Chapter 2 - The Locked Door
Victor stared at the terrified maid as her words echoed in the silent mansion.
He immediately turned his furious gaze back toward Serena.
Serena took a step backward, her perfectly manicured hands trembling with sudden panic.
"Victor, she is lying, all of your staff is plotting against me!" Serena cried out in desperation.
Victor ignored her completely and marched straight toward the heavy oak door leading to the basement.
The door was secured with a heavy digital padlock that Victor had never authorized to be installed.
He demanded that Serena give him the passcode immediately.
Serena shook her head, claiming she had no idea what was down there.
Victor did not waste another second arguing with a liar.
He grabbed a heavy bronze statue from a nearby display table and smashed it violently against the digital lock.
The plastic keypad shattered into pieces on the third brutal strike.
Victor kicked the door open, revealing a dark, narrow staircase leading into the depths of the mansion.
Lily scooped up the crying baby and followed closely behind Victor to ensure Ethan was safe.
They descended into the basement, switching on the dim fluorescent lights.
The large underground room had been completely converted into a hidden medical facility.
There was a hospital bed, advanced heart monitors, and a massive steel filing cabinet.
Victor rushed to the cabinet and yanked open the top drawer.
He pulled out a thick stack of medical files heavily stamped with a confidential hospital seal.
"What is all of this?" Victor whispered as he flipped through the documents.
He assumed Serena had been hiding a secret illness or a dark medical history.
But as he read the name on the first patient file, his blood ran completely cold.
The medical records did not belong to Serena.
They belonged to a five-year-old boy named Julian.
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Victor turned around to demand an explanation, but the basement door slammed shut violently.
A heavy metal bolt slid into place from the outside, trapping them all in the dark.
