Chapter 4 - The First Missing Page
Miriam Cole’s office occupied the top floor of a quiet building far from the glass towers owned by Vale Holdings.
The furniture was old, the carpet was faded, and every shelf was packed with legal files.
Elena trusted the place because nothing inside it had been designed to impress anyone.
Sophia sat near the window with a cup of hot chocolate while Miriam listened to the recorder through headphones.
When the recording ended, the attorney removed the headphones slowly.
“How much did Dante hear?” she asked.
“None of it,” Elena said.
“You’re certain?”
“Marco’s officers arrived before we could contact him.”
Miriam looked at Sophia.
“Did anyone see you take the recorder?”
“I don’t know.”
“Where was it?”
“On the bookshelf in Uncle Dante’s office.”
“Why did you put it there?”
“I was practicing the song for the wedding. The room has better sound.”
Miriam gave her a gentle smile.
“That may be the luckiest decision anyone in this family has made.”
Elena leaned forward.
“What is the sealed clause?”
Miriam opened a drawer and removed a thick copy of Adrian Vale’s trust.
Colored tabs marked the pages.
She turned to the final section.
A clean line had been cut from the binding.
One page was missing.
“This copy has been in my office since the trust was executed,” Miriam said.
“Who had access?”
“My former partner. Two assistants. Adrian. Camila.”
“Marco?”
“Not officially.”
Sophia slid from her chair and moved closer.
“Was the missing page about me?”
“Yes.”
“What did it say?”
Miriam looked at Elena before answering.
“It created an emergency guardianship condition.”
Elena’s heartbeat quickened.
“Who becomes guardian?”
“I don’t know. The full provision was placed in a sealed attachment. Adrian insisted that the identity remain confidential unless a specific threat occurred.”
“What kind of threat?”
“An attempt by a trustee or spouse to isolate Sophia, control her assets, or remove her from existing family relationships.”
Elena stared at the empty binding.
“He predicted this.”
“He feared it.”
“Where is the original?”
“The primary document was kept in Adrian’s lockbox.”
“The one missing from Dante’s library?”
Miriam’s eyes narrowed.
“How do you know it is missing?”
“Sophia heard them mention a copy at the lake house.”
Miriam stood and walked to a cabinet.
She searched through a row of files, then removed a small envelope marked with Adrian’s initials.
Inside was a key.
“The Vale lake house has an underground records room,” she said. “Adrian built it after the first attempt to take control of the company.”
“What attempt?”
“Your sister knew more about that than I did.”
Elena felt a familiar pain at the mention of Camila.
“My sister never discussed business.”
“She was protecting you.”
“From what?”
Miriam placed the key on the desk.
“From the Vale family.”
Before Elena could ask another question, the office receptionist called through the intercom.
“Ms. Cole, two officers are here.”
Miriam pressed the button.
“Police?”
“No. Private security.”
Elena moved toward Sophia.
Miriam slipped the key into an envelope and handed it to her.
“Take the service stairs.”
“What about you?”
“I’m an attorney in my own office. Marco will have to pretend to respect that.”
A knock sounded at the outer door.
Miriam guided them toward the back hallway.
“Go to the parking level. My driver is waiting near the loading entrance.”
Sophia stopped.
“My backpack.”
It remained beside the chair.
Elena turned back, but the office door opened.
Marco stepped inside.
He wore a dark suit and carried a court order.
“Elena Marlowe,” he said. “You are required to return Sophia Vale immediately.”
Miriam blocked his path.
“Not until I verify that document.”
“You may contact the court.”
“I will.”
Marco’s eyes shifted toward the back hallway.
“Where is the child?”
Miriam held up the order.
“This is dated tomorrow.”
For the first time, Marco’s calm expression faltered.
He took the paper from her.
Miriam pointed to the corner.
“The effective date is Friday. Today is Thursday.”
Marco looked toward the security officers behind him.
Neither moved.
Elena pulled Sophia into the stairwell.
They descended three flights before hearing the office door slam.
On the parking level, Miriam’s driver waved from a gray sedan.
Elena and Sophia climbed inside.
As the car pulled away, Sophia looked back through the rear window.
Marco emerged from the building and lifted his phone.
“He saw us,” she said.
Elena opened the envelope containing the lake-house key.
There was something else inside.
A small strip of paper.
May you like
Four words had been written in Camila’s handwriting.
Do not trust Dante.
