Chapter 2 - THE GIRL THEY BURIED WITHOUT A BODY
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Dominic ordered the manor sealed.
Every gate.
Every service entrance.
Every underground tunnel.
No one left.
No one entered.
I sat in the west study wearing an oversized cardigan one of the female guards had brought me.
My torn uniform lay on a chair.
The red mark from Cassandra's riding crop burned along my forearm.
But I barely noticed.
My entire life had just been rewritten.
I wasn't Elena Sophia Thorne.
At least, that wasn't the whole truth.
Dominic entered carrying an old black box.
He placed it on the desk.
“This belonged to my grandmother.”
He opened it.
Inside were photographs.
Newspaper clippings.
Letters.
A tiny pair of silver shoes.
And a faded hospital bracelet.
BABY GIRL STERLING.
My throat tightened.
“Is that mine?”
Dominic nodded.
“My grandmother kept it.”
“Then why wasn't I found?”
“Because somebody wanted everyone to stop looking.”
He spread the photographs across the desk.
The East Wing fire had destroyed the western nursery.
But the official report said the baby had died.
There was no body.
No cremation record.
No grave.
Nothing.
I touched the hospital bracelet.
“Then where did my mother get me?”
Dominic looked at me.
“She stole you.”
The words stunned me.
“What?”
“My mother escaped the estate carrying you.”
“Why would she steal her own daughter?”
“She knew someone wanted you dead.”
He showed me a letter.
Written three days before the fire.
It was from his mother.
If anything happens to me, Sophia must never return to Sterling Manor unless Dominic is old enough to protect her.
I stared.
“How old were you?”
“Ten.”
My heart broke.
“You knew?”
“I knew I had a baby sister.”
He looked down.
“I was told she died.”
“I’m sorry.”
He gave a bitter smile.
“I have spent twenty-eight years being angry at a ghost.”
Then the door opened.
Cassandra entered.
Two guards followed.
“I want to speak to Dominic.”
“No,” Marcus said.
She ignored him.
“Dominic, please.”
He stood.
“You knew.”
She looked at me.
Her expression hardened.
“Knew what?”
“You knew who she was.”
Cassandra's face went completely still.
Dominic walked toward her.
“You called her by name before I mentioned it.”
“I didn't.”
“You said she was a thief.”
“That was obvious.”
“You said she belonged nowhere near this family.”
Cassandra swallowed.
Dominic's voice lowered.
“Why?”
She looked at me.
Then back at him.
“My father warned me.”
“About what?”
“That Lucia Thorne had a daughter.”
My heart stopped.
Cassandra continued.
“He said if the girl ever appeared, she would destroy everything.”
Dominic stared.
“Your father knew Lucia?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“My father was your father's adviser.”
Dominic's expression became murderous.
“Victor Vance.”
Cassandra nodded.
“The same man.”
The name seemed to pull an old memory out of the room.
Dominic looked toward Marcus.
“Find every file on Victor.”
Marcus nodded.
Cassandra moved closer.
“You don't understand what you're doing.”
“I understand perfectly.”
“No. You don't.”
She pointed at me.
“That woman is not your sister.”
Dominic's eyes narrowed.
“Careful.”
“She is dangerous.”
I almost laughed.
“Dangerous?”
Cassandra's eyes filled with panic.
“You think I'm insulting you.”
She took a breath.
“I'm warning you.”
“About what?”
“That necklace.”
Dominic held up the locket.
Cassandra whispered:
“It isn't merely a family crest.”
“What is it?”
She hesitated.
“It opens the Sterling inheritance.”
Silence.
Marcus looked at Dominic.
“Boss…”
Cassandra continued.
“Your grandfather left a private succession clause. Whoever carries that locket is the legal heir to the controlling trust.”
Dominic stared.
“And you're telling me my missing sister owns it?”
“No.”
Cassandra shook her head.
“I'm telling you whoever controls her controls the entire Sterling empire.”
My stomach dropped.
Dominic moved toward me.
Then Cassandra smiled.
A tiny, terrifying smile.
“That's why she had to die.”
The room went silent.
Dominic's hand slowly moved toward his weapon.
May you like
Cassandra whispered:
“And that's why I was hired to make sure she did.”
