Chapter 21 - A Mysterious Message Waiting On The Front Porch Step
The following morning, Chloe stepped out onto the front porch of the guest house to retrieve the daily newspaper.
Resting on the top step was a small, unmarked envelope tied with a black silk ribbon.
She picked it up cautiously, noticing her name written in precise, unfamiliar handwriting across the front.
She tore open the heavy paper flap, pulling out a single photograph taken secretly from across the estate gates.
The photo showed Gabriel and her laughing together in the sunroom, framed by an ominous red X drawn over their faces.
Written on the back of the picture in cold, bold letters was a warning that chilled her blood:
“The empire falls when the queen is taken.”
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Chloe stared at the photograph in sudden, paralyzing silence as the morning bells chimed in the distance.
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