Mila opened her eyes.
She sat up fast.
The clock read eight fifteen.
She walked to the closet.
Grabbed a white shirt.
Pulled on gray pants.
"Now, this fits perfectly well."
She splashed water on her face.
Dried it hard.
Looked in the mirror once.
"Today I get answers," she whispered.
She opened her door.
Stepped out.
The corridor was empty.
She closed the door softly.
It clicked shut.
She walked down the stairs.
One hand on the rail.
Her shoes made no noise.
"It feels good tho… I'll need to take note of everything." She said to herself silently.
At the bottom she heard voices.
Adrian stepped out of the main hall.
He saw her and waved.
"Mila, good. The board briefing starts now. Your library notes will help."
"Sure." Mila nodded.
Her stomach felt tight.
"Okay. I'm coming."
They walked in together.
Ashley sat at the head of the long table.
She pointed to a chair.
"Sit here, dear."
Mila pulled the chair.
The scraping sound was loud.
She sat down straight and gave a faint smile.
Vivian sat across.
Her red nails tapped the wood.
"Hmmm…. What is she up to?" She whispered to herself looking at Mila.
Two board members sat on the sides.
One adjusted his glasses.
The other opened a thick file.
Adrian cleared his throat.
"Let's start the briefing."
The man with glasses spoke first.
"North property lines. Ledgers from ninety-eight look fine."
Mila opened her folder.
She found the page.
"The river marks the boundary. No change."
Ashley nodded.
"Good work."
Vivian leaned forward.
Her voice cut in.
"But the next page is gone. Nineteen ninety-nine. Mila, you and Adrian found the tear. Any thoughts?"
Mila looked up.
Her fingers gripped the paper.
"It was already torn. Old edges."
"Or torn to hide your father's debt to Reginald. The money. The crash that followed." Vivian smiled thin, interrupting Mila.
The room went still.
Ashley frowned.
"Vivian, business only."
Adrian tapped the table.
"Next item. City investment."
The bearded man read numbers.
"Ten million. Expected return in two years."
They discussed the figures.
Mila wrote every word.
Her pen moved quickly.
Vivian watched her write.
"Nice handwriting, Mila. But you miss the big gaps."
Adrian sighed loud.
"Leave it."
They moved to house repairs.
Ashley asked for costs.
The board member gave old prices.
Mila added, "Ledger shows low cost in ninety-seven."
"Ohhhh Mila …." Vivian laughed softly, "Do you mean ninety-seven. Before everything changed."
Mila bit her lip.
She drank from her water glass.
The water felt cold on her tongue.
They voted on repairs.
All hands went up.
Mila kept hers on the table.
Next they talked about taxes.
The south land.
"Paid on time?" Ashley asked.
"The record is in the missing year ma." The bearded man replied.
Vivian jumped in.
"Again? the missing year. Mila, your father worked numbers back then I guess."
"No. He drove trucks Vivian."
Adrian stood half up.
"Change topic now."
They talked about employee contracts.
New rules.
Mila took more notes.
Her back ached.
She shifted in the chair.
Her foot touched Adrian's.
"Sorry," she whispered.
He smiled small.
Vivian rolled her eyes.
Thirty minutes passed.
Adrian checked his watch.
"Break time. Fifteen minutes. Coffee in the hall."
Chairs scraped back.
People stood.
They walked out.
Mila stood last "mmmm, this is getting interesting."
She pushed her chair in.
Picked up her folder.
In the hall sunlight came through tall windows.
Tables held coffee pots.
Sandwiches on plates.
Ashley talked with the board members.
Adrian took a phone call in the corner.
His voice was low.
Mila walked to the coffee table.
Poured black coffee.
Added two spoons of sugar.
She stirred slowly.
Steam rose hot.
She took a small sip.
Clara the maid passed with a water tray.
"Water, ma'am?"
Mila shook her head.
She remembered Clara's words from the corridor.
"It was—"
The sentence still hung unfinished.
Vivian stepped beside her.
"That missing page, Mila. It shows the debt your father owed. Reginald collected it. The crash was payment. Leave this house today."
Her voice stayed low.
Mila set her cup down hard.
Coffee spilled a drop.
"You know about the crash?"
Vivian shrugged.
"Family knows. Stay out of the files. Shadows come for outsiders too."
She patted Mila's arm once.
Then walked to Ashley.
Started talking about the weather.
Mila's hands shook.
She wiped them on her pants.
Her chest rose and fell fast.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket.
She pulled it out quickly.
Screen lit up.
Text from unknown number.
"Go to the library alone right now. Third shelf from the bottom. Red book with gold letters 'Estate Secrets 1995-2000'. Open the cover. Loose paper inside has proof. The real reason for the accident. Go now. They watch."
Mila read it three times.
Her eyes widened.
She pressed the delete button immediately.
The message vanished.
She put the phone away.
Looked around the hall.
Adrian still talked on the phone.
Ashley laughed with the men.
Vivian glanced once then turned away.
Mila walked to the hall exit.
Steps steady at first.
Then faster.
Her heart was pounding.
She entered the side corridor.
Lights dimmer here.
Cool air touched her face.
She passed the kitchen door.
She did not stop.
She passed the old study.
The door locked tight.
She remembered the envelope inside.
She turned left.
Narrow passage.
Her time felt short.
The library door waited at the end.
Old wood.
Brass handle.
She reached it.
Hand on the knob.
It felt cold.
She turned the knob.
Pushed the door open.
It creaked once.
Mila stepped inside.
The library was empty.
She was completely alone.