Caleb was found curled inside a doghouse, shivering beside a dog bowl while Vanessa smiled outside.

I stayed up all night, staring at that key. It was elegant, old, engraved with intricate patterns. Emily’s initials were beautifully worked into the handle.

I thought back over everything I knew about her. The things she kept. The places she hid things. She had always been particular about her belongings. She had a habit of keeping her most precious things where no one would ever look.

"Adrian?"

I looked up. Clara stood in the doorway, holding two mugs of tea. She set one down in front of me.

"You haven’t slept," she said.

"I can’t," I said, running my thumb over the key. "I keep thinking. If this opens a box… where would she keep it? Somewhere safe. Somewhere connected to Caleb."

Clara sat down slowly.

"She told me once," Clara said softly. "She said she kept her most precious things where the heart of the home beats. I thought she meant her jewelry box. But that’s not it, is it?"

My breath caught.

"The house," I said. "Our house. She hid it in the house."

"But Marcus is there," Clara said. "Vanessa is there. They’re watching every inch of it."

"I know," I said. "But we have to go back. Because whatever is in that box… it’s the only thing that can stop them."

"I’m coming with you," Clara said.

"No. Someone has to stay with Caleb. Keep him safe."

Clara hesitated. Then she nodded.

"Be careful. If they catch you…"

"They won’t," I said. "I know that house better than anyone. Including Vanessa."

I waited until the sun was high and the streets were busy. I took a taxi to within a few blocks of home. I walked the rest of the way, keeping my head down, watching for anyone watching the house.

When I reached the street, I stayed in the shadow of the trees. The house looked quiet. Too quiet. The curtains were drawn. Two cars were parked in the driveway—my car, and a black sedan I didn’t recognize.

Marcus was inside.

I moved around to the back. The kitchen window was slightly open, just as Emily had always kept it. I climbed through, heart pounding.

The house was silent. But I could hear voices upstairs. Deep. Angry. Marcus. And Vanessa.

"I told you he would come back for it," Marcus snapped. "He wants what she left behind just as much as we do."

"He won't be stupid enough to walk in," Vanessa said.

"We’ll see. Search the house again. Every inch. If he hid it somewhere, we’ll find it first."

I crept quietly through the hallway. Emily had said she kept her most precious things where the heart of the home beats. The heart of our home had always been the living room. And in that room, there was only one place she truly loved.

The fireplace.

I walked over to the large stone fireplace. I ran my hands along the mantelpiece. Nothing. Then I looked at the hearthstone—the large, flat stone right in front of the fire. It looked slightly loose.

I pulled the silver key from my pocket. There was a small hole drilled into the side of the stone. I inserted the key.

It turned with a satisfying click.

The stone lifted easily. Beneath it lay a small, iron box.

I pulled it out. It was heavy, sealed with wax. Emily’s wax.

"I knew you’d come back."