Chapter 1 - THE DROP OF RED WAX
Emily Carter had learned that pride was expensive.
At twenty-eight, she had spent eleven months working doubles at Bellucci’s, one of Boston’s most private restaurants, because her mother’s assisted-living facility outside Worcester cost $3,800 every month.
She endured rude customers, wandering hands, false complaints, and wealthy people who treated servers like furniture.
But Madeline Cross was different.
For six months, Dominic Russo’s elegant fiancée had barely noticed Emily.
Then, three nights ago, Emily accidentally saw Madeline meeting a stranger inside Room Seven, a private dining room that was supposed to be empty.
On the table between them sat a cream-colored envelope sealed with dark red wax.
Emily heard Madeline say two things she couldn’t forget.
“You said Russo would never see the original.”
And:
“Once Dominic signs on Friday, his father’s trust becomes irrelevant.”
Emily made a noise while backing away.
She thought she escaped unnoticed.
The next morning, Madeline specifically requested her table.
After that, someone accused Emily of stealing $200. Someone reported her for drinking during a shift. Prescription pills appeared inside her locker.
Then Madeline poured an entire glass of red wine down Emily’s white uniform in front of Dominic Russo.
Dominic saw through the lie immediately.
More importantly, he noticed the tiny drop of hardened red wax on Emily’s sleeve.
His family had used that exact dark red sealing wax for decades on private legal documents.
Only Dominic, his attorney, and Dominic’s late father were supposed to have access to the Russo seal.
When Madeline realized what Dominic was staring at, she stopped smiling.
Emily retreated to the employee restroom, where manager Ray admitted someone had gone through her locker again.
Then Emily discovered something worse.
A small brass key she had been carrying in her apron pocket was gone.
She had found that key three nights earlier beneath the table in Room Seven, after Madeline’s secret meeting.
Emily had planned to turn it over to Ray.
Now somebody had taken it.
Downstairs, Dominic quietly confronted Madeline about knowing Emily’s name.
Madeline lied.
Dominic knew she lied.
At 11:18 p.m., Bellucci’s closed.
Emily changed into jeans and a gray sweater.
She told herself she would go home, sleep, and decide tomorrow whether keeping this job was worth destroying her life.
Then she opened her locker.
May you like
And realized whoever had taken the brass key had left something behind.
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