Chapter 8 - The Woman They Called a Thief
Two guards blocked the service exit.
Nathan stood between them holding a velvet jewelry box.
Claire’s diamond bracelet rested inside.
“We found this in Mia’s room,” he said.
Mia stared at the bracelet.
Claire had used the same trick before.
“This was planted.”
Nathan sighed.
“Open her bag.”
Mia held Harper behind her.
“You need Dominic’s permission.”
“Dominic gave me full authority while he is away.”
One guard searched the bag.
He found cash, clothes, Harper’s medicine and the cracked phone.
No weapon.
Nathan took the phone.
Mia tried to grab it.
The guards restrained her.
Harper screamed.
“Don’t hurt Mommy!”
Nathan handed the child to Claire’s assistant.
Mia fought harder.
Claire arrived wearing a cream dress and an expression of concern.
“Please calm down. You’re frightening Harper.”
“You planted the bracelet.”
“Then stay until Dominic returns and explain.”
Mia looked toward the guards.
They believed they were stopping a thief.
Not helping a kidnapping.
Nathan unlocked the phone.
The recording app remained open.
He saw Claire’s statement.
You will never prove anything.
His face darkened.
“Where is the memory card?”
Mia said nothing.
Nathan searched her pockets.
The card was still inside her shoe.
Harper broke free from the assistant and ran to her mother.
Mia knelt and wrapped both arms around her.
She whispered into Harper’s ear.
“Hide in the laundry room. Stay quiet. When Mr. Dom comes home, tell him the bird opened.”
Harper began sobbing.
“I don’t want you to go.”
“I will come back.”
Nathan pulled Mia upright.
Claire led Harper toward the stairs.
Mia watched until her daughter disappeared.
Then Nathan dragged her toward the basement.
Mia dug her heels into the carpet.
“Every camera will record this.”
Claire walked beside them.
“Not the cameras Nathan controls.”
Inside the stone corridor, Savannah—the house manager’s assistant—waited with rope.
Mia had trusted her.
Savannah looked ashamed.
Nathan opened the wine-cellar door.
Mia turned toward her.
“Harper will tell Dominic.”
Claire smiled.
“A frightened child says many things.”
They tied Mia’s wrists.
Nathan searched her shoes and found the memory card.
He held it up.
“So Lucas did leave something.”
Mia looked at him.
“You killed him.”
Nathan’s expression answered before his mouth did.
Claire pushed Mia into the cellar.
Nathan tossed the cracked phone beneath a wine rack.
“Three days without water will make her story much less convincing.”
The steel door closed.
May you like
The lock clicked.
👉 Nathan believed he had taken Lucas’s evidence, but Harper had removed the tiny brass key from the pendant before Mia was dragged away.
