Chapter 21 - The Ghost in the Mail
The wedding preparations were supposed to be peaceful.
I had specifically requested a small, private ceremony in the backyard of the mansion.
Adrian agreed to everything I wanted, his only condition being that the security perimeter remained absolute.
But peace was a luxury this family rarely got to keep for long.
It was a Tuesday afternoon when the heavy black box arrived.
I was sitting at the kitchen island, going over floral arrangements with Maya.
Evan and Caleb were at the table, doing their math homework under my strict supervision.
The head of security, a towering man named Rhodes who replaced Marcus, walked in with a grim expression.
He placed the box on the marble counter, his hands completely gloved.
"It passed the explosive and chemical scans, Ms. Carter," Rhodes said in a low, tight voice.
"But there is no return address, and the courier vanished before we could get a license plate."
My stomach tightened instantly.
I glanced at the boys, ensuring they were still focused on their fractions, before sliding the box toward me.
"Adrian is at a meeting downtown," I whispered to Rhodes.
"Should we wait for him?"
Rhodes shook his head.
"Protocol says we open it immediately in case it contains a timed threat."
I nodded, grabbing a silver letter opener from the drawer.
I popped the latch, lifting the heavy lid with a trembling hand.
Inside the box wasn't a bomb, or a threat from a rival family.
It was a perfectly preserved wedding veil, made of antique lace.
Resting on top of the delicate fabric was a single, handwritten note on heavy cardstock.
My blood ran completely cold as I read the elegant, looping handwriting.
"A mother always attends her children's milestones."
I stumbled backward, the letter opener clattering onto the marble floor.
Maya jumped up, grabbing my arm to steady me.
"Nia, what is it?" Maya asked, panic leaking into her voice.
I couldn't speak.
I just stared at the box, my mind racing through the impossible.
May you like
The boys' mother, Victoria, wasn't dead.
The woman Adrian had buried five years ago was alive, and she was coming back.
