Chapter 21 - A Mysterious Black Envelope Arrives At Midnight Gate
Late on a quiet Friday midnight, the automated security chime on Maya’s private estate gates echoed softly through the night.
She walked down the long, private driveway under the pale glow of the security floodlights to inspect the perimeter.
There was no vehicle or person in sight along the dark, winding country road bordering her secluded property.
Resting on the stone pillar was a plain black envelope sealed with an unfamiliar crimson wax stamp.
There was no return address or postal mark, only a chilling symbol carved directly into the hardened red wax.
Maya picked it up with a gloved hand, unlocked the pedestrian gate, and sliced open the seal with her pocket knife.
May you like
Inside lay a single photograph of Maya walking outside her flagship store earlier that afternoon, alongside a handwritten note:
“You conquered the local boutique manager, Maya... but the true power pulling the strings in this city has just arrived.”
