Chapter 21 - A Chilling Final Warning Left In The Safe
Later that evening, after the guests departed and the estate settled into quiet darkness, I returned to my study. I opened the floor safe to secure the foundation's updated endowment documents for safekeeping.
Inside the steel compartment rested a small, sealed black envelope bearing no postmark or return address stamp. My heart skipped a beat as I lifted it out, recognizing the unfamiliar, elegant handwriting on the front.
I used my silver letter opener to slice open the top flap, sliding out a single sheet of heavy parchment paper. As I read the typed message inside, the blood drained instantly from my face:
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“Adrian was merely the decoy. The true architect of your family's destruction is still watching from within your inner circle.”
Before I could process the terrifying warning, the study telephone began to ring with a harsh, piercing sound. I picked up the receiver with trembling fingers, but before I could speak, a familiar voice whispered softly through the dark line...
