Chapter 2 - The Locked Door
I stared at the jewelry receipt, my mind racing through the terrifying implications of this new discovery.
Daniel was not just stealing from his family trust to cover bad investments or gambling debts.
He was financing a massive, secret life that required multi-million-dollar diamond purchases just days before our wedding.
I quickly memorized the jeweler's name and the transaction number before slipping the receipt into the deep pocket of my apron.
I grabbed the cleaning tray and moved to my next assigned location, which was Patricia’s lavish master suite.
The room smelled overwhelmingly of heavy floral perfume and expensive leather furniture.
I began polishing the antique mirrors, keeping a close eye on the reflection of the room behind me.
I noticed a large, ornate painting hanging slightly off-center above the fireplace mantel.
I pulled over a small velvet stool, climbed up, and carefully shifted the heavy wooden frame to the side.
Behind the painting was a sleek, modern wall safe with a biometric fingerprint scanner.
I could not open the safe without Patricia's hand, but I noticed a small burner phone tucked neatly into the narrow gap between the metal box and the wall.
I pulled the phone out and pressed the power button, praying that it did not require a passcode.
The screen illuminated brightly, opening directly to a chain of encrypted text messages.
The most recent message was sent by Daniel just twenty minutes ago.
It read, "The trust auditor is asking too many questions, so we need to accelerate the medical plan."
A chill washed over my entire body as I stared at the glowing words.
I tapped the screen to scroll up, desperate to figure out what the medical plan entailed.
The previous message from Patricia stated, "Just keep her isolated in the house until the doctor arrives with the commitment papers."
They were not just planning to divorce me or force me out of the family without a penny.
They were actively planning to have me involuntarily committed to a psychiatric facility so Daniel could retain control of my spousal assets.
I frantically pushed the phone back into its hiding spot and repositioned the heavy painting.
I needed to call my attorney immediately to freeze the trust before their corrupt doctor arrived.
I stepped down from the velvet stool and walked briskly toward the bedroom door.
I reached out and turned the heavy brass handle, but it refused to budge.
I twisted it harder, putting my entire body weight against the thick mahogany wood.
The handle was completely locked from the outside.
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A soft, mocking chuckle echoed from the hallway, followed by the sound of Patricia's voice.
She told me to make myself comfortable because I was going to be in there for a very long time.
