CHAPTER 4: Chapter 5 - Behind the Books

Leon demanded his lawyer. Sophia gave him that right, but she did not leave. The pendant had been named as stolen property, found hidden in the accuser's cane, with video evidence suggesting a setup. That was enough to keep everyone in place.
The east library smelled of leather, dust, and old money. Maya held Isabella's hand with both of hers as Mrs. Bell pressed a brass latch behind a row of legal volumes. A narrow panel opened. Inside was a metal cabinet with a sapphire-shaped lock.
The pendant fit.
The first drawer held birth records, insurance files, and trust documents. The second held letters from Maya's mother, Olivia. In the third drawer, Sophia found a sealed envelope marked: If anything happens to me, give this to Isabella.
Isabella covered her mouth.
Olivia Vale had died two years earlier after a fall on the west staircase. The official story was grief, medication, a tragic accident. Since then Leon had become guardian of Maya's fortune and public face of the family foundation.
Sophia opened the envelope with gloves.
Inside was a flash drive and a letter in a woman's careful hand.
If Leon tries to remove Isabella, it means he has found out Maya remembers.