Prologue: The Mask
Clara Hayes wakes at 5:30 AM, as always. Her eyes are still swollen, but her fingers instinctively reach for the foundation and concealer on her vanity. Cover the dark circles. Smile. Don't let anyone see, she whispers to her reflection, reciting the mantra she's repeated since adolescence. On her phone, a notification from her mother glows: "Don't forget lunch with Dad's potential client today. Wear the red dress, okay?"
She sighs. The red dress is tight, clinging to her like a second skin—artificial and suffocating. But Clara replies: "Got it, Mom."
Scene 1: The Office Performance
At the office, Clara is "The Sunshine Girl"—the talented graphic designer who's always eager to help. When Jamie, her coworker, complains about a deadline, Clara flashes a bright smile: "I can take it! I've got no weekend plans anyway." Meanwhile, her trembling fingers type an email to her therapist: "I need an emergency session. The anxiety attacks are getting worse."
During a client presentation, a man frowns at her design: "Why does this feel… bland?" Clara forces a laugh: "Oh, I kept it minimalist to highlight the product!" But inside, a voice screams: "Because I'm terrified that if I add 'too much color,' they'll laugh at me."
Scene 2: The Breaking Point
Halfway through the presentation, the meeting room lights suddenly feel blinding. Clara's breath quickens. Cold sweat drips down her spine. Not now—please— But her body rebels. Her hands shake so violently the mouse clatters to the floor. The client's voice booms: "Is she okay?"
She flees to the restroom, vomiting into a sink. In the mirror, her face is streaked with tears and smudged mascara. This is the real you, her heart taunts. A text from her mother buzzes: "Remember to smile at lunch. Your father needs this deal."
Scene 3: The Escape
That night, Clara impulsively buys a train ticket to a coastal town—a place her grandmother once mentioned. Her bag holds only a laptop, anti-anxiety pills, and a sketchbook filled with drawings of the fake faces she's worn for years.
On the train, an elderly woman sits beside her. "Running away, dear?" she asks, her voice kind. Clara stiffens. "I… just need a break."
"Running is good," the woman smiles. "Just don't forget to come back."
Scene 4: The Cottage of Whispers
The weathered rental, "Sea Glass Cottage," belongs to Marisol—a woman in her 60s with platinum-blonde hair and paint-splattered hands. "You're the first tenant who didn't complain about the leaky roof!" Marisol laughs, handing her the keys.
In the attic, Clara finds a dusty journal titled "For the Woman Who Remembers." The first page holds a sketch of a woman with half her face masked, accompanied by a handwritten note:
"I built a palace of lies. Now I pick it apart, brick by brick."
Scene 5: The First Night
On her first night, Clara tries drawing without filters. Her canvas becomes a chaotic mess—a distorted face in red and black. Outside the window, Eli, the reclusive widower who runs the town's bookstore, watches from a distance.
When a storm knocks out the power, Clara is trapped in darkness, the roar of waves mirroring the chaos in her mind. This time, there's no mask to hide behind.
Cliffhanger Ending
The next morning, Marisol knocks on her door with a bowl of soup: "You screamed 'Don't look at me!' last night. Finally starting to be honest, huh?"
In the cottage's backyard, Clara discovers a broken ceramic statue of a woman half-buried in the sand. Around its neck hangs a pendant engraved with "Liesl, 1975"—the same name as the journal's mysterious author.