Chapter 4 - The Clue in the Crayon
The next morning, the mansion was shrouded in an uneasy quiet. Marco had left before dawn with a convoy of black SUVs, leaving Julian in charge of the estate's security.
I sat in the playroom with Leo while Sophia and Dante were finishing their morning tutoring lessons. The anxiety in the house was contagious; Leo refused to play with his blocks, choosing instead to draw relentlessly on his sketch pad.
I sat beside him, folding laundry. "What are you drawing today, Leo?"
He didn't answer right away. He was using a gold crayon, pressing down so hard the tip snapped.
"The bad man's pin," Leo muttered.
I froze. I carefully set down the towels and knelt beside his small table. "The pin?"
Leo pointed his tiny finger at the paper. He had drawn a detailed sketch of a lapel pin: a golden crest featuring a shield with a stylized letter 'V' intersected by a balance scale.
"He wore it on his coat," Leo said softly. "When he was talking to Mommy by her car. He was mad. He pulled a wire from under the front of her car, and then he saw me at the window. He pointed at me and made a shushing noise."
My blood ran cold.
A balance scale combined with the Valente 'V'.
I had seen that exact crest just yesterday. It was not the general family emblem. It was the personal seal of the family’s legal adviser—a custom gold lapel pin worn exclusively by Julian Vance.
"Leo," I said, keeping my voice utterly steady to avoid frightening him. "Did Julian wear this pin?"
Leo nodded quickly, his eyes wide with fear. "He told me if I ever drew it again, he would throw my colored pencils in the fire and send Daddy away forever."
The truth hit me like an avalanche. Julian hadn't just been mismanaging funds or leaking information to the Moretti family—he was the one who tampered with Isabella’s car. He murdered the mother of these children to push Marco into a paranoid war, making Marco completely reliant on Julian's counsel while slowly usurping control of the syndicate.
Suddenly, the playroom door opened with a soft creak.
Julian Vance stood in the doorway. He wasn't wearing his suit jacket, and his shirt sleeves were rolled up. His eyes fell immediately onto the sketch pad on Leo's table.
"Miss Brooks," Julian said, stepping into the room. His voice was pleasant, but his eyes were as cold as a serpent's. "I thought I asked you to keep the children quiet this morning. Marco is dealing with serious matters."
I subtly slid my hand over Leo's drawing, pulling the pad closer to my body. "We are just drawing quietly, Mr. Vance."
Julian walked slowly toward us. His gaze locked onto my hand covering the paper. "Is that so? May I see what our little artist has created today?"
"He’s tired," I said, standing up and placing myself firmly between Julian and Leo. "I was just about to put him down for a nap."
Julian stopped two feet away from me. The warmth completely vanished from his face, replaced by a ruthless sneer. "You are very protective, Meline. But you are far out of your depth. A charity case from Brooklyn has no place in a house like this."
"I know my place, Mr. Vance," I said, holding his gaze without flinching. "Do you know yours?"
Julian’s eyes narrowed into slits. For a long, dangerous second, neither of us moved. Then, he offered a chilling smile.
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"Enjoy your nap, Leo," Julian said quietly, turning on his heel and walking out, leaving the door wide open.
I didn't waste a second. I picked up the drawing, folded it, and tucked it deeply inside the inner pocket of my navy dress. I needed to get this to Marco before Julian realized I knew the truth.
