The cold night air hit me like a slap to the face as I slipped out of the Cross mansion. My legs trembled as I ran, clutching Victor’s journal to my chest like a lifeline. Every shadow felt like it was alive, chasing me, ready to pull me back inside that house. I couldn’t stop, couldn’t slow down—not until I was far away from Victor and the horrors hidden within those walls.
When I finally reached the edge of the property, I stopped to catch my breath, my heart pounding so loudly I could barely hear my own thoughts. I glanced back at the dark silhouette of the mansion, shivers running down my spine. Victor’s words echoed in my mind: “Stay out of things that don’t concern you.”
I wasn’t sure how much longer I could keep this up, but one thing was certain—I couldn’t do it alone.
“Asher!” I stormed into the library the next morning, slamming the journal onto the table in front of him. He looked up, startled, his eyes narrowing as he saw the familiar leather cover.
“What the hell is this?” I demanded, my voice shaking with both anger and fear.
Asher leaned back in his chair, his expression guarded. “Where did you get that?”
“I found it,” I snapped. “In the basement. In a locked room filled with Evelyn’s bracelet, bloodstained items, and God knows what else. Care to explain?”
He stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor. “You went into the basement? Are you insane?”
“Don’t you dare turn this on me,” I said, stepping closer. “Victor is dangerous, Asher. He’s been manipulating all of you, controlling you through fear. And Evelyn—” My voice cracked. “He wrote about her in here. About sacrifices.”
Asher’s face paled, and for a moment, he looked genuinely shaken. “What exactly did he write?”
I opened the journal, flipping to the page that had haunted me since the moment I read it. I shoved it toward him, my hands trembling. “Read it yourself.”
His eyes scanned the page, his jaw tightening with each passing second. When he looked up at me, there was a mix of anger and helplessness in his expression.
“If my father killed Evelyn,” he said slowly, his voice raw, “I swear I didn’t know.”
I searched his face for any hint of deception, but all I saw was pain.
“You have to believe me, Lila,” he continued, his voice pleading now. “I didn’t know. But you need to stop pushing. If you keep digging into this, he’ll come after you too.”
I shook my head, tears stinging my eyes. “So, what? I’m just supposed to let him get away with it? Pretend like none of this ever happened?”
Asher stepped closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. “You don’t understand how far he’ll go to protect his power. If he sees you as a threat, he won’t hesitate, Lila. Promise me you’ll back off.”
“I can’t,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “Not when I’m this close to the truth.”
Asher looked at me for a long moment, his shoulders slumping in defeat. “Then you need to be careful. More careful than you’ve ever been.”
I returned home later that evening, my chest tight with frustration and fear. Asher’s warning had only added to the weight already crushing me, and I didn’t know how much longer I could carry it.
When I walked into the living room, I froze. Victor was sitting on the couch, casually sipping tea as he chatted with my parents.
“There she is!” my mom said brightly, waving me over. “Lila, come say hi to Victor. He’s been telling us about how dangerous things have been lately and how much he admires your bravery.”
I forced a tight smile, my stomach churning as I approached. “Victor.”
“Lila,” he said smoothly, his smile as polished as ever. “It’s good to see you again.”
My parents beamed, completely unaware of the darkness lurking beneath his charming exterior.
“Victor was just telling us about some programs that might help keep you safe,” my dad said. “We’ve been so worried about you, sweetheart.”
“What programs?” I asked, my voice wary.
“Oh, just a few opportunities to get you away from all this chaos,” Victor interjected, his tone light. “It’s for your own safety, of course.”
I clenched my fists, trying to keep my anger in check. “I don’t need your help.”
“Nonsense,” Victor said with a laugh. “Your parents only want what’s best for you. And so do I.”
I could feel his gaze boring into me, a silent warning hidden behind his words.
That night, I sat in my room, my mind racing with everything that had happened. Victor was tightening his grip on me, and now he was pulling my parents into his web.
As I reached for my phone to text Asher, a new notification popped up on my screen.
It was a photo.
My heart stopped as I opened it, my hands shaking. The image showed the basement room I had snuck into the night before—the bloodstained table, the shelves of photographs and documents.
Underneath it was a single sentence:
“Next time, you won’t get out alive.”