

Dust everywhere. Sheets over furniture.

One window. The one Elena fell from.

Adrian stood in the middle of the room.

"This is where it happened," he said.

"She was standing right here. Smiling at something.

Then she turned. And fell."

Lina walked to the window. Looked down.

20 feet. The garden below.

"Adrian," Lina said. "If she was pushed,

there would be signs. A struggle."

Adrian nodded. "I looked. There was nothing.

Just her. And the window open."

Lina noticed something. On the windowsill.

A small scratch. Fresh.

"What's this?" she asked.

Adrian came over. "That's new."

They both heard it.

Footsteps. Down the hall.

Adrian turned off his phone light.

"Someone's here."

They hid behind a sheet-covered couch.

The door opened.

Footsteps. Slow.

A flashlight swept the room.

Stopped at the window.

"Looking for this?" a voice said.

Victor.

He held up something small. A piece of glass.

"From Elena's necklace. She dropped it that night.

She was fighting with someone. I watched."

Adrian stood up. "You bastard."

Victor smiled. "Hello, Adrian. And Lina.

Cute hiding spot."

Two guards ran in behind him.

But Victor put his hands up. "Relax. I'm unarmed.

I'm just here to return something."

He tossed the glass piece to Adrian.

Adrian caught it.

"This is proof," Victor said.

"Proof that Elena was pushed.

And proof that you were the only other person in the house."

Lina stepped out. "You were here too."

Victor laughed. "No witnesses."

He looked at Adrian. "So here's the new deal.

Sign the company over to me by Friday.

Or I go to the police and tell them you murdered your wife."

Adrian's jaw clenched. "You're bluffing."

"Am I?" Victor pulled out his phone.

Played an audio clip.

Elena's voice. Screaming.

"Get away from me!"

A crash.

Silence.

The clip ended.

"I was recording," Victor said. "For insurance."

He walked to the door. "Friday, Adrian.

Or Lina's sister gets a new doctor. In prison."

He left.

---

Lina was shaking.

Adrian was pale.

"He has a recording," Adrian said. "He edited it.

He was there. He must have pushed her."

Lina took his hand. "Then we fight back."

"How?" Adrian said. "It's his word against mine."

Lina thought of the photo.

Elena smiling.

The shadow in the mirror.

"That photo," Lina said. "Zoom in."

Adrian pulled it up on his phone.

Zoomed on the mirror.

The shadow.

It had a ring.

On the left hand.

Adrian stared. "That's Victor's ring.

He always wears it on his left hand.

Said it was his father's."

Lina looked at him. "That's proof, Adrian."

Adrian's eyes filled. "God. You're right."

He pulled Lina into a hug. "How are you so smart?"

Lina smiled against his chest. "Desperation."

---

At midnight, Adrian called his lawyer.

Sent the photo.

"Get a forensic team," he said. "Zoom on that ring.

Get a warrant for Victor's phone. The full audio."

He hung up. Looked at Lina.

"We might actually win this."

Lina nodded. "We will."

They went to bed. Together.

No separate rooms tonight.

At 3AM, Lina woke up to a sound.

Glass breaking.

She sat up.

Adrian was already up. Gun in his hand.

"Stay here," he whispered.

He walked out.

Lina followed.

Downstairs. The living room window was shattered.

And on the floor, in glass,

Was a note.

`Nice try.

The police won't believe a blurry ring.

See you Friday.

Bring the signature.

-V`

And under it,

A single red rose.

Elena's favorite.

Adrian picked it up. Crushed it.

"He's escalating," Adrian said.

"He's scared."

Lina took his hand. "Then we end it Friday."

Adrian looked at her. "Whatever happens,

I want you to know... you saved me."

Lina kissed him.

"Don't get dramatic on me. We have a company to save."

They both laughed.

For the first time in 3 years,

Adrian laughed in the Blackwood Manor.

Outside, the gates creaked.

A car was leaving.

Victor was gone.

For now.

But Friday was coming.

End of Chapter 13