Chapter 3 - The Private CellarAt exactly 7:14 p.m., Caroline disappeared from the ballroom.
She moved through a private corridor and descended a narrow staircase hidden behind a decorative wall.
The farther she went, the quieter the mansion became.
At the bottom was Arthur's private wine cellar.
The room looked more like a museum than a storage facility.
Ancient bottles rested behind reinforced glass. Temperature-controlled cabinets lined the stone walls. A sophisticated security system protected Arthur's most valuable collection.
Caroline entered a private code.
Then she pressed her thumb against the biometric scanner.
The lock clicked.
Inside the cabinet was Arthur's personal reserve.
Caroline stared at the decanter.
For several seconds, she simply stood there.
Perhaps some final fragment of conscience remained.
Then she remembered the debts.
The failed investments.
The offshore accounts.
The life she believed she deserved.
And the inheritance that would solve everything.
Her hesitation vanished.
She opened her designer clutch.
Inside was a small vial.
Caroline looked toward the security camera.
She believed it was disabled.
She was wrong.
A tiny indicator light remained active.
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Elena was watching.
And every second of Caroline's betrayal was being recorded.
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