"Hold on, he asked for a hidden room? What's he planning, some kind of evil hideout?" Chloe's voice came through the phone sounding carefree as usual.
I chuckled brushing my hair with my fingers. "I'm not sure, Chloe, but something seems off. I feel like I'm getting pulled into a bigger situation."
Chloe let out a breath. "You've always been great at figuring things out, Elena, but this sounds intense. Are you sure you're not just reading too much into it?"
"I wish that was true," I replied looking at the unfinished walls around me as I stood near the site. "I'm at the construction site now, and things here... they don't seem right. Something's not adding up."
"What do you mean? Like spooky not right?"
"Not spooky exactly, but troubling. People keep warning me. Even Alexander—he's not telling me everything Chloe. I can sense it."
Chloe paused before answering. "Listen why don't I join you there and we'll investigate together? Two minds work better than one, don't they?"
"Thanks, I'd like that," I replied happy to have company. "A second set of eyes would help."
Chloe joined me at the construction site fifteen minutes later. Her vibrant outfit contrasted with the site's dull colors and dust.
"Alright show me what's troubling you," she said as she fell in step beside me.
We walked through the building together. I showed her some changes Alexander had made to the plans. "Look at this part of the foundation," I said pointing. "These strange symbols are carved into the cement. They weren't here before."
Chloe stooped to check the markings. "Are these runes or something?"
"I have no clue," I said with a frown. "The original plans didn't show them."
At that moment, a builder came over to us looking worried and tense. "You shouldn't be here," he said in a hushed tone glancing around. "And it's best not to ask questions."
Chloe cocked her head. "That's not very discreet."
I folded my arms feeling uneasy and irritated. "What's the problem? As the main planner, I have every right to be on this site."
The man shook his head fast. "You don't get it. This place has things you should leave alone."
"What things?" I pushed, not ready to give up. "You need to explain what's going on here."
He glanced around once more before he lowered his voice. "I warned you, don't get involved. People who look too close... they don't survive. And Isabella, she learned that the hard way."
My heart jumped when he said her name. "Isabella Voss? How is she tied to this?"
Before he could reply, Chloe yelled. "Elena, come here! You need to check this out."
I hurried to her location, in the building's basement depths. Piles of gear hid an old rusty door secured with a thick chain.
"This wasn't on the original blueprints either," I said touching the cold metal. "What's behind this door?"
Chloe tried to yank the chain, but it didn't move. "Should we open it, do you think?"
Before I could reply, the same construction worker we saw earlier hurried over, his eyes filled with terror. "No! Stay away from that door. It must remain locked. You don't want to see what's inside."
Chloe and I exchanged glances, but I moved away. "Why? What's in there?"
He shook his head again. "Just ignore it. Some things should stay hidden."
I frowned feeling even more uneasy than before. "This project gets stranger every day."
My phone vibrated in my pocket interrupting the moment. I took it out and saw another text: "Don't open the door. It's not what you expect."
I gulped. Someone knew too much about me. But why?
"You showed up without an invitation," Alexander said in an icy voice as he opened the door to his massive modern apartment.
"I won't go until you tell me what's happening," I insisted walking in without asking. "What's the deal with that website? And what went down with your mom?"
Alexander's expression grew grim. He shut the door behind me moving slowly and . "Elena, you shouldn't get mixed up in this."
I held my position refusing to let his scary presence scare me off. "I'm involved. You've had me working on that site making things that don't add up, and now I'm getting alerts weird messages—people are telling me to quit asking questions. What are you keeping secret?"
Alexander clenched his jaw. He walked to the window gazing at the city as if he could find the answers there. "You wouldn't get it."
"Give it a shot," I said, my voice quieter now. "What happened to Isabella? Is it linked to the secret room you asked for?"
He didn't look back, but his shoulders stiffened. "Isabella... my mother... they're involved in something you can't even begin to understand."
I moved closer. "What are you talking about? How big is this thing?"
Alexander faced me, his eyes showing both rage and grief. "Some secrets should stay hidden, Elena. I'm warning you, for your own safety, quit investigating."
"I can't," I said softly. "Not when I know there's more to uncover. I'm in too deep now."
Just as he opened his mouth to speak, someone rang the doorbell. Alexander's face turned white, and he moved to the door with rigid steps.
He pulled the door open revealing a man I knew right away. The same guy from Isabella's funeral photo—the one in the background. He entered eyeing us with a cold calculating gaze.
"So, she's in the loop," the man said grinning as he looked from Alexander to me.
My chest thumped as I glimpsed Alexander, who seemed like he'd seen a spirit.
"Who's this guy?" I asked backing up a step.
The man didn't reply, but his eyes showed a hint of dark amusement. "I think it's time she learned the whole truth, don't you?"
Alexander's face turned pale. He looked at me with a mix of fear and sadness, and at that moment, I realized I was in deep trouble.
Before anyone could speak again, the man's grin widened, and he stared right at me. "Welcome to the family secrets Elena. I hope you're prepared."