The Locked Study  

Like a ghost, I swiftly slipped out of my room and hurried barefoot towards Sean's study. I needed to find my phone before the power came back on so I could contact the outside world. Once the power was restored and the surveillance system was back online, I couldn't imagine getting another chance like this.

I hadn't been in the study for a long time, but I was certain Sean had taken my phone. I headed straight for his desk, where his computer was still warm, indicating he had just been using it.

I bent down to pull open the drawers, but they were all locked. Sean had never locked his drawers before. The fact that he did now made me so anxious I started to stomp my feet in frustration. I searched the pen holder for keys, but there were none. He couldn't have taken all the keys with him.

My eyes landed on the safe in the corner, and I remembered the safe's keys. I turned and headed for the life-sized gilded horse statue by the door. Pressing hard on a concealed spot at the base, it popped open. I reached in and found a bunch of keys.

I hesitated for a moment; he hadn't changed the hiding spot. A question flashed through my mind: who was he locking the study against? This secret compartment had been my idea, cleverly hidden and hard to find. Sean had readily agreed to it, and only the two of us knew about it.

It seemed he thought I was too drugged and lethargic to bother changing the hiding place. But who was he guarding against? I had no time to ponder this and quickly took the keys back to the desk. The smallest key fit the lock, and it opened. In the second drawer on the right, I found my phone and tablet. I quickly grabbed them, but my phone was off. My hands trembled as I pressed the power button.

While waiting for it to turn on, I opened Sean's computer to check the house's surveillance footage. I typed in the familiar password, but it was incorrect. He had changed it. I tried multiple times, all to no avail.

"Damn it!" I slammed the computer shut, the noise startling me.

I picked up my phone, only to find its password had been changed too. Luckily, I had registered my fingerprint when I got this phone. Using my fingerprint, I unlocked it and saw the battery was nearly dead. The most recent missed call was from my mom, bringing tears to my eyes.

I longed to call her, but now wasn't the time. First, I needed to calm down so she wouldn't worry. Second, I was afraid the battery wouldn't last. The most urgent thing was to contact Inara.

Without thinking, I went through the numerous missed calls and directly dialed Inara's number. As soon as I pressed call, I immediately hung up. No, for safety, I couldn't call her directly; it could be traced.

I quickly opened WeChat and found Inara's profile picture. She had sent me many messages. I didn't have time to read them and initiated a voice call. It rang for a long time before she answered, her angry voice coming through, "Chloe, you finally remember me? I thought you were on your deathbed. If I didn't hear from you soon, I was going to your funeral..."

I interrupted her, crying out, "Inara, listen to me..." As soon as I started speaking, I sobbed, "I... I need your help!"

"Chloe? What's going on? Don't cry. What's wrong? Talk to me, you're scaring me!" Inara asked urgently.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my emotions. "Inara, don't ask. It's too complicated. I need your help. I can't explain everything now, but listen..." My words tumbled out incoherently, even I didn't know what I was saying.

Inara, clearly confused, interrupted, "Chloe, are you in trouble?"

"Yes, I'm in trouble..." At this point, I stopped hiding my situation. I briefly explained my predicament and what I needed her to do. Then, the phone died with a "click."

I stared blankly at the phone, realizing I hadn't explained everything. Helplessly, I put the phone back. I couldn't raise any suspicion before I had evidence.

I had planned to check what Sean had locked in his drawers, but the lights flickered and then went out completely.

No, the power was coming back. I stomped my foot in frustration. There was no time; once the power was restored and the hallway surveillance came back on, I'd be caught.

Frantically, I put everything back in place and locked the drawer. After checking the desk, I quickly returned the keys to the statue's hidden compartment. Then, I dashed out of the study and ran back to the master bedroom. My heart pounded as if it would explode, and I tasted blood. I wanted to get into bed but remembered the camera soaking in water.

I rushed to the bathroom, fished the camera out, shook it dry, and patted it with a towel to absorb the remaining water before putting it back in place. I prayed it wouldn't work after being submerged.

I returned the chair to the vanity and collapsed onto the bed, pressing my chest and gasping for breath like a dying fish. At that moment, overwhelming despair and helplessness engulfed me. Unable to hold it in any longer, I sobbed uncontrollably. Between sobs, I strained to listen for any sign of their return, terrified they'd find me in this state.

The next morning, I woke up early from hunger. I hadn't eaten dinner the previous night, and Anna hadn't come to give me my medicine. I had no idea when they returned or when the power came back. Exhausted from crying and reassured by my contact with Inara, I slept well for the first time in a long while.