Chapter 10 - The Broken Glass In The Grand Foyer
The sudden, violent crash from downstairs shattered the quiet intimacy of the archive room like a hammer hitting plate glass.
Luca’s eyes snapped open, his body instantly tensing as he pulled back from me, his hand dropping automatically to his side. Before I could even draw a breath, he was moving toward the door, throwing it wide open and stepping out into the dark second-floor hallway overlooking the grand marble foyer.
"Stay here," Luca ordered, his voice dropping into a harsh whisper as he unbuttoned the cuffs of his shirt to roll them back further, revealing the full span of his tattooed forearms.
"Luca, wait—" I started, grabbing my canvas bag from the table and following him out into the hall despite his warning.
Below us, the bright crystal chandelier illuminated a scene of chaos. The heavy glass display case that had been set up near the front doors to showcase the newly restored vintage wedding dress was completely shattered. Shards of thick safety glass were scattered across the polished marble floor like diamonds caught in the light. The custom velvet mannequin stood empty, the ivory lace gown gone from its pedestal.
"Someone broke in through the side garden door," I whispered, gripping the wooden banister as I looked down at the empty stand. "The lock was rusted; Mrs. Gable mentioned it last week."
Luca didn't answer. His face had gone completely dark, his jaw clenching so hard a muscle twitched in his cheek. He didn't look like a grieving son or a betrayed fiancé anymore; he looked like a man pushed to the absolute edge of his patience. He vaulted over the wrought-iron banister, dropping lightly onto the marble floor below with a heavy thud, his eyes scanning the shattered glass for tracks.
"They didn't just steal the dress," Luca said, his voice echoing coldly against the high vaulted ceiling as he knelt down beside the empty display case and picked up a single torn thread of blue embroidery left behind on the jagged glass. "They're trying to destroy the last piece of proof."
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I hurried down the grand staircase, my shoes crunching softly on the glass shards as I rushed to his side. Luca stood up slowly, holding the tiny thread of blue silk in his palm. He looked up at me, his eyes burning with an intense, unwavering resolve.
"They think they can erase what happened," Luca said, reaching out with his free hand to catch mine, his fingers interlacing tightly with mine amidst the wreckage. "They're wrong. We're going to find whoever sent them, and we're going to finish what my mother started."
