Chapter 5 Underneath the Silence

The next morning, Ava didn't go downstairs for breakfast. She sat on her bed with her laptop open, eyes darting across the screen as she searched for more about Elena Ross-or rather, Elena Wescott, her maiden name.

There wasn't much-too little for someone who had lived through two marriages, court battles, and a high-profile estate inheritance. It was like Elena had curated her digital footprints... meticulously.

But Ava wasn't one to stop at dead ends.

She cross-referenced Daniel Ross's family, hoping for a trail. Then-finally-a hit.

An old blog post, archived under a now-defunct family site, written by Daniel's younger sister, Miriam:

"Elena was never who she pretended to be. My brother trusted her. Loved her. But in the final year of his life, he became a shadow of himself. We all saw it. Something happened behind those doors. Something no one talks about because it's easier to bury the truth than face it."

Ava shivered.

She clicked again-the post had been deleted two weeks after it was published.

Downstairs

Ava decided to confront the silence head-on.

She found her father reading in the conservatory, sunlight pouring over his face, casting him in gold. He looked peaceful. Too peaceful for the storm brewing above him.

"Dad," she said, her voice steady but careful. "Can I ask you something... personal?"

Thomas set his book down. "Always."

"Did you know Elena was married before you?"

His brow furrowed, confused. "Yes. She told me. Her husband died tragically. It was a car accident."

"She didn't tell you about the estate battle?"

He shook his head slowly. "No. What are you getting at?"

Ava hesitated. "I'm worried. About her. About you. Things don't... feel right."

Thomas leaned forward. "Ava, listen to me. I know you're still grieving your mother, and I know this has been hard for you, but Elena is not the enemy. She has been nothing but kind to this family."

Kind. Carefully kind. Calculatedly kind.

"She's hiding something," Ava whispered.

Thomas exhaled heavily. "We all have parts of our past we don't talk about. Including me. But I need you to trust that I made this choice with clarity."

Ava studied him-his eyes were firm, but not closed. He believed what he was saying. He wanted it to be true.

Maybe that was the problem.

Later That Day – A Knock at the Door

The housekeeper entered Ava's room with a small box. "This came for you, Miss."

Ava took it with a puzzled frown. It was unmarked, no sender.

Inside: a flash drive.

No note.

She plugged it into her laptop cautiously. One video file.

She clicked play.

A grainy video filled the screen-clearly from a hidden camera. The setting looked familiar... a sleek kitchen, marble countertops. A man-Daniel Ross-stood arguing with someone off-screen.

Then the voice.

Elena.

"You think you can leave me? After everything I've done for you?" she hissed.

Daniel's face was flushed. "You're not well, Elena. I'm not safe here anymore."

"You're not going anywhere," she snapped.

The video ended abruptly.

Ava sat frozen. Her hand trembled.

She checked the file's properties-dated just weeks before Daniel's death.

Who had sent this?

And why now?

She didn't know.

But one thing was clear-

Elena wasn't just hiding something.

She was hiding who she really was.

And Ava had just opened a door that might never close.