The estate followed its usual morning routine.
Staff entered through the side gate. Deliveries arrived and were logged without pause. The sky was clear and bright over the courtyard, with light spreading evenly over the stone and glass. Nothing in the day's structure showed strain.
Gio stopped at the side entrance before going further into the house. He took off his gloves, put them in his coat pocket, and checked his phone.
Two new emails.
The sender address was unfamiliar. No name attached. No signature.
The subject lines were brief—Draft. Invoice.
He did not open his emails right away. Instead, he walked down the quieter back hallway and entered the smaller sitting room, which he used as his workspace when he needed privacy. He closed the door behind him, but did not lock it, and sat at the narrow desk under the window.
Then he unlocked the screen.
He opened the first email.
There was no greeting or introduction. Only one attachment.
He downloaded the file and opened it.
