Chapter Fourteen:
Wandering through the mansion, Liza's curiosity got the best of her. She came upon a door slightly opened and realized it led to Theo's room. She hesitated at first, the dark, intimidating aura of the room making her wary, but curiosity pushed her forward. As she entered, she felt a chill run down her spine. Everything in the room was cloaked in black .black sheets, dark walls, heavy curtains drawn tight, keeping out any sign of daylight.
But what really made her stomach twist was a large painting on the wall. Her own face stared back at her, captured in haunting, precise detail. The eyes on the painting seemed to follow her, their intensity mirroring Theo's in a way that unsettled her deeply. Why would he have a painting of her in his private room? She took a shaky breath, pushing down the unease that gripped her.
Determined to understand more, she continued exploring, her gaze drifting to a small table tucked in a corner. On it, she spotted a photograph. It was an old picture of her as a child, her small frame hugged by a smiling boy around her age. She squinted, trying to remember if she had ever known this boy. The sight stirred something faint but familiar within her—a memory just out of reach. Next to the photograph lay a small key, its metal glinting under the dim light.
She picked up the key and left Theo's room, the mystery of it gnawing at her curiosity. She tried it on various doors throughout the mansion, feeling a surge of satisfaction when it finally turned in one particular lock. The door creaked open, revealing a room she hadn't known existed—a shooting range.
The walls were lined with various weapons, their metallic cover under the bright lights making her heart race. Her gaze settled on a handgun lying on a nearby counter. Out of pure curiosity, she reached out, picking it up and feeling its unexpected weight in her hands. She examined it, almost certain it was a fake. But as her fingers ran over the cold metal, she realized it was very real.
A tremor ran through her, and she nearly dropped it before forcing herself to calm down. She took a deep breath, steadying her grip. The firing line and the dummy at the far end of the range drew her in. With a strange sense of hate, she raised the gun, imagining Theo's face on the target.
Her finger hovered over the trigger as she narrowed her focus. Then, in one swift motion, she pulled it. The gun bullet rang through the room, the wave jolting her arm, and the sound echoed around the room. She watched, wide-eyed, as the bullet struck the dummy's head with a precision she hadn't expected.
The sound drew rapid footsteps from the hallway as several bodyguards rushed into the room, alarmed. Their eyes widened at the sight before them: Liza standing with a gun in hand, the smoking barrel still aimed at the head of the dummy, now pierced through.
One guard's voice broke the silence. "Miss… are you all right?" he stammered, his gaze darting between her and the destroyed target.
Liza forced herself to stay calm, lowering the gun as she met their stunned gazes. "I'm fine," she replied coolly, masking the rush of adrenaline that pulsed through her. The gun felt powerful in her hand, and for a brief moment, she felt a spark of control.