"It stopped being private when I heard her screaming last night!" Julian shouted, his voice cracking as he pointed toward the end of the hall. "Where is Sofia?!"
Chapter 2: The Name in the Dark
The mention of the name Sofia struck the corridor like an artillery shell.
Arthur's jaw clenched so tight the muscles in his cheek twitched. Eleanor’s eyes narrowed into slits, her crossed arms tightening noticeably against her ribs.
Sofia was Julian’s elder half-sister—the daughter from Arthur’s first marriage who had supposedly "moved to Switzerland" four years ago following a severe nervous breakdown. She had vanished from public life, her name scrubbed from company press releases and family photo albums.
"Sofia is in Geneva, Julian," Eleanor said, though her tone lacked its previous absolute authority. "She is receiving care."
"She’s not in Geneva!" Julian yelled, stepping directly between his parents and the heavy, carved oak door at the end of the hall. "I checked the flight records through my friend at the private terminal. Sofia never boarded that plane four years ago! Her passport was never scanned!"
Julian turned to his father, grasping Arthur’s tailored suit sleeve. "Dad, tell me she's not behind that door. Tell me you didn't lock your own daughter in the basement wing!"
Arthur stared at his son. For a fraction of a second, the iron-willed patriarch looked genuinely defeated. A shadow of profound sorrow crossed his eyes, replacing the anger that had consumed him moments before.
"Julian..." Arthur began, his voice barely a whisper. "You don't understand what happened to her..."
"Look at the door, Dad!" Julian demanded, pulling Arthur closer to the heavy mahogany frame. "Look at the keyhole! There’s fresh scratch marks on the brass! Open this door!"