The London Legacy

Evelyn Hart has always loved her routine as a career woman with a promising position. She would wake up in the morning with a cup of Earl Grey tea in hand, observe the hustle and bustle of the city in the early morning from the balcony of her apartment, something she did every day, then walk to the museum where she worked and spend her days amongst the art and history that always amazed her. London is her home, and she can't imagine living anywhere else, but that all changes when a mysterious letter with no information about the sender arrives on her desk.

The letter is sealed in melted red wax with a logo that looks alien to Evelyn, like it's from a different century than the one in which technology and communication have advanced. On the front of the envelope, her full name was written in elegant upright letters: Evelyn Hart. She frowned and felt strange about the existence of a letter addressed to her. No one had ever sent her a letter like this before, not even from her most important colleague. Carefully, she slowly opened the letter and read the contents.

"Miss Hart,

The secrets of the Sterling family are more than just stories. You hold the key to uncovering them, and now the time has come. Meet me at The Sterling Club, 8pm tomorrow. Don't tell this to anyone. You don't know who to trust.

Sincerely, A Friend"

Evelyn stared at the letter with both eyebrows raised, wondering at the ambiguous contents. The Sterling family? The name sounded familiar to her. Of course, who didn't know Alexander Sterling, a billionaire who managed to dominate the tech world at a young age? But what did he have to do with her? And who was the "friend" who wrote this letter? Her feelings were a mixture of curiosity and worry.

"Are you okay, Evelyn?" asked Nora, her coworker who happened to pass in front of the archive room. She saw Evelyn as if she was thinking about something very important until she didn't realize her existence who had been paying attention.

Evelyn hurriedly folded the letter and hid it. "Ah, yes, just a little distracted."

"Alright. Then I'll go back to my desk again. From what I've noticed, you look so worried about something, if there's something you feel is important, don't hesitate to tell me. I have no objection to that."

Evelyn nodded as she watched Nora's departure who began to move away from her. However, throughout her time at the museum, her mind continued to be occupied by the letter. Question after question filled her mind, she still did not know whether she should ignore them or follow the directions in the letter. However, the next night, her curiosity got the better of her and she decided to attend the venue. He could not continue to be plagued by curiosity. It interfered with her thinking and activities during the day.

The Sterling Club was a place that was only accessible to a handful of important people in the city of London. Dressed in a simple black dress and not-so-high wedges, Evelyn stood hesitantly in front of the large wooden doors adorned with many fancy carvings that added to the sense of elegance. A guard looked at her with a sharp and baleful gaze, but after she showed him the letter she was carrying, his expression instantly turned friendly and allowed Evelyn to enter without further question.

The atmosphere inside was very different from what she had imagined. Crystal chandeliers hung from the high ceiling, the whole room was filled with people who looked rich and influential. Evelyn felt like a small fish in the ocean and was surrounded by many sharks. She swallowed and tried to compose herself, the ostracizing stares made her tongue-tied she had never even visited such a luxurious place in her life let alone interacted with them.

"Miss Hart?" a heavy voice came from behind her and managed to startle her. She turned around to find a man around forty years old in a very expensive suit smiling kindly at her. "I'm James, Mr. Sterling's personal assistant. Please follow me."

Evelyn could only nod. They walked through long hallways until they reached a private room. James opened the door slowly, and there, behind a large mahogany desk, sat the dashing Alexander Sterling.

The young man was far more stunning than in the photos Evelyn had seen on social media. His eyes were sharp and confident, but there was something about his face that hinted at weariness. He looked at Evelyn with an expression that was difficult to interpret.

"Ms. Hart," he said, his voice sounding calm but full of authority. "Thank you for accepting my invitation. I know this must seem confusing to you, but I need your help to solve something very important to me."

Evelyn frowned. "Does this have anything to do with the mysterious letter I received?"

Alexander nodded slowly. "It does. But the letter is only the beginning, there is more to it than just the mysterious letter. Miss Hart, you are part of a bigger mystery than you ever imagined."

Evelyn was speechless at Alexander's explanation, both confused and curious. As someone who was used to struggling with logic and facts, she found it hard to believe Alexander's words. "Mystery? What do you mean? I'm just an art researcher, nothing more. I didn't even know you before this, how can I be involved in a mystery?"

Alexander stood up from his chair and walked towards the large window located behind the desk. The view of night London sparkling with lights was clearly displayed there. "My family, the Sterling family, has a secret that has been hidden from the world. A secret that if revealed could destroy everything-including me. And somehow, you are bound to that secret."

Alexander's words left Evelyn speechless. "Bound? How can that be? I don't even know your family."

Alexander looked back at her. "I'm not sure about this either, but there was something in your research at the museum that triggered attention from certain quarters. The document you found in the archive wasn't just an ordinary artifact. It was part of a larger puzzle involving my family."

Evelyn remembers the document in question, an old manuscript with strange symbols that she found a few weeks ago. At the time, she had only thought of it as an interesting ancient document, but nothing more.

"The manuscript?" Evelyn asked. "What's so special about that document?"

"It is a key," Alexander replied. "The key to unlocking the secrets of the Sterling family. Right now I need your help to crack it before someone else discovers and researches it first."

Evelyn felt her heart beating faster than usual. She didn't know what she was facing now, but one thing was certain: her life would never be the same again. She would continue to be tied to the Sterling family for who knows how long.