Chapter 8 - What Was Behind the Painting
The safe was hidden behind a painting in Leo’s dressing room.
I knew about it.
I had bought it for him.
He had said he wanted somewhere secure for watches and personal documents.
Now he stood in front of the bedroom door.
“You’re not going through my things.”
Elena kept her voice level.
“We’re asking for the return of company records and Mia’s property.”
“I don’t have them.”
Claire stood at the bottom of the stairs.
“You said they were in there.”
Leo looked down at her.
“If you want to keep talking, remember whose name is on Crown Advisory.”
Her face drained.
Elena glanced at me.
I understood.
We didn’t force the safe.
We photographed the boxes, collected what was clearly mine, and documented what Leo refused to return.
By evening, he and Claire left with personal bags while attorneys worked out the rest.
I watched from the foyer as he stopped beside our wedding photograph.
“You’re making a mistake.”
“Take your bag.”
“You’ll miss me when this gets ugly.”
“It got ugly before I came home.”
He leaned toward me.
“You think those directors care about you?”
One security officer moved closer.
Leo straightened his jacket.
Then he left.
Claire paused at the door.
“I never meant for you to get hurt.”
I looked at the blouse she was wearing.
“Send that back.”
After they drove away, I walked upstairs.
Our bedroom smelled like Claire’s perfume.
I opened the balcony doors.
Then I stood there until my knees buckled.
Elena found me sitting on the floor.
“I gave him everything.”
She sat beside me.
“I know.”
“I keep trying to remember the last thing he did because he loved me.”
“You don’t have to solve your marriage tonight.”
“I don’t know how to be in this house.”
“Then we leave.”
“No.”
I wiped my face.
“No. I want clean sheets.”
It was a small request.
It almost broke me.
Rosa came back the next morning with her niece.
I told her she could wait.
She shook her head.
“I want my kitchen back.”
By noon, the house smelled like garlic and coffee.
For the first time in days, I ate.
Then Elena called from downstairs.
“Mia. You need to see this.”
Claire’s attorney had sent an offer.
Return of the archive.
Cooperation with the financial review.
In exchange for a private meeting.
May you like
At the bottom was one sentence from Claire herself.
Leo has been recording you for months.
