Chapter 3: Hidden Secrets
By midday, an anxious energy swept through Whitmore House as the staff prepared for an unannounced inspection by Adrian Whitmore. Although the billionaire owner was believed to be in Manhattan, his reputation for absolute perfection forced the household into a state of high alert. Head housekeeper Mrs. Gable paced the grand corridors, meticulously inspecting every surface for the slightest flaw.
In the kitchen, Grace Miller quietly peeled apples while Thomas, an assistant cook, warned her about her earlier act of kindness. He reminded her that security logged every incident, and feeding the vagrant could cost her pay or her job. Thomas explained that Mr. Whitmore viewed employees not as people, but as replaceable parts in a machine, citing his own brother’s experience during corporate layoffs. Though Grace had heard similar rumors regarding the billionaire’s ruthless nature, she often pondered the loneliness of a man who owned vast wealth yet seemed devoid of genuine human connections.
Their conversation was cut short when Mrs. Gable entered with an urgent announcement: Mr. Reed, Adrian’s senior advisor, had messaged that Mr. Whitmore was arriving by helicopter that evening for a surprise weekend audit. She ordered the staff to ensure the entire estate was spotless by 5:00 p.m. Turning to Grace, Mrs. Gable instructed her to deep-clean the third-floor master study, explicitly warning her not to disturb any documents on the executive desk.
Shortly after, Grace entered the dark, imposing study, surrounded by walnut bookshelves and corporate achievements. While dusting near the heavy velvet drapes, her sleeve caught a loose floorboard beneath a side table, shifting it with a quiet click. Hidden in the recess was a black leather ledger, and as Grace moved to cover it, an old photograph slipped from its pages onto the rug.
Grace picked up the photograph and saw a younger Adrian Whitmore alongside an elderly man and a woman whose gentle features bore an uncanny resemblance to Grace’s own family albums. Inscribed on the back in sharp ink were the words: Never forget them.
Before Grace could process the discovery, the heavy doors of the study clicked open. Mrs. Gable stood at the entrance, her expression tightening as she demanded to know what Grace was doing.
