Chapter 7 - The Stablehand’s Secret
Clara sprinted toward the estate stables, ignoring the burning pain in her bruised back. The morning mist hung heavy over the sprawling pastures of the Vance property. Inside the grand stable, horses whinnied nervously as the storm outside began to brew. She found Leo, the seventeen-year-old stablehand, stacking hay bales near the back stall. He looked up, startled, his face pale and anxious. Before Clara could even catch her breath, Leo confessed everything. He admitted that Julian had been using him as a messenger, forcing him under threat of violence to deliver packages and monitor the staff's movements. Leo handed Clara a crumpled piece of paper—a physical photograph showing Julian cornering another young woman in the very same hallway months ago. The date on the photo proved that this wasn't a random occurrence, but a systematic pattern of abuse that the entire estate had turned a blind eye to for years. Suddenly, the heavy wooden doors of the stable slammed shut. Heavy footsteps echoed down the aisle. Arthur appeared from the shadows, his expression dark and stormy. He had tracked Clara’s phone signal, but the look in his eyes wasn't anger at her—it was absolute devastation as he looked at the photograph in her hands.
