Chapter 4
Matteo ordered the old estate security archive restored.
The system had been replaced after Elena’s death, but the storage drives still existed.
Hours of corrupted footage remained useless.
Some survived.
The night of Veronica’s final visit appeared at 8:14 p.m.
Elena opened the side entrance herself.
Veronica entered.
Richard arrived twelve minutes later.
At 8:42, all three walked toward Elena’s private office.
Then the camera feed stopped.
Not failed.
Stopped.
Manual privacy override.
Matteo stared at the log.
“Whose code?”
His security director hesitated.
“Yours.”
The room went silent.
Matteo looked at him.
“I was in Chicago.”
“Yes.”
“You're sure?”
“Flight records confirm it.”
Matteo’s jaw tightened.
Only two people had known his master override at the time.
Matteo.
And Elena.
He sat back.
Elena had deliberately turned off the cameras before meeting Veronica and Richard.
That suggested trust.
Or fear.
Maybe both.
The cameras returned forty-seven minutes later.
Richard left first.
His face was rigid.
Veronica emerged next.
She was crying.
Elena appeared last.
She remained in the hall alone for several seconds.
Then she looked directly toward the camera.
Not casually.
Deliberately.
Her hand touched the necklace at her throat.
Matteo stopped the footage.
He recognized the necklace.
He had given it to her when Lily was born.
After Elena died, it was never found.
Veronica crossed her arms.
“This proves nothing.”
Matteo looked at her.
She held his gaze.
Then he asked:
“Where is Elena’s necklace?”
Veronica’s composure faltered.
Richard immediately stood.
“That has nothing to do with this.”
Matteo turned his eyes toward him.
“Then you won't mind answering.”
Richard’s hand closed into a fist.
Veronica spoke before he could.
“She gave it away.”
“To whom?”
Silence.
Matteo’s voice softened.
“To whom, Veronica?”
Her eyes dropped.
“To me.”
May you like
The room changed.
The woman Matteo intended to marry had been wearing something belonging to his dead wife long before she ever told him they had known each other.
