"He really left that house, Miss Evelyn. Not a single soul stood up for him," said Clara, the former housekeeper of the Hartford family, as she handed over a small envelope containing William's forgotten personal belongings.

Evelyn clutched the envelope tightly. Her eyes betrayed a deep worry.

"And where is he staying now?"

Clara lowered her gaze.

"An old house that belonged to his late grandfather, up north. Quiet. No security."

Evelyn nodded slowly.

"Thank you, Clara. I’ll find him."

---

Evelyn drove herself that day, braving the drizzle and narrow streets she rarely passed through. She could hardly believe that William Hartford—the heir to a diamond empire, last year’s...