Chapter 4 - THE HOUSEKEEPER'S EVIDENCE
In the chaos that followed, Julian made a swift motion to two of his personal bodyguards standing near the perimeter wall. The men immediately reached into their jackets and stepped toward Vance's location on the balcony.
"Stop right there," Ethan ordered, his voice ringing across the ballroom.
Harrington Global security officers—loyal to Ethan—instantly stepped in front of Julian's men, weapons drawn beneath their suits.
The ballroom descended into an tense standoff. Guests began shrinking back against the walls, terrified that shots would be fired beneath the crystal chandeliers.
Nora, the housekeeper, held Lily tightly in her arms, backing toward the kitchen service entrance. "Ethan," she called out softly.
Ethan looked toward her. Nora had worked at the Harrington Estate for twelve years. She had cleaned his late mother's quarters; she had been there the night Ethan's grandfather had passed away.
"Nora, get Lily out of here," Ethan said gently. "Take her upstairs to my private quarters. It's safe there."
"Wait," Nora said, her hands trembling as she pulled something from the apron pocket of her uniform. "Mr. Ethan... before you lock anyone up, you need to see this."
Ethan walked over to Nora. The housekeeper held out an old, brass-bound key attached to a faded leather tag bearing the number 402.
"What is this?" Ethan asked.
"Your grandfather gave that to me three days before he died," Nora whispered, keeping her voice low so the surrounding guests couldn't hear. "He told me that if Arthur Vance ever returned, or if Julian ever tried to force you into a marriage, I was to give this to you. It opens the vault beneath the old conservatory."
Ethan took the brass key. His eyes shifted from the heavy metal in his palm to his uncle on the terrace.
Julian had noticed the key. His eyes widened slightly—the first genuine sign of fear on his face all night.
"Give me that key, Ethan," Julian said, his voice losing its calm veneer, replaced by a desperate, sharp edge. "That belongs to the board."
"This belonged to my grandfather," Ethan replied coldly.
"Ethan, listen to me," Julian stepped down the terrace stairs, his hands raised in a gestures of fake reconciliation. "You think Vance is your savior? Vance is working for foreign investors who want to break Harrington Global into pieces! That key opens records that will destroy this company! It will ruin your father's legacy!"
"My father's legacy was built on honesty," Ethan said. "Yours was built on quiet bribes and fake pregnancies."
Ethan turned to his head of security, a towering man named Briggs. "Clear the ballroom. Get every guest into their cars. Confiscate all media footage from the hired photographers. Nobody leaves the estate gates until I come up from the vault."
"Yes, Mr. Harrington," Briggs replied.
As security began guiding the panicked three hundred guests toward the front foyer, Victoria tried to crawl toward Ethan, grabbing the hem of his trousers.
"Ethan, please! I was scared! Julian threatened my father's business if I didn't help him!"
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Ethan didn't even look down at her. He pulled his leg back from her grip.
"Briggs," Ethan said quietly. "Keep Victoria in the study. Don't let her touch a phone."
