Chapter 2 - The Second Order in Sebastian's Voice

Tessa looked at Daphne's phone.

Then at Sebastian.

Her wrist was still bruised.

Her voice shook.

"There was another recording."

Sebastian did not move.

"What did it say?"

Daphne stepped forward.

"She's confused."

Sebastian raised one hand.

"Not another word."

The room went silent.

Tessa swallowed.

"The recording said I was not allowed near your private office."

Sebastian's eyes narrowed.

"Why would you be near my office?"

"I clean the west hallway."

"Did you enter?"

"No."

"Then why punish you?"

Tessa looked down.

"Because I found something outside the door."

"What?"

"A flash drive."

Daphne's face changed.

Sebastian saw.

"Where is it?"

Tessa whispered:

"I gave it to Ms. Bell."

Daphne closed her eyes.

Sebastian turned toward his fiancée.

"You took it."

"Yes."

"When?"

"Three days ago."

"And you didn't tell me."

"No."

"What was on it?"

Daphne hesitated.

Sebastian's voice hardened.

"What was on it?"

"Audio files."

"Of me?"

"Yes."

Tessa started crying.

"Not just you."

Sebastian looked at her.

"Who else?"

"The staff."

Silence.

Tessa continued.

"My voice."

"The chef."

"Mr. Dalton from security."

"Mrs. Reyes from housekeeping."

Sebastian looked at his security chief.

Marcus Dalton stood near the door.

Forty-six.

Former police.

He went pale.

"My voice?"

Tessa nodded.

"There was a folder with names."

Sebastian looked at Daphne.

"How many?"

She said nothing.

Tessa answered.

"Twenty-three."

The engagement dinner disappeared around them.

No music.

No champagne.

No celebration.

Sebastian looked at Daphne's phone.

"Give it to me."

She held it tighter.

"No."

His expression changed.

"No?"

"There are private things on it."

Sebastian smiled without warmth.

"So are there on my voice."

Daphne's father, Charles Bell, rose from his chair.

"Sebastian."

Sebastian looked at him.

Charles was sixty-two.

Corporate attorney.

Family adviser.

The man who had negotiated half of Sebastian's legitimate holdings.

"This is not the place."

Sebastian looked around the ballroom.

"Someone used my voice to order a maid punished in my house."

He looked back.

"I think the place found us."

Charles stepped closer.

"Daphne was trying to contain a security breach."

Sebastian's gaze shifted.

"You know about the recordings."

Charles stopped.

Daphne whispered:

"Dad."

Too late.

Sebastian looked at Tessa.

"What punishment did the recording order?"

She pulled her sleeve down instinctively.

Sebastian noticed.

"Tell me."

Tessa whispered:

"Three hours in the basement inventory room."

Marcus frowned.

"That's not punishment."

Tessa looked at him.

"The door locks from outside."

Marcus went still.

Sebastian's face changed.

"Who locked you in?"

Tessa's eyes filled.

"Mr. Pierce."

Sebastian turned.

Evan Pierce.

Assistant security director.

Thirty-eight.

Not in the ballroom.

Sebastian looked at Marcus.

"Where is he?"

Marcus checked his phone.

"Off property."

"Since when?"

"Twenty minutes ago."

Sebastian said:

"Find him."

Marcus left immediately.

Daphne stepped toward Sebastian.

"It wasn't supposed to go that far."

He looked at her.

"You knew."

"I knew Evan had used a recording."

"How many?"

"One."

Tessa shook her head.

Daphne stared at her.

Sebastian saw it.

"Tessa."

She whispered:

"There were six involving me."

Silence.

Sebastian's jaw tightened.

"What did they order?"

"Change my shifts."

"Stay away from guests."

"Do not speak directly to you."

"Give my phone to security during work."

"Clean the basement alone."

She paused.

"And accept discipline without complaint."

Sebastian stared.

"I have never ordered any of those things."

"I know now."

Her voice broke.

"But I heard you say them."

Daphne cried.

"Sebastian, I can explain."

He looked at her.

"No."

"Not yet."

Then he looked at Tessa.

"Why were you targeted?"

She hesitated.

He waited.

Finally:

"Because I saw someone leaving your office."

"Who?"

Tessa looked at Daphne.

Then at Charles.

Neither moved.

Sebastian said:

"Name."

Tessa whispered:

"Your brother."

The room went still.

Sebastian stared.

"Nicholas."

Tessa nodded.

Sebastian's younger brother had disappeared from Chicago fourteen months earlier.

Official story:

Rehab.

Private recovery.

No visitors.

No calls.

Sebastian looked at Daphne.

"You told me Nicholas was in Arizona."

She started crying.

"He was."

"Was?"

"At first."

Sebastian stepped closer.

"Where is my brother now?"

Charles answered.

"In Chicago."

Sebastian turned.

"How long?"

"Seven months."

His face emptied.

"And you hid that from me."

Charles said:

"For your protection."

Sebastian laughed once.

Tessa flinched.

Not because he was loud.

Because he wasn't.

Then Marcus returned.

"Sebastian."

"What?"

"We found Pierce's car."

"Where?"

"Underground garage."

"Pierce?"

"Gone."

"Anything inside?"

Marcus held up a laptop.

"And this."

A small audio recorder.

Sebastian stared.

Marcus continued:

"There's a label."

He turned it around.

VOICE MODEL - S.V.

Sebastian looked at Daphne.

Then Charles.

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Then Tessa.

"Nobody leaves this house."