Chapter 3 - The Broken Locket
The night settled over the Westchester estate like a heavy velvet shroud. A cold autumn rain began to tap against the grand crystal windows of the drawing room.
In the nursery on the second floor, Sarah sat in the wooden rocking chair, gently swaying back and forth while nursing her burned forearm with a cold compress. Leo was fast asleep in his crib, wrapped in a soft blue fleece blanket, his breathing calm and rhythmic.
The door to the nursery creaked open.
Ethan stepped inside, his dark suit jacket removed, his tie loosened at his throat. He looked exhausted, the lines around his eyes deeper than usual. He stood by the crib for a moment, watching his son sleep, before turning to Sarah.
"How is your arm?" Ethan asked in a low whisper.
"It will heal, Mr. Ethan," Sarah replied flatly, without looking up.
Ethan let out a long sigh, sitting on the small ottoman across from her. "Victoria left for the city. She was very shaken by what happened."
"Was she?" Sarah asked, raising her eyes, meeting his gaze directly. "Or was she disappointed that her plan failed?"
Ethan’s brows furrowed. "Sarah, please. Victoria comes from one of the most respected families in New York. She has no reason to hurt an infant. You have to understand how extreme your accusation sounds."
"Respectable families can breed monsters, sir," Sarah said, her voice dropping into a quiet, intense hush. "I know what I saw. She looked at Leo like he was a stain on her dress. She wants your fortune, Mr. Ethan. And she knows Leo is your sole legal heir."
Ethan pinched the bridge of his nose, frustration rising in his chest. "I am merging my firm with Vance Enterprises next month. Victoria and I are... it's complicated. I need this merger to protect this estate, to protect Leo’s future. I cannot have baseless accusations throwing a wrench into my personal life."
"It isn't baseless!" Sarah insisted, standing up from the rocking chair. She reached into her apron pocket and pulled out a small, metallic object she had picked up off the drawing room floor right after the incident.
She held it out to Ethan.
It was a delicate gold locket, its hinge snapped, the surface scratched. Inside was a tiny, faded photograph of a young man—not Ethan—with the initials D.V. engraved on the back.
Ethan took the locket, frowning as he inspected the initials. "This is Victoria’s. Where did you find this?"
"Right beside the crib," Sarah said. "It fell off her necklace when she reached over the rail with the iron. She wasn't pressing a scarf, Mr. Ethan. She brought the iron into that room specifically for Leo."
Ethan stared at the gold locket, his mind racing. D.V. stood for Julian Vance—Victoria’s disgraced older brother who had been exiled to Europe five years ago after a massive corporate fraud scandal. Why would Victoria be carrying a secret photograph of her criminal brother inside a hidden locket while dating Ethan?
Before Ethan could answer, his cell phone buzzed on his belt.
He answered it. "Ethan here."
"Ethan, darling!" Victoria’s voice chirped melodiously through the speaker, though Ethan had accidentally set the volume high enough for Sarah to hear in the quiet room. "I reached my penthouse safely. I was just thinking... since that awful maid made such a scene today, perhaps I should bring my personal nanny to the estate tomorrow? She’s certified, professional, and doesn't have... boundary issues."
Ethan looked at the broken locket in his palm, then at Sarah, who stood firm, watching him with clear, unwavering eyes.
"That won't be necessary, Victoria," Ethan said slowly into the phone. "Sarah is staying."
A long, freezing pause lingered on the line.
"...If you say so, darling," Victoria said, her tone suddenly devoid of its warmth, turning sharp and metallic. "Just remember... the merger documents are scheduled for signing on Friday. My father expects everything in your house to be... orderly."
The call ended.
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Ethan lowered his phone, his jaw tight. He looked at Sarah. "Keep the baby in your sight at all times. If she comes back tomorrow... do not leave him alone with her for a single second."
"I never intended to, sir," Sarah replied quietly.
