Ava woke abruptly to the sound of something sharp—a faint clatter, like glass falling to the floor. Her heart raced as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. The room was cold, the air still, save for the sound of her own breath. She turned her head toward the nightstand. The clock's red digits glared back at her: 2:15 AM.
For a moment, she thought she might have imagined it. The mansion had its creaks and groans, an orchestra of unsettling sounds at night. But then she heard it again—a low murmur, soft and elusive, as though carried by the walls themselves.
Pushing back the covers, she slipped out of bed, her bare feet touching the icy floor. Every step felt louder than it should have been as she crept toward the sound. The whispers seemed to grow louder, weaving through the hallways, drawing her closer.
It led her to Alexander's study. The door was slightly ajar, the warm glow of the fireplace casting flickering shadows into the dim corridor. Ava hesitated, her pulse quickening as she pressed herself against the wall.
Peering inside, she saw Alexander sitting with his back to the door. His shoulders were hunched, his hands gripping the arms of the chair tightly, as though holding himself together. Across from him stood a man shrouded in shadows, his dark coat blending into the dimly lit room.
"You can't keep this up forever," the man said, his voice calm but edged with menace. "It's only a matter of time before she finds out."
Alexander didn't reply immediately. His head was bowed, his silence more telling than words.
"You know what they'll do if the truth comes out," the man continued. "This won't just destroy you—it'll destroy her."
Alexander finally spoke, his voice low and unsteady. "Leave her out of this."
The man chuckled, the sound cold and humorless. "You know I can't do that. She's already in the middle of it, whether you like it or not."
Ava's breath hitched, her body tensing as the words sank in. Who was this man? What truth was he talking about?
The conversation ended abruptly as the man turned, slipping through a hidden side door that Ava hadn't noticed before. Alexander stayed where he was, running a hand through his hair in a gesture of frustration. Ava backed away slowly, her heart hammering in her chest, until she was safely out of sight.
---
The next morning, Alexander was gone, leaving only a cryptic note on the dining table:
"I'll return by dusk. Stay inside. Trust no one but me."
Ava stared at the note, her unease mounting. The staff seemed on edge, their whispers and glances heightening her paranoia. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong.
Determined to uncover the truth, she decided to search Alexander's study. The room was a sanctuary of dark wood and leather, the scent of aged whiskey and smoke lingering in the air. She started with the desk, carefully opening drawers, mindful not to leave any trace of her intrusion.
At the bottom of the last drawer, hidden beneath a stack of papers, she found a leather-bound journal with worn pages titled
"Echoes of the unseen"