Chapter 1 – The Inheritance
The house smelled of dust and forgotten time.
Evelyn Carter stepped onto the creaking wooden floor of Ravenswood Manor, her aunt's old mansion, now hers. The air was thick with the scent of aged books and something else—something faint but unsettling, like damp earth after a storm.
She ran her fingers over the railing of the grand staircase, remembering the last time she was here. She had been ten years old, hiding behind the heavy curtains while her aunt, Margaret, whispered in hushed tones with a stranger. That was the last time she saw her. Twelve years later, the house stood just as she had left it—only emptier.
Evelyn sighed, setting her suitcase down. "Well, home sweet home," she muttered.
A voice startled her. "Doesn't look like home to me."
She spun around. A man stood in the doorway, his dark coat damp from the evening mist. His sharp green eyes studied her with curiosity. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and had that effortless kind of charm that felt dangerous.
"Who are you?" she asked, gripping the strap of her bag.
"Adrian Blackwood," he said, stepping forward. "Historian. I was researching this house long before you inherited it."
Evelyn frowned. "And why exactly are you here now?"
His lips curled slightly. "Because, Miss Carter, your aunt never truly lived here alone. And if you plan on staying, neither will you."
A gust of wind blew through the open doorway, making the chandelier above flicker. Evelyn glanced at the grand staircase, at the heavy wooden doors leading deeper into the house. A shadow moved behind one of them.
Or maybe it was just her imagination.
Either way, something about Adrian's words made her shiver.
Because for the first time since stepping into Ravenswood Manor, she felt like she wasn't alone.
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