Chapter 3: The Hidden Key
That night, Sarah couldn't sleep. Ethan's words echoed in her mind, stirring a mix of fear and curiosity. When the house was quiet, she crept down the hall to her father's study—a place she rarely entered.
The room smelled of leather, old paper, and faintly of the peppermint tea her father loved. Moonlight streamed through the window, casting long shadows across the room. She began searching, carefully opening drawers, flipping through books, and examining the contents of the desk.
Hours passed with no success. Frustrated, Sarah leaned against the desk, her hand brushing against a loose floorboard. Her heart leapt. Could this be it?
She pried the board loose, revealing a small wooden box hidden beneath. Trembling, she opened it. Inside lay an ornate brass key and a faded photograph.
The photo showed her father, younger and smiling, standing beside a woman Sarah didn't recognize. The back of the photo bore an inscription in her father's handwriting: "To my dearest Eleanor. Always and forever."
Sarah stared at the name. Her mother's name was Grace—not Eleanor.
Her thoughts raced. Who was Eleanor? And why would her father keep this a secret?
Before she could process her discovery, a sharp knock at the front door shattered the silence.