Chapter 4 - CHLOE LISTENS
Chloe never meant to hear the call.
That was what she told me later.
She had been carrying folded linen past the small sitting room near Gwen’s suite when she heard her name.
Not Chloe’s name.
Mine.
Franklin.
Gwen was speaking in a low voice behind a half-closed door.
Chloe would have walked away if Gwen had not said:
“He’s meeting Samuel on Monday.”
Chloe stopped.
She knew Samuel.
Everyone in the house knew Mr. Price was my attorney.
Then Gwen said something about the will.
Then tonight.
Then last chance.
Chloe did not understand everything.
She understood enough to become afraid.
Most people think courage appears as confidence.
Chloe’s courage looked like trembling.
She stood outside that door holding clean towels while the woman who signed her paychecks spoke in a voice Chloe had never heard before.
Polished.
Angry.
Certain.
“She thinks nobody believes staff,” Gwen said on the recording.
That line struck me harder than I expected.
Because I knew it was true.
Gwen had been slowly separating me from the staff for months.
Mrs. Alvarez, who had run my kitchen since Eleanor was alive, was dismissed after Gwen accused her of disrespect.
My driver was reduced to part-time.
My personal secretary left after Gwen said I needed “more privacy.”
Chloe remained because she was young, quiet, and easy to overlook.
Gwen made a mistake there.
She mistook quiet for empty.
After hearing the call, Chloe did not confront her.
She recorded what she could.
Then she went to the kitchen and watched Gwen prepare my evening tray.
She could not see everything.
She did not need to.
Gwen carried the glass herself.
That alone was strange.
Gwen never carried trays.
She entered my study smiling and said:
“You’ve been working too long. Drink something and come upstairs.”
I thanked her.
I meant it.
She touched my shoulder.
Her hand felt cool through my shirt.
Then she left.
May you like
Five minutes later, Chloe came through the door like fear had finally become stronger than obedience.
And now Gwen was outside that same door, turning the handle.
