The morning breeze carried a strange chill through the Martin mansion as the echo of heavy knocks faded into silence. Lydia froze where she stood in the kitchen, her heart thumping nervously. Visitors were rare these days, especially since David had driven almost everyone away with his arrogance.
Jacob, who had gone to answer the door, returned moments later with a man Lydia had never seen before. The man was tall, sharply dressed in a dark gray suit, with calm eyes that held quiet authority. He carried a briefcase in his left hand and wore the expression of someone who didn’t visit without purpose.
Lydia wiped her hands on her apron nervously and glanced toward them as they entered the living room.
“Who is he?” she whispered to herself.
Jacob led the man inside, offering a polite smil
