Chapter 11 - The Secret Compartment
With Victoria locked away in the back of a police cruiser outside, the sprawling Sterling mansion felt eerily quiet. Richard sat at his desk, his hands shaking as he poured a cup of tea for Clara while Liam stood guard by the shattered ventilation shaft.
"I never suspected her, Clara. I swear to you, I was blind," Richard murmured, his voice heavy with remorse. "She managed my medications after my surgery... she isolated me from everyone."
"It's over now, Dad. But we need to make sure there are no other surprises," Clara said gently, placing a hand on his shoulder. She looked down at the mahogany desk, noticing a slight seam along the side panel that she had never seen before during her childhood visits.
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"Wait... what is this?" Clara knelt down, pressing her fingernail against a concealed latch beneath the desktop. With a soft click, a hidden compartment slid open, revealing a stack of legal documents, flash drives, and a handwritten diary bearing Victoria's distinct cursive handwriting.
Richard leaned over, his eyes widening in shock as he picked up the topmost document. "Good lord... these aren't just corporate fraud papers. These are medical records... and prescriptions for my post-surgery recovery. Victoria wasn't just stealing from the company... she was slowly poisoning me."
