Chapter 4 - The House of Secrets
I moved through the mansion like a shadow.
I found a basement door hidden behind a bookshelf—a panic room, but not for safety. As I descended, the air grew thick with the smell of stale fear and cleaning supplies. I found her in a soundproofed storage room. Emily was huddled in a corner, her face bruised, her clothes torn. The sight of her shattered my remaining restraint. "Dad?" she sobbed, not believing her eyes. I knelt beside her, my hand shaking as I touched her cheek. "I’m here," I promised. But as I helped her up, I realized we weren't alone. I heard the lock turn behind us. Marcus and his father stood there, holding weapons, their faces twisted with a terrifying, calm malice. "You shouldn't have come, old man," Marcus sneered.
