Chapter 4 - The Whispers of the Past
"You are never going back to that street," Eleanor said fiercely, dropping to her knees in front of Leo and taking his shoulders in her hands. "Do you hear me? Victor does not speak for this family. You saved my daughter. You saved me from a lifetime of agony. You belong here for as long as you want to stay."
Leo looked into her eyes, seeing genuine tears, but the seed of doubt had been planted.
That night, a violent thunderstorm rolled over the city. Thunder rumbled across the hills, shaking the floorboards of the mansion.
Leo couldn't sleep. The vastness of the room felt terrifying, the shadows stretching out like arms waiting to grab him. He slipped out of bed, his bare feet silent on the hardwood, and made his way down the dimly lit hallway.
He paused near Richard's home office. The door was slightly ajar, a beam of warm light spilling across the carpet. Inside, Richard was talking to Julian, the head of security.
"Did you find anything on his mother?" Richard asked, his voice low.
"Yes, sir," Julian replied, handing over a yellowed file. "Her name was Sarah Lin. She died two years ago at St. Jude’s—ironically, the same hospital you took the boy to. She was an art restorer."
Richard paused, his hand freezing over the file. "Sarah Lin? As in... the lead curator who worked on the Sterling Gallery restoration project eight years ago?"
"The very same," Julian said softly. "And sir... there’s more. She didn't just lose her job because of bad health. She was fired after being accused of stealing a three-million-dollar painting from your private collection."
Leo, listening behind the door, felt his breath catch in his throat. His chest squeezed tight.
No... Mom didn't steal anything, he thought wildly. She was good. She worked until her hands bled.
Inside the room, Richard opened the file, reviewing old court documents. "I remember that case. The painting vanished overnight. The evidence against her was overwhelming, though she swore she was framed until the day she was blacklisted. She couldn't get a job anywhere after that. She sank into poverty."
Richard leaned back in his leather chair, a look of profound horror washing over his face.
"My God, Julian," Richard breathed, his voice breaking. "If Sarah Lin was framed... then our company ruined her life. We drove her into the streets. We made her child a homeless orphan."
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"And if he finds out," Julian added gravely, "he will realize the very family whose child he saved... is the family that destroyed his mother."
Behind the door, Leo stepped back, his tears overflowing. He backed away into the dark corridor, his hands shaking violently.
