She holds herself tall and straight, but her arms tremble.
So I stand with her and take her hand.
“Very good.” Mr. Denis nods at us before moving to the open doors. He signals someone outside, and two more men in suits appear. One of them walks to me and the other crosses to the three Marteaus across the room.
I can’t hear what the investigator says to them, but Ric surges forward and speaks rapidly in French.
Vincent stands and grabs Ric’s arm, but his son breaks free. Ignoring his parents, Ric follows the investigator outside.
Before any of us can say anything, voices carry from the hallway. The paramedics return with their stretcher, and one of them says something in French.
Luci’s hand clenches mine.
“What is it?” I ask. “What did they say?”
Her eyes are wide when she looks at me. “He said . . .she’s alive.”
Three Months Later
“You’re going to do great.” Noah smiles at me from the screen of my phone. “You’ve got this.”
I’m in LA, and he’s in Paris, but our friendship remains intact. A friendship forged by trauma, and something more.
It’s the something more that keeps me hoping I’ll get back to France one day.
“Thanks. I can’t believe how nervous I am.” I run a hand down the front of my shirt, then stop to sit on a wooden bench. “How are things there? Is it settling down yet?”
“For the most part, although we still have a handful of reporters and paparazzi that won’t give up.”
“A new story will take them away soon.” As I say the words, a sense of déjà vu whispers over the nape of my neck. It’s hard to believe how things have changed. Once I was the one hiding from scandal and the dogged press.
Now it’s Noah and Luci.
The events at Maison Marteau changed the family forever, leaving Noah and his young cousin in charge. Now it’s their duty to guard the gates, and try to pick up the pieces of a shattered dynasty.
Lyam didn’t kill Dora that day, at least not down in the catacombs. First responders found her on the floor, barely drawing breath. Despite receiving the best medical care, she died two days later in the hospital.
But not before making Luci her heir. Heir to the mansion, the chocolate company, and every dime of the Marteau fortune.
And in a move that shocked everyone, she designated Noah as trustee.
On top of dealing with the press and the authorities, Noah is not only supporting Luci emotionally, but he’s guiding her, training her in the ways of business and money management.
A door opens and footsteps clatter, bringing me back to the present. I glance down the hallway to see who’s entered. A woman in a pencil skirt and heels clips her way across the marble floor. Briefcase hanging from one hand, she turns and disappears through a doorway.
“Luci doesn’t seem to mind the press,” Noah says, continuing our conversation. “Or if she does, she’s not letting it show.” A cloud passes behind his gaze. “She’s different now, after what happened. But she’s finally starting to smile again. She’s strong. She’ll get through.”
“She will,” I say firmly. Because I believe it.
Dora could have chosen Ric or Vincent, yet she picked the one person who would put an end to the twisted history of the Marteaus. No more missing women. No more abuse of power.
And no morevis sanguinis.
Luci and Noah have their own power. A strength they’ll need in the coming months.
I don’t know what changed in Dora at the end. Maybe it was the loss of Lyam or his betrayal of her family values.
Or maybe she simply loved her granddaughter. A child she’d failed to protect from the monster she created.
