Chapter 2 - The Forbidden Room
The third-floor hallway was steeped in shadow, illuminated only by dim wall sconces casting long, eerie silhouettes against the dark wood paneling.
Clara gently pushed open the heavy oak door at the end of the corridor. The room inside was expansive and vintage, featuring high ceilings, a grand arched window overlooking the stormy estate grounds, and polished wooden floors. Soft golden light flickered from a bedside lamp, casting a quiet glow over a six-year-old girl sitting in a wooden wheelchair.
Little Lily Vale sat quietly, her long wavy brown hair framing her pale face as she wore a delicate white lace dress. She hugged a plush stuffed bunny tight against her chest, her dark eyes wide with cautious hope as Clara entered.
Clara closed the heavy door behind her with a soft click and knelt gently on the wooden floor before the small wheelchair.
"Where does it hurt, sweetie... is it your legs?" Clara asked in a soft, tender whisper, her eyes brimming with genuine warmth and worry.
Lily looked down at her small velvet shoes resting motionless on the wheelchair footrests. She squeezed her stuffed bunny tighter, her knuckles turning white under the dim lamp light.
"My legs don't hurt, Clara..." Lily whispered back, her voice carrying an innocent yet haunting tone that made the air in the room freeze. "...it's what happens when Daddy leaves."
Clara’s heart stopped. She looked up at the young girl, a sudden chill creeping down her spine as the words echoed in the quiet room.
"Lily..." Clara gasped softly, her breath catching in her throat. "What are you talking about?"
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Before Lily could answer, a dark, looming shadow shifted in the far corner of the room. Adrian Vale, the late-30s Mafia Don and owner of the estate, stepped out from behind the heavy velvet curtains, his unbuttoned black dress shirt contrasting sharply with his dangerous, ice-cold gaze.
👉 Click to continue reading and find out why Adrian was watching them from the shadows.
