Secrets in the Study
The morning dawned gray and heavy, clouds looming over the house like a shroud. Rory sat on the edge of her bed, her eyes fixed on the flash drive she clutched tightly in her hand. She’d barely slept, her thoughts consumed by Max’s cryptic threats and the tension that had simmered between them the night before.
She couldn’t wait any longer. Whatever was on this drive might be the key to unraveling the tangled web of lies surrounding Max and her family. Slipping it into the pocket of her jacket, she steeled herself. It was time to dig deeper.
The mansion was eerily quiet as she made her way down the hall, her footsteps muffled by the plush carpet. Rory’s heart pounded in her chest as she approached the study she’d only glimpsed from afar. Max’s office—his haven. A place where secrets grew.
She tried the door handle, halfexpecting it to be locked. To her surprise, it turned easily. Rory paused, glancing over her shoulder to ensure she was alone before slipping inside.
The air inside was cool, lightly scented with leather and cedar. The room was spotless, every surface polished to perfection. Floortoceiling bookshelves lined the walls, their contents carefully organized. A large mahogany desk sat in the center, dominating the room.
Rory’s eyes darted to the desk. Papers and folders were nicely arranged, but one drawer stood out. Unlike the others, its handle was slightly worn, as though it had been opened countless times. She approached carefully, her fingers trembling as she pulled it open.
Inside, she found a collection of files, each named in Max’s precise handwriting. Her heart skipped a beat as she spotted one with her family’s name: “Dumont.”
She pulled the file out, her breath catching as she flipped it open. The first page was a financial account, but it wasn’t the Dumont business she recognized. It was an overseas account, hidden under layers of shell companies. Her mother’s name was named as the account holder.
Rory’s hands shook as she scanned the papers. Transaction records, bank transfers, and letters—all pointing to a secret fortune her mother had hidden. The implications hit her like a punch to the gut. Camille had always presented herself as the dutiful wife and mother, a pillar of their family’s crumbling tradition. But this?
Why would she keep this from me? From us?
Rory sank into the chair behind the desk, her mind racing. The parts of the puzzle were beginning to come together, but they painted a picture she wasn’t ready to face. Had Camille been involved in the Dumont Empire’s downfall? Or worse, had she planned it?
Her thoughts were interrupted by the soft creak of the door. She froze, the file still clutched in her hands. Max stood in the doorway, his face unreadable.
“I thought I told you to stay out of my affairs,” he said, his voice low and controlled.
Rory shot to her feet, the file trembling in her hands. “And I thought you said you’d tell me the truth. Or was that just another lie?”
Max’s gaze flicked to the file, his jaw tightening. He stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. “You have no idea what you’re dealing with.”
“Then enlighten me,” Rory demanded, her voice rising. “Because from where I’m standing, it looks like my mother’s been hiding a fortune while the rest of us were left to rot.”
Max’s eyes softened for a brief moment, but his tone stayed firm. “This isn’t just about your family. That account… it’s tied to something much bigger.”
Rory’s anger boiled over. “Stop speaking in riddles! If you want me to trust you, then tell me what’s going on.”
Max ran a hand through his hair, his calm cracking ever so slightly. “Your mother didn’t open that account for herself. She was forced to.”
Rory blinked, her rage giving way to confusion. “Forced by who?”
“Valentin Rossini,” Max said, his voice laced with anger. “He’s been using your family’s name to launder money for years. That account was just one piece of the puzzle.”
The name sent a chill down Rory’s spine. She’d seen it in the papers she’d found before, but hearing it from Max made it feel real—dangerous.
“Why would she go along with it?” Rory asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Max’s face darkened. “Because he gave her no choice. Rossini has a way of… making people comply.”
Rory’s mind reeled. The picture she’d held of her mother was crumbling, replaced by something far more complicated. But there was still so much she didn’t understand.
“Why didn’t you tell me this before?” she demanded.
Max sighed, his frustration evident. “Because knowing the truth puts you in danger. And believe it or not, Rory, I’ve been trying to protect you.”
She scoffed, her anger flaring again. “Protect me? By keeping me in the dark? By treating me like some weak child?”
“You don’t know what Rossini is capable of,” Max shot back, his voice rising. “If he finds out you’ve been digging into this…”
“I don’t care,” Rory interrupted, her eyes burning. “I’m done being afraid. If my family’s name is tied to this mess, then I deserve to know the truth.”
Max stared at her, his face unreadable. The tension between them sparked like a live wire, neither willing to back down. Finally, he spoke, his voice low and determined.
“Fine. But if you’re going to do this, you need to be prepared for what you’ll find. Rossini doesn’t leave open ends. And if he thinks you’re a threat…”
“Let him come,” Rory said furiously. “I’m not afraid of him.”
Max’s lips twitched, a hint of admiration breaking through his anger. “You should be.”
That night, Rory sat in her room, the file spread out before her. The flash drive sat next to her laptop, its blinking light a constant reminder of the secrets she had yet to discover.
She looked at the door, halfexpecting Max to burst in and stop her. But the hallway outside stayed quiet. Taking a deep breath, she plugged the drive into her laptop and opened its contents.
Her screen filled with papers, photos, and videos. Each file painted a damning picture of Valentin Rossini’s empire—and her family’s unknowing role in it. She scrolled through transaction records and letters, her stomach twisting as the extent of the corruption became clear.
But one file caught her eye. It was a video, captioned simply: “Camille.”
Rory paused before clicking on it. The screen flickered to life, showing her mother seated in a dimly lit room. Camille’s expression was strained, her normal composure replaced by fear.
“I’m doing this for my family,” Camille said, her voice shaking. “If I don’t, Rossini will destroy us. Please, whoever finds this… protect Rory. She can’t know.”
The video stopped abruptly, leaving Rory staring at the screen in stunned silence. Her mother had known. She’d known everything and had tried to shield her from it. But at what cost?
A sudden noise outside her window made her jump. She turned to see a shadow moving across the yard, too quick to identify. Her heart pounded as she realized she wasn’t alone.
The secrets she’d found had just made her a target. And whoever was out there wasn’t going to let her walk away unharmed.