Chapter 2 - The Secret Hidden In The Necklace
Victoria did not remember leaving the restaurant.
She only remembered holding Maya’s hand.
A tiny hand.
Cold.
Fragile.
A hand that had probably spent too much time alone.
Her driver opened the car door.
“Ms. Harrington?”
Victoria didn’t answer.
She helped Maya inside.
The little girl looked uncomfortable sitting in the luxury car.
“I’m sorry.”
Victoria looked at her.
“For what?”
“Getting your car dirty.”
Victoria stared.
Then she slowly shook her head.
“You don’t have to apologize for existing.”
Maya looked confused.
Nobody had ever said that to her before.
The car moved through the streets of Madrid.
After several minutes, Victoria asked:
“Where is Charlie?”
Maya looked surprised.
“My dog.”
“The dog outside the restaurant?”
Maya nodded.
“I can’t leave him.”
Victoria smiled slightly.
“Then we’re getting Charlie too.”
Twenty minutes later, they found him.
The old stray dog immediately ran toward Maya.
But when he saw Victoria…
He stopped.
Victoria crouched down.
“It’s okay.”
Charlie slowly approached.
Then he allowed Victoria to touch his head.
Maya smiled.
“He likes you.”
Victoria looked at the dog.
“Maybe he knows I need him.”
The little girl didn’t understand.
But Victoria did.
Because Charlie wasn’t the only one who needed saving.
That night, Maya slept in a real bedroom for the first time in months.
A warm bed.
Clean sheets.
A night light beside the table.
Victoria stood outside the door watching her sleep.
Then her phone rang.
Unknown number.
She answered.
“Hello?”
A deep voice replied.
“You found her.”
Victoria froze.
“Who is this?”
“You know exactly who.”
Her grip tightened.
“Where did you get this number?”
The man ignored the question.
“You should have left Isabella’s past alone.”
Victoria looked toward Maya’s room.
“What do you want?”
A cold laugh.
“You made the same mistake ten years ago.”
Victoria’s face changed.
“What mistake?”
“You trusted the wrong person.”
The call ended.
Victoria stood completely still.
Because only one person knew about Isabella.
Only one person knew what happened that night.
And that person was supposed to be gone.
The next morning, Victoria brought Maya to a doctor.
The results shocked her.
The doctor looked at the file.
“Ms. Harrington…”
“Yes?”
“There is something unusual.”
“What?”
The doctor pointed at the necklace.
“This necklace is very old.”
Victoria nodded.
“It belonged to her mother.”
The doctor looked serious.
“No.”
Victoria frowned.
“What do you mean?”
“This symbol…”
He touched the silver flower.
“It wasn’t made by a jewelry company.”
“Then who made it?”
The doctor looked at her.
“Your family.”
Victoria felt cold.
Because he was right.
That symbol belonged to the Harrington family.
A symbol connected to an inheritance.
An inheritance that had disappeared ten years ago.
Victoria whispered:
“Impossible.”
Then Maya walked into the room.
“Victoria?”
She turned.
“Yes?”
Maya held an old envelope.
“I found this inside my necklace.”
Victoria’s heart stopped.
“Where did you get that?”
“My mom put it there.”
Victoria opened it.
Inside was one sentence.
Written in Isabella’s handwriting.
Victoria immediately recognized it.
Her hands started shaking.
May you like
Because it said:
“IF YOU ARE READING THIS, IT MEANS THEY FOUND ME.”
