The House Where Nobody Could Tell Them No
Chapter 5
Adrian finally told Elena the story he had hidden for four years.
Celia had discovered financial irregularities inside Vale Meridian.
Millions had been diverted through shell companies.
She believed someone close to Adrian was responsible.
Then she became ill.
The doctors found traces of a rare toxin.
Before investigators could identify the source, Celia died.
Adrian shut down the investigation.
He told the public she had suffered a sudden medical crisis.
“Why?” Elena asked.
“Because the person responsible threatened the girls.”
“Did you tell the police?”
“I told them everything.”
“And?”
“They found nothing.”
Elena looked at him.
“That isn’t true.”
Adrian frowned.
“Excuse me?”
“The girls saw someone.”
“Children aren’t reliable witnesses.”
“They remember the silver watch.”
Adrian’s expression tightened.
“I know.”
“You know?”
“I spent four years trying to find it.”
He reached into a drawer and removed an old photograph.
A man stood beside Adrian at a corporate event.
Gray suit.
Silver watch.
The photograph had been circled in red.
“Who is he?”
“Marcus Venn. Former chief financial officer.”
“Where is he now?”
“Dead.”
Elena stared.
“When?”
“Three months after Celia died.”
“How?”
“Car accident.”
She looked at Adrian.
“Convenient.”
“Too convenient.”
That night, Elena couldn’t sleep.
At 2:13 a.m., she heard footsteps in the corridor.
She opened her door.
The hallway was dark.
At the end stood June.
Barefoot.
Holding the porcelain rabbit.
“June?”
The girl didn’t answer.
She walked toward the west wing.
Elena followed.
The west wing had been sealed for years.
The door opened with an old key.
June entered.
Inside, dust covered everything.
Then she stopped in front of a wall.
“Mom hid something here.”
Elena looked at the wall.
“What?”
June pressed the porcelain rabbit against a small indentation.
A panel clicked.
A narrow compartment opened.
Inside was a cassette tape.
Elena stared.
“Where did you learn that?”
“Mom showed me once.”
“Why didn’t you tell Dad?”
June looked at her.
“Because Mom told us never to give it to him.”
Elena’s pulse quickened.
They found an old cassette player in a cabinet.
The tape began with static.
Then Celia’s voice.
“If you’re hearing this, something happened to me.”
June covered her mouth.
Celia continued.
“Adrian isn’t the person you should fear.”
Elena and June exchanged a look.
The recording continued.
“The person stealing from Vale Meridian has access to this house, the company, and our security system.”
A pause.
Then Celia whispered:
“His name is—”
The tape abruptly stopped.
June screamed.
The lights came on.
Adrian stood in the doorway.
His face was unreadable.
“Where did you get that?”
Elena held the tape.
“Your wife.”
Adrian stared at the cassette.
Then his eyes moved to June.
And something in his expression broke.
“Get out of this wing.”
June stepped backward.
“Why?”
“Because I said so.”
Elena stepped between them.
“No.”
Adrian looked at her.
“Elena.”
“You don’t get to frighten her into silence.”
“I am trying to protect her.”
“Then tell us the truth.”
He looked at the cassette.
“I don’t know if I can.”
From somewhere behind the wall came a soft mechanical click.
All three turned.
The hidden compartment was closing.
And inside it, beneath the cassette player, another envelope had appeared.
Someone had placed it there recently.
