Chapter 31 - THE UNOPENED ENVELOPE
At two o'clock on a stormy September morning, heavy rain lashed against the high glass windows of the Greenwich estate.
Thunder crashed loudly in the dark sky overhead, shaking the framed American flag hanging in the grand hallway.
Inside his private study, Adrian woke up suddenly from a deep sleep, his sharp instincts sensing an unusual chill in the air.
The security panel on his desk beeped softly, indicating that the main iron entry gate had been unlocked from outside.
Adrian put on his dark robe, retrieving a tactical flashlight from his drawer as he walked silently down the hallway.
He approached the front entrance, finding the heavy oak door slightly ajar with rain blowing onto the hardwood floor.
On the marble doorstep sat a soaked, black leather envelope sealed with a thick coat of red wax.
Adrian picked up the envelope, using a pocket knife to break the red wax seal stamped with an unfamiliar family crest.
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Inside sat a vintage black-and-white photograph of his late grandfather standing alongside a young Arthur Vance in 1975.
Behind the photograph was a handwritten letter written in dark ink that read: "Your grandfather didn't just steal the port, Adrian... he had a secret firstborn son who is coming to claim Sterling Manor tonight."
