Chapter 2 - The Whispers of Claire
The master bedroom on the third floor was warm, smelling of vanilla candles and high-end cosmetics. Claire Bennett lay under the silk duvet, her long blonde hair spread across the pillows. When Dominic kicked the door open, she sat up instantly, clutching the sheet to her chest.
"Dom! You're back early," she gasped, her blue eyes wide with surprise. Then her gaze dropped to the shivering woman in his arms. "My God... is that Mia? What happened to her?"
Dominic didn't say a word. He walked past her to the velvet chaise lounge in the corner, gently laying Mia down and wrapping her more tightly in his coat. Harper immediately climbed up beside her mother, holding Mia's cold hand.
Claire scrambled out of bed, throwing on a silk robe. She rushed toward them, her face filled with frantic concern. "Where was she? We've been looking for her for three days! I told Harper her mother went to Pennsylvania to see family..."
"Did you?" Dominic asked. He stood up, turning to face his fiancée.
Claire paused, her hands hovering in the air. "Yes. She... she left a note on the kitchen counter. Nathan showed it to me. He said we shouldn't worry the little girl."
"There was no note, Claire," Dominic said.
A heavy knock at the door interrupted them. Dr. Aris walked in, carrying his medical bag, his face pale. He looked at Dominic, then at Mia, and immediately knelt beside the chaise lounge.
"Dehydration, severe exposure, and deep tissue bruising around the wrists," Dr. Aris murmured after a quick examination. "She needs an IV and immediate warming blankets. Dominic, she’s been close to hypothermia."
"Fix her," Dominic said.
He walked to the window, looking down at the courtyard. Two more of his men were patrolling the perimeter with automatic rifles. The gates were shut.
Claire walked up behind him, placing a hand on his back. "Dom, you’re frightening me. Who did this to her under our own roof? Is there a traitor in the house?"
Dominic turned his head slowly, looking at her hand on his shoulder. "The lock on the wine cellar was new, Claire. Nathan said you bought it."
Claire's fingers twitched, but she didn't pull her hand away. "Yes. I did. I told you last week, some of the rare vintages were missing from the inventory. I asked Nathan to put a lock on it. He must have done it while I was out."
"And the key?"
"I don't have it," she said, her voice shaking slightly. "Nathan kept both keys. He said it was safer that way."
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Dominic looked past her at Mia, who was weakly opening her eyes. "Mia," he called softly.
Mia’s voice was a cracked whisper, but it carried clearly in the quiet room. "She... she has it, Mr. Vale. In her vanity drawer. The gold key with the velvet ribbon. She was the one who locked the door."
