Chapter 3 - THE LOCKET WITH A SECRET
Mara pulled the necklace back.
“My mother gave it to me.”
Julian stared.
“Your mother’s name?”
“Anna Ellison.”
The reaction was immediate.
A nearby businessman dropped his fork.
Celeste noticed.
And for the first time that night…
she looked afraid.
Julian stood.
“Excuse me.”
He grabbed Mara’s arm gently.
“Come with me.”
Celeste stepped forward.
“Julian.”
He turned.
“What?”
The single word stopped her.
She had expected anger.
She had expected a fight.
She wasn’t prepared for disappointment.
“Nothing.”
Julian walked Mara away from the ballroom.
Inside the private office, he closed the door.
“What do you know about your mother?”
Mara frowned.
“Why are you asking?”
“Because that necklace belonged to my family.”
She laughed nervously.
“That’s impossible.”
Julian opened a drawer.
He removed an old photograph.
A woman stood beside a young Julian.
And around her neck was the same silver locket.
Mara stared.
“That’s…”
“My mother.”
Silence.
Mara looked between the picture and the necklace.
“My mother found it after her death.”
Julian shook his head.
“My mother never lost it.”
“Then why do I have it?”
That was the question neither of them could answer.
A knock interrupted them.
Celeste entered.
Her face was calm again.
“Julian, we need to talk.”
Mara immediately noticed.
Celeste wasn’t angry.
She was calculating.
That was worse.
Julian looked at her.
“Did you know Mara before tonight?”
Celeste paused.
A little too long.
“Yes.”
“How?”
“We worked together years ago.”
“Why didn’t you mention it?”
Celeste smiled.
“Because it wasn’t important.”
Julian looked at the locket.
“I think it is.”
Celeste’s eyes moved toward Mara.
And Mara saw something.
Fear.
Real fear.
For the first time in eleven years, Celeste wasn’t controlling the room.
She was losing it.
Later that night, after the guests left, Mara returned to the staff quarters.
She opened her locker.
Her phone was missing.
Her wallet was missing.
And sitting on her bed was a police report.
She picked it up.
Her blood turned cold.
The report said:
Luxury jewelry stolen from the Vale residence.
Suspect:
Mara Ellison.
Mara whispered:
“No…”
Then she heard footsteps behind her.
May you like
Celeste’s voice came from the doorway.
“You should have stayed invisible.”
