Chapter 21 - A Sealed Black Envelope Arrives At Midnight
Late one quiet Friday evening, after the last dining guests had left and the restaurant was locked in serene silence, the private office bell chimed. Marcus walked over to the executive desk, finding a small, unmarked black envelope resting on the polished mahogany surface.
There was no postal stamp or return address, only a heavy crimson wax seal stamped with an unfamiliar coat of arms from an overseas estate. Marcus handed the envelope to Elena, who used a brass letter opener to slice open the heavy parchment paper inside.
May you like
The handwritten message in dark ink made her blood run ice-cold:
“Beatrice was merely paying off my old debt... the true silent partner who funded your restaurant twenty years ago has just checked into the hotel across the street.”
