g I noticed wa

e was suffocating, heavy, eerie like the

ome. A sprawling mansion built from polished gray stone, lined with steel gates, surveil

like

ord. I stood there for a moment, suitcase in hand, feeling like

s opened, and a woman in

she said, bowing

Blac

made my che

e way anyone imagined. Not

gnature on paper and a ticking clock co

u to your quarters," she sai

s gleamed beneath crystal chandeliers. Every piece of furniture looked like

o signs of life. Jus

an said, guiding me

n the background, cleaners, cooks, housekeepers a

tepping into a

m, ma'am," she sai

tains, gold trimmings, even a fireplace. It was more l

l didn't fee

. Like I was a guest in a pl

ranged for you. Mr. Blackwood had it

He... had my

ou need is in there. If you require an

you," I

ed again

at the room. Everything was p

g to distract myself. But even the act of hanging clothes f

oked completely mismatched with the f

e formal dining room. A table that cou

alone, pushing food around

lk dress with tiny straps, and my

ander did

ound out he

came the

many maids, meals eaten alone, roo

ely sa

ting glance as he left the mansion in

r looked at me long enoug

n home. And I was a stran

. The mansio

to stay i

dered through hallways. I sometimes talked to the maids just to hear another voice. Bu

t the mansion

was

ght... everyt

n't slee

they were closing in,

or at least tire me enough to c

n a dark brown nightgown

at cast eerie shadows across the floor. I wandered aimlessly

rticular grabbe

t from the rest. Dark brow

hesitated, then gently push

aw made m

ke the others. War

rugs covered the floor, a fireplace fl

t my attention

trait above

in a re

lips, her hands clasped gracefully in front of her. Her h

ked....... j

ood ra

ept hers was curled. Sam

g at a more polishe

to the fireplace

was

as she

tly... why had no

ll are you do

ce made

n the portrait I didn't ev

r standing at the doorway his eye

ghtly unbuttoned, revealing his n

mered. "I was just walking an

the portrait behind

t allowed i

I said quickly.

dn't a

d you a

clenched.

is," I pressed. "You brought me

t. O

e was sha

You said I resembled some

Don't push boundaries

I'm being compared to e

d, his presence su

he said coldly. "

was she?" I

dable, but something flickered in his eyes.

turning his back to me. "Now leave

there,

ho looked ex

o

out, my heart racing,

hat w

. A shadow cast by a woman I kne

lls of this mansion f

was. But something in A

wasn'

she left behind... I

wanted to