Chapter 2: The Locked Nursery

The gala ended without music.

Guests were escorted from the estate one group at a time after security recorded their names and contact information.

No one complained.

The Vance family had enough power to silence almost anyone.

But by midnight, photographs of Isabella slapping Maya had already appeared online.

The perfect family image was beginning to crack.

Upstairs, Sebastian stood outside the nursery while a security technician worked on the electronic lock.

Isabella waited at the far end of the hallway, wrapped in a silk robe.

“You are turning a private misunderstanding into a public disaster,” she said.

Sebastian did not look at her.

“You struck an employee holding our child.”

“She provoked me.”

“She told you not to hurt him.”

“I did not hurt him.”

Sebastian finally turned.

“There was a mark on his arm.”

“It was nothing.”

“To you.”

Isabella folded her arms.

“You have never spent an entire day caring for him. You appear for photographs, hold him for ten minutes, and then disappear into your office.”

Pain flashed across Sebastian’s face.

She had struck the one place where he knew he was guilty.

He had provided everything except time.

Maya stood beside the nursery door with the baby sleeping against her shoulder.

A red outline from Isabella’s hand remained on her cheek.

Sebastian noticed it.

“I’m sorry,” he said.

Maya looked surprised.

Men like Sebastian Vance rarely apologized to employees.

“You didn’t hit me,” she replied.

“But I created a house where she believed she could.”

Before Maya could respond, the technician opened the control panel.

“Sir, there’s a problem.”

“What kind?”

“The nursery cameras were disconnected from inside the room three weeks ago.”

Sebastian’s eyes moved to Isabella.

She gave a short laugh.

“Then your security system is not as advanced as you claim.”

The technician shook his head.

“It wasn’t a failure. Someone entered the administrator code.”

“Who has that code?” Sebastian asked.

“You, Mrs. Vance, and Mr. Harland.”

Thomas Harland was Sebastian’s chief of staff.

He had served the Vance family for fifteen years.

Isabella’s expression softened slightly.

“Then perhaps you should question Thomas instead of attacking your wife.”

The nursery door opened.

The room looked perfect.

White furniture.

Soft gold stars painted across the ceiling.

Shelves filled with expensive toys the baby was too young to use.

Maya placed the infant in his crib.

He moved restlessly but did not wake.

Sebastian walked to the cabinet beside the changing table.

It was locked.

“Open it,” he said.

Maya shook her head.

“I don’t have the key.”

Isabella remained in the hallway.

“That cabinet contains private medical supplies.”

“For my son?”

“For me.”

Sebastian held out his hand.

“The key.”

“No.”

It was the first time she had openly refused him.

He stepped closer.

“The key, Isabella.”

Her chin trembled.

Then she reached into her robe and placed a small silver key in his palm.

Inside the cabinet were diapers, creams, feeding bottles, and several boxes of medication.

Most were common prescriptions.

One box was not.

The name on the label matched the manufacturer printed on the bottom of the glass vial.

Sebastian removed the bottle.

The prescription belonged to Isabella.

Maya read the warning.

“Sedative,” she whispered.

Isabella entered the room.

“I have trouble sleeping.”

Sebastian opened the bottle.

It was almost empty.

“When was this filled?”

“Two weeks ago.”

“How many have you taken?”

“I don’t count every pill.”

Maya looked at the bottle, then at the infant.

“Mr. Vance, the baby has been unusually sleepy after his evening feeding.”

Isabella’s head snapped toward her.

“You said nothing about that.”

“I told you three times.”

“You told me he was adjusting to a schedule.”

“You told me not to call the pediatrician.”

Sebastian’s voice became low.

“Why?”

Isabella stared at him.

Her confidence weakened.

Then a man appeared in the doorway.

Thomas Harland.

He was sixty years old, silver-haired, and always perfectly dressed.

Even after midnight, his tie remained straight.

“You asked for me, sir?”

Sebastian held up the medicine.

“Did you disconnect the cameras?”

Thomas looked at Isabella.

It lasted less than a second.

But Sebastian saw it.

“No, sir.”

“You know the consequences of lying to me.”

“I do.”

Sebastian stepped closer.

“Then answer again.”

Thomas remained silent.

Isabella suddenly moved toward him.

“Thomas, don’t.”

The room froze.

Sebastian looked from his wife to his chief of staff.

“What exactly are you protecting?”

Thomas lowered his eyes.

“Not what,” he said.

“Who.”

A soft beep came from the baby monitor.

Maya turned toward the crib.

The infant’s breathing had become shallow.

She rushed to him.

“Call an ambulance!”

Sebastian grabbed his phone.

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Isabella backed against the wall.

And as Maya lifted the unresponsive baby from the crib, a second medicine vial rolled out from beneath the mattress.