Isadora's heart raced as she stood in her room, her mind consumed by unsettling thoughts. The cryptic message on the paper had unleashed a torrent of questions. Who had lived in her room before? What had happened to them? And why did they leave behind such a chilling message?
Fear crept over her, making her skin crawl. She couldn't shake the feeling that she might be the next victim. The message seemed to echo the ominous dream she had had, leaving her with a sense of foreboding.
Determined to uncover the truth, Isadora made up her mind to investigate further. She knew exactly what she had to do as soon as she dropped the girls off at school. She would start digging into the secrets of the Sterling mansion, no matter how dangerous it might seem.
When it was time to leave, Isadora accompanied the girls to the car, where Marcus was waiting at the wheel.
Piper, noticing Isadora's presence, exclaimed, "Aunty, I'm so relieved you're okay!" Isadora smiled reassuringly and replied, "I'm fine, don't worry, sweetie."
Piper continued, "Will you be picking us up from school today?"
Isadora nodded, "Yes, of course, I will." Piper's face lit up with a smile.
Isadora then turned her attention to Sophia, who seemed completely disinterested, a trait that had become increasingly familiar over the past few days. Sophia had barely spoken to Isadora, only acknowledging her presence during school drop-offs and pick-ups. The distance between them was visible, and Isadora couldn't help but feel a little bit said.
As they drove back home after dropping off the girls, Marcus broke the silence, clearing his throat before speaking. "I want to apologize for putting you in that difficult situation yesterday," he said, his tone contrite.
Isadora's response was laced with skepticism. "Why are you apologizing? I assumed you wanted Maxwell to treat me that way, that's why you told him."
Marcus's expression turned sincere. "No, that's not true. I had no idea he would react that way, and I deeply regret it. Perhaps I should have asked you first."
Isadora's voice softened. "You should have, but I don't blame you. I was also at fault, so it's okay."
Marcus's tone filled with gratitude. "You're kind to understand. Thank you."
Isadora's response was brief. "It's fine, I'm good."
The rest of the drive home was spent in silence, as they were both lost in their collective thoughts.
As soon as Isadora arrived home, she sought out Miss Agnes in the garden. "Hello, Miss Agnes," Isadora greeted her.
Miss Agnes smiled warmly. "Hi, Isadora. How are you feeling today?"
"I'm doing well, thank you," Isadora replied. "How have you been?"
Miss Agnes's expression turned concerned. "I've been worried about you, dear. We all were frightened by what happened yesterday."
Isadora brushed it off. "I'm fine, really. An electric lamp fell on my head while I was searching for something."
Miss Agnes's eyes narrowed slightly. "But why were your clothes covered in so much blood?"
Isadora's eyes widened in surprise. "How did you know that?"
Miss Agnes chuckled. "Who do you think changed your clothes, dear? Maxwell informed me about your situation and asked me to replace your blood-stained clothes before you were rushed to the hospital."
Isadora's eyes widened in realization. "Oh, I hadn't thought of that."
Mrs. Agnes pressed Isadora for the truth, "What really happened, dear?"
But Isadora downplayed it, "It's nothing, just the lamp's fault." Mrs. Agnes nodded, sensing there was more to the story, but didn't push further.
Isadora changed the subject, "Mrs. Agnes, can I ask you something?"
Mrs. Agnes encouraged her, "Go ahead, dear."
"Was someone living in my room before I arrived?" Isadora asked, her curiosity aroused.
Mrs. Agnes hesitated, "Yes, someone was, but we're not allowed to discuss it."
Isadora's eyes narrowed, "Why the secrecy?"
Mrs. Agnes reiterated, "We're forbidden from talking about it, dear."
Isadora's mind raced, "Something must be wrong." She didn't push further, "Okay, it's fine."
Mrs. Agnes asked, "What made you suspect someone lived here before?"
Isadora brushed it off, "Just a guess." Mrs. Agnes sensed something was amiss but let it go.
As Isadora prepared to leave, Mrs. Agnes mentioned, "My daughter spoke to you, didn't she?" Isadora confirmed, "Yes, she did." With a nod, Isadora bid farewell and headed to her room, her mind still puzzling over the mysterious occupant.
When it was time to pick up the girls from school, Isadora accompanied Marcus as usual. On their way back, Piper persistently asked Isadora for candy, so they stopped at a store.
While Sophia and Marcus waited in the car, Isadora and Piper entered the shop. As they were paying for the treats, Piper suddenly tugged on Isadora's arm. "What's wrong, sweetie?" Isadora asked.
"I saw Uncle Liam," Piper said, her voice trembling.
"Who's that, and where?" Isadora asked, scanning the area.
Piper pointed, but when Isadora looked, there was no one. "Piper, there's no one there," she said reassuringly.
But Piper insisted, "I saw him!" Isadora told her to ignore it, but when she turned back to pay, Piper tugged her arm again.
"Look, Uncle Liam!" Piper said, pointing towards the exit.
Isadora looked, but again, there was no one. "Piper, there's no one there. Are you okay?" she asked, starting to worry.
Piper clung to Isadora, looking scared. "Aunty, I saw him," she whispered.
Isadora tried to calm her down, "Piper, it's okay. There's no one there."
After paying, they left the shop and returned to the car. Isadora was perplexed by the incident and wondered what was happening. Piper looked sad and scared, but Isadora didn't press her for answers.
When they got home, everyone went to their rooms. Isadora entered hers, sighed, and screamed into her pillow, feeling overwhelmed and confused.
Isadora sought out Mrs. Agnes once again, determined to uncover the truth. She found her in the garden, tending to the flowers. As she approached, Mrs. Agnes turned and greeted her with a warm smile.
"Hello again, dear. What brings you here again?" Mrs. Agnes asked.
"I need to ask something," Isadora said, going straight to the point. "Do you know anyone named Liam?"
Mrs. Agnes's expression turned solemn. "Liam was Maxwell's brother, the youngest of the Sterling brothers."
Isadora's eyes widened in surprise. "Where is he now?" she asked, sensing a hint of sadness in Mrs. Agnes's tone.
Mrs. Agnes's eyes welled up with tears. "Liam passed away last year. It was a tragic loss for the family."
Isadora gasped as her mind raced with questions. "Could Piper have seen a ghost?" she wondered, her thoughts running wild with possibilities.