"Did you think I wouldn't have you followed? That I'd let my only heir gallivant around Europe without protection?" Father's laugh is hollow, devoid of humor.
Anger flares, hot and bright. "You had me watched? How dare you?"
"How dare I?" He roars, face flushing crimson. "How dare you be so naive. So reckless. You've put everything we've built, everything we've protected for generations, at risk for what? A pretty face and some flattery?"
Tears sting my eyes, but I blink them back furiously. I won't give him the satisfaction of seeing me cry. "It wasn't like that."
"It doesn't matter now." Father deflates suddenly, looking older and more vulnerable than I've ever seen him. "What's done is done. We need to move quickly if we're going to salvage this situation."
He turns back to the necklace, lifting it from its velvet nest. The ruby catches the light, sending crimson reflections across the vault's shadowy interior.
"This necklace has been in our family for generations." His voice takes on a strange, almost reverent tone. "It's more than just a pretty bauble. It's power. It's history. And now, thanks to your foolishness, it's in danger."
I want to argue, to defend myself, but the words die in my throat. I've never felt more like the little girl who lost her mother before she could remember her face. The teenager who watchedher grandmother die without ever getting answers. I'm standing in a secret vault surrounded by stolen masterpieces, and all I can think is that I have no one.
No mother to tell me I'm not crazy for falling in love. No grandmother to at least offer the comfort of her presence, even if she won't fight my battles.
Just Father and his cold calculations, Prescott and his threats, and me—alone in a house full of hidden rooms and buried secrets.
TEN
Paul: Evidence
The familiar corridorsof the university feel alien as I make my way to Dr. Phillips's office. Each step sends a ripple of pain through my abdomen, a stark reminder of the bullet that nearly ended me. I grit my teeth, forcing my breathing to remain steady.
The doctors warned me against pushing too hard, too soon, but I've never been good at following orders.
Flashbacks of my recovery flit through my mind—the stark white hospital room, the endless hours of physical therapy, the frustration of being confined to a bed when all I wanted was to find Vivianne. Her face, etched with terror as Nicholas dragged her away, haunts me. I push it aside and focus on the present.
I'm here, I'm walking, and I'm going to set things right.
As I approach Dr. Phillips's office, the usual bustling energy of the university feels muted. Hushed whispers and furtive glances follow me down the hall. I catch snippets of conversation from a group of students huddled near a bulletin board.
"Did you hear about Viv?"
"I can't believe her dad shut it all down."
"Something big must have happened."
My pulse quickens. What went down last night?
I reach Dr. Phillips's door and pause, steadying myself. The pain in my side throbs, a constant reminder of how close I came to losing everything. I knock, the sound echoing in the suddenly too-quiet hallway.
"Come in." Dr. Phillips's voice is weary.
I push open the door, and the sight that greets me sends a fresh wave of concern coursing through me. Dr. Phillips, usually the picture of academic composure, looks like he's aged a decade overnight. His normally pristine desk is a chaos of papers and coffee cups. He looks up as I enter, and his eyes widen.
"Paul.” He rises from his chair. "My God, we weren't sure you'd—Are you alright?"
I nod, not trusting my voice just yet. Dr. Phillips gestures to a chair, which I sink into gratefully. The simple act of walking here has left me more drained than I care to admit.
"What happened?"
"It was chaos. Absolute chaos." Dr. Phillips runs a hand through his thinning hair. "Vivianne's father showed up at the exhibition last night, furious. I've never seen him like that. He demanded we take down everything immediately."
The necklace. It has to be about the necklace. "What did he say exactly?"
"He was ranting about family secrets, about danger. Said Vivianne had put them all at risk." Dr. Phillips shakes his head. "I tried to reason with him, but he wouldn't listen. He had security guards with him. They started taking down the paintings right there and then."
