The mansion lay shrouded in silence, the weight of the mysterious letter delivered at dinner still pressing down on the Figaro family. Robert Figaro Sr. retreated to his study, locking the door behind him. He poured himself a glass of aged rum, the amber liquid catching the light of the desk lamp. The letter sat on the desk, its contents gnawing at him. The words “The debt must be repaid in full” echoed in his mind.
Who was behind this? And why now?
Meanwhile, Régine couldn’t shake the image of the woman in the locket. The letters in the box spoke of a deep betrayal—something tied to her family’s past. She resolved to confront her mother. With the box clutched tightly to her chest, she made her way to Fernande’s chambers, the creak of the floorboards betraying her every step.
Fernande sat at her vanity, her reflection a portrait of poise, though her thoughts were anything but calm. She had received her own letter that evening, unsigned but chillingly familiar. As she opened her jewelry box to retrieve a piece, she froze. The locket. The very one she had hidden years ago was gone.
When Régine entered, holding the box, Fernande’s heart sank.
“Where did you find this?” Fernande’s voice was steady, but her hands trembled.
“In the west wing,” Régine replied. “Under the floorboards. Who is she, Maman? What do these letters mean?”
Fernande’s gaze fell to the locket, then back to her daughter. “It’s not for you to know,” she said, her voice sharp.
“But it’s about us, isn’t it? About this family?” Régine pressed.
Fernande’s mask of composure cracked. “Leave it alone, Régine,” she said, her tone final. But Régine didn’t miss the fear in her mother’s eyes.
Downstairs, Robert Jr. returned from his meeting, his face pale. He had been followed, and the man’s identity was no longer a mystery. It was Étienne Roche, a former business associate of his father, a man presumed dead years ago after a scandal that nearly took the Figaro empire down with him. Étienne’s return wasn’t a coincidence; it was a declaration of war.
Marie-Elizabeth, meanwhile, found herself pulled into another confrontation. The young diplomat she had met in the garden arrived unannounced, his urgency palpable. “You need to warn your father,” he said, his voice low. “Étienne isn’t working alone. There’s a network. They’re digging into your family’s finances, your connections. Everything.”
“What do they want?” Marie-Elizabeth demanded.
“To destroy him. And anyone in their way.”
Upstairs, Fernande paced her room, her mind spiraling back to a time when she had made decisions out of desperation, decisions that now threatened to unravel everything. She opened her desk drawer and retrieved a sealed envelope. Inside was a photograph of Étienne and a younger version of herself.
The storm that had been brewing for weeks finally broke in the dead of night. A loud crash echoed through the mansion as the front doors were forced open. The servants screamed, and heavy footsteps filled the grand foyer.
Robert Sr. stormed out of his study, his face a mask of fury. “Who dares enter my home uninvited?”
A group of men, dressed in black, stood at the entrance. At their center was Étienne Roche, his smile cold and predatory.
“Robert,” Étienne said, his voice dripping with mockery. “It’s been far too long.”
As the Figaro family gathered at the top of the grand staircase, the reality of their situation became clear. This wasn’t just a vendetta—it was a reckoning.
To be continued…
Next Chapter: The Reckoning
As Étienne’s motives are revealed, the Figaros must confront their past mistakes, uncover buried alliances, and decide how far they’re willing to go to protect their empire.
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