Chapter 11 - THE WATCH
Sophie stared at the magnificent gold watch, her heart skipping a beat.
“What do you mean it wasn't just about the ledger?” she asked, looking at her father’s serious face.
Her father let out a long, heavy sigh. He reached into the wooden box and pulled out a yellowed, folded letter that had been resting beneath the velvet.
“Your mother wasn't just a diplomat’s daughter, Sophie,” he said quietly. “Her maiden name wasn't actually Dubois. It was De Valois.”
Sophie gasped. The De Valois family was one of the oldest royal bloodlines in France, rumored to have gone extinct during the revolution.
“She was the last direct heir to the De Valois estate,” her father explained. “The estate includes a massive, historic vineyard in Provence, sitting on land worth hundreds of millions of dollars. The Russos didn't just want me dead to hide their crimes. They wanted me dead so they could claim the land through a forged deed Camilla’s father had created. But they couldn't claim it as long as the true heirs were alive.”
“Me and Leo,” Sophie realized, her blood running cold. “That’s why Camilla wanted to end the bloodline at the train station.”
Her father nodded. He handed her the yellowed letter. “Your mother wrote this for you before she died. She knew this day would come.”
Sophie unfolded the fragile paper. The elegant handwriting made her throat tight with emotion.
My dearest Sophie,
If you are reading this, it means the darkness has finally passed, and you are safe. I hid our true name to protect you from the greed of men like Vincenzo Russo. But you are a De Valois. The vineyard in Provence is yours. It is where you will find true peace. The key to claiming it is in the watch. I love you forever. — Maman.
Sophie looked down at the heavy gold watch in her lap.
The hands were frozen, permanently stopped at exactly twelve o'clock. Midnight.
“It’s broken,” Sophie said, trying to wind the small dial on the side, but it wouldn't budge.
“It’s not a watch,” a voice said from the doorway.
Alessandro walked in, carrying two cups of tea. He set them down and walked over, his eyes fascinated by the gold object. “My father told me about this. He said Marie carried a compass disguised as a timepiece.”
Alessandro sat beside her. He reached out, his warm fingers covering hers. “Press the crown button and the casing clasp at the exact same time.”
Sophie did as he instructed.
With a soft click, the glass face of the watch popped open like a locket.
Sophie gasped.
Underneath the glass wasn't a clock face. It was a perfectly preserved, hand-painted miniature map of the Provence countryside, with a tiny red ruby embedded in the center, marking the exact location of the ancestral De Valois estate.
“It’s a map to our home,” Sophie whispered, tears spilling over her lashes.
Leo ran into the room, holding his stuffed bear. He climbed onto the sofa, peering into the open gold casing. “Ooh, a treasure map! Are we going on a pirate adventure, Sophie?”
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Sophie laughed, pulling her little brother into her arms, burying her face in his curls.
“Yes, mon petit,” she smiled brightly. “We’re going home.”
