The storm outside roared with relentless fury, rain slashing against the tall windows like desperate fingers trying to claw their way inside. Inside the mansion, the air was thick with tension, suffused with the heavy scent of old wood and distant memories long buried.
Ava sat by the grand piano in the dimly lit parlor, her fingers tracing the worn keys without a sound. Each note she imagined was a fragment of the life she thought she had left behind—a melody tangled with pain, loss, and secrets too dangerous to face.
Noah’s footsteps echoed softly as he approached, his presence both a comfort and a warning. His eyes, dark and unreadable, flickered with something she couldn’t quite place—concern, regret, or perhaps his own hidden scars.
“You can’t keep running from this,” he said quietly, his voice barely more than a whisper, yet heavy with unspoken truths.
Ava swallowed hard, the weight of his words settling over her like a shroud. “Running won’t change anything. The past is chasing me no matter where I go.”
Noah’s gaze hardened, the flicker of vulnerability gone, replaced by fierce determination. “Then it’s time to face it. Together.”
Suddenly, the mansion’s silence was shattered by a sharp knock on the heavy oak door. Both their heads snapped toward the sound, breaths caught in their throats.
Ava rose slowly, heart hammering, and opened the door to reveal an envelope, soaked from the storm yet carefully sealed with crimson wax — a symbol she hadn’t seen in years.
Her hands trembled as she broke the seal, unfolding the letter inside. The ink was smudged, but the words were clear and terrifying:
“You can run, but you cannot hide. The truth will burn everything to ashes.”
Noah stepped close, voice low and fierce. “They’re coming for us. We don’t have much time.”
Ava’s mind raced, shadows of forgotten promises and broken alliances swirling in her thoughts. The past was no longer a distant nightmare — it was a living, breathing threat that would consume them all if they didn’t fight back.
Her eyes met Noah’s, a silent vow passing between them. Whatever horrors lay ahead, they would face them side by side.
To be continued...
