The morning after my unsettling encounter with Andrea, I woke to a stillness that seemed to cling to every corner of the mansion. The sun streamed through the curtains, but it did little to warm the icy feeling in my chest. I hadn't slept much, haunted by questions that refused to let me rest.
Andrea's words from the night before echoed in my mind. You shouldn't be out here. It's not safe. Safe from what? From who?
I decided I couldn't sit idly any longer. If I was going to survive in this web of secrets, I needed answers. And those answers weren't going to come from Andrea. If anything, he was part of the problem.
The mansion had a library—an expansive room filled with dusty bookshelves and an air of forgotten grandeur. It was the one place I figured I could search without drawing too much attention. If Peter or Andrea caught me snooping, I could always claim I was just looking for something to read.
The library was empty when I arrived, the faint smell of leather and aging paper greeting me as I stepped inside. I closed the door behind me and began scanning the shelves, unsure of what I was even looking for.
Minutes turned into hours as I searched, pulling books at random and flipping through their pages. Most were harmless—histories of art, collections of poetry, and dry academic texts. But then I stumbled across a small, unmarked book tucked behind a row of encyclopedias.
The cover was plain, the leather cracked with age. My fingers trembled as I opened it, revealing pages filled with handwritten notes. The ink was faded in places, but the words were legible enough.
What I read made my blood run cold.
The book was a ledger—names, dates, and amounts of money exchanged. But these weren't business transactions. They were payments for something far more sinister.
"Eliminations" was the word written at the top of the first page.
I flipped through the pages, my heart pounding as I read name after name. Each one was accompanied by a date and a price, along with brief notes:
"Political rival—handled discreetly."
"Business competitor—made to look like an accident."
"Loose end—removed."
The further I read, the more nauseous I became. This wasn't just a family with a criminal empire. This was a family that murdered to protect their power.
And then I saw it—my mother's name.
The entry was dated years ago, shortly after my father had disappeared from our lives.
"Allegiance questionable. Surveillance initiated."
My hands trembled as I turned the page, desperate to see if there was more. But before I could, the door to the library creaked open.
I froze, clutching the book to my chest as footsteps echoed across the room.
"Tiana?"
It was Andrea.
I shoved the ledger behind a stack of books and turned to face him, forcing a smile onto my face. "What are you doing here?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
"I could ask you the same thing," he said, his eyes narrowing.
"I was looking for something to read," I lied, gesturing to the books scattered on the table in front of me.
Andrea didn't look convinced. He took a step closer, his gaze sweeping over the table. "You've been in here a while," he said. "Find anything interesting?"
"No," I said quickly. Too quickly.
His eyes locked onto mine, and for a moment, I thought he might call my bluff. But then he smiled—a cold, calculating smile that sent a shiver down my spine.
"Be careful what you read, Tiana," he said. "Not everything in this house is meant for your eyes."
With that, he turned and left, leaving me shaken and more determined than ever to uncover the truth.
That night, I couldn't sleep. The ledger's contents haunted me, and my mother's name was burned into my mind. What did "allegiance questionable" mean? Was she in danger? Or worse, had she already been harmed because of it?
I decided I had to confront her.
Slipping out of my room, I made my way through the mansion's dark hallways, avoiding the creaking floorboards as best I could. My mother's room was on the other side of the house, and I prayed she would be alone.
When I reached her door, I hesitated, my hand hovering over the doorknob. What if she denied everything? What if she was part of it?
Before I could overthink it, I opened the door and stepped inside.
My mother was sitting by the window, her outlined by the moonlight. She turned when she heard me, her expression a mixture of surprise and worry.
"Tiana," she said, standing. "What are you doing here?"
"I need to talk to you," I said, closing the door behind me. "I found something. In the library."
Her face paled. "What did you find?"
"A ledger," I said. "With names. Dates. Payments for… for killings. And your name was in it."
Her eyes widened, and for a moment, she looked like she might collapse. She sank into the chair behind her, burying her face in her hands.
"I knew this day would come," she whispered.
"What does it mean?" I asked, stepping closer. "Why is your name in there? What did they do to you?"
She looked up at me, tears streaming down her face. "It means they've been watching me for years," she said. "Ever since your father disappeared. They never trusted me, Tiana. And they were right not to."
Her words sent a jolt of shock through me. "What do you mean?"
"I mean I've been working against them," she said. "Quietly. Carefully. But they've always suspected. And now that you're here, they're watching me even more closely."
"Why didn't you tell me?" I demanded, my voice rising.
"Because I didn't want to drag you into this!" she said, standing. "I thought I could protect you by keeping you out of it. But now…"
She trailed off, her gaze drifting to the window.
"Now what?" I pressed.
"Now it's too late," she said. "You've seen too much. They'll come after you, just like they came after your father."
Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. "What happened to Dad?"
She hesitated, her eyes filling with fresh tears. "He tried to leave," she said finally. "He tried to take us and disappear. But Peter found out. And…"
She didn't need to finish. I already knew.
"They killed him," I whispered, my voice shaking.
My mother nodded, her shoulders trembling as she fought back sobs. "I couldn't save him," she said. "But I'm going to save you. I don't care what it takes."
Before I could respond, a knock at the door startled us both.
"Mrs. Callahan?" a voice called. It was one of the servants.
My mother wiped her eyes and crossed the room, opening the door just enough to speak to them. "What is it?"
"Mr. Andrea sent me," the servant said. "He wants to see Miss Tiana in the study. Immediately."
My heart sank.
"I'll be right there," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.
The servant nodded and left, and my mother closed the door, turning to me with panic in her eyes.
"Don't go," she said.
"I don't have a choice," I said.
She grabbed my hand, her grip firm. "Be careful, Tiana. Whatever he asks, whatever he says, don't trust him. And don't tell him what you found."
"I won't," I promised.
With a deep breath, I left the room and made my way to the study, my heart pounding with every step.
Andrea was waiting for me when I arrived, sitting behind the desk with a glass of whiskey in his hand.
"Sit," he said, gesturing to the chair in front of him.
I hesitated before obeying, every nerve in my body on edge.
Andrea studied me for a long moment, his dark eyes unreadable.
"Do you know what happens to people who betray this family?" he asked finally.
I swallowed hard. "No."
"They disappear," he said, his voice cold. "Without a trace."
He leaned forward, his gaze locking onto mine.
"Tell me, Tiana," he said. "Are you one of those people?"