Chapter 3 - The Ghost in the House
By 2:30 AM, Adrian’s private study was bathed in the harsh white light of four computer monitors. Daniel stood beside him, reviewing frame-by-frame video footage from the estate's perimeter cameras.
“There,” Daniel pointed to a monitor displaying the south service entrance near the delivery bay. “At 10:42 PM. The feed stutters for four seconds. A classic loop override.”
“Who had access to the override codes for the south gate?” Adrian asked, his expression unreadable.
“Only three people,” Daniel said, his voice dropping. “You, me, and Marcus.”
Marcus was Adrian’s chief logistics manager, a man who had been with the Moretti family for eleven years. He handled supply runs, domestic staff background checks, and vendor access.
“Where is Marcus right now?”
“He left the estate at 11:15 PM, saying he had an emergency at the downtown warehouse,” Daniel replied. “We’ve tried contacting his cell, but it’s going straight to voicemail.”
Adrian stared at the frozen image on the screen. The shadow of a tall man slipped through the service entrance during those four dropped seconds. The figure moved with practiced precision, knowing exactly where the blind spots were.
“He didn't come to kill her,” Adrian observed quietly. “He sedated her. He was trying to take her quietly without waking the house. But Lily’s presence or Claire’s collapse screwed up his timeline.”
A soft knock came at the study door. Dr. Michael Grant stepped in, wiping his hands with a towel.
“She’s awake,” Michael said. “She’s weak and terrified, but she’s conscious.”
Adrian immediately left the study and walked down to the staff wing. When he entered the room, Claire was sitting propped up against the pillows, clutching Lily against her chest. Her eyes were wide with panic as she looked at the door, but when she saw Adrian, her tension didn't lessen—it shifted into profound shame and fear.
“Mr. Moretti,” she whispered, her voice raspy. “I... I’m so sorry. I didn't mean to bring trouble here.”
“Save your apologies, Claire,” Adrian said calmly, taking a seat on the chair beside her bed. “Right now, I need truth. Who are you, and why is Victor Kane sending men into my house to drug you?”
Claire pulled Lily closer, tears welling in her eyes. She swallowed hard before speaking.
“My real name isn't Claire Bennett,” she admitted in a shaking voice. “It’s Clara Vance. Five years ago, I worked as a senior financial auditor for Kane Enterprises.”
Adrian’s eyebrows lifted slightly. Kane Enterprises was the legitimate corporate front Victor Kane used to launder millions through real estate and shipping.
“I found something I shouldn't have,” Clara continued, her breath hitching. “Ledgers detailing illegal arms shipments and offshore accounts linked to federal officials. When I tried to resign, Victor made it clear I would never leave alive. Then I found out I was pregnant with Lily.”
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“Who is Lily’s father?” Adrian asked, though he already suspected the answer.
Clara looked down at her daughter, her voice barely audible. “Victor’s younger brother, Julian. He died in a car crash four years ago—an 'accident' Victor arranged when Julian tried to help me escape. I took the ledgers, changed my name, and ran. I’ve been hiding ever since.”
