A Dance of Lies

The morning sun streamed through the towering windows, casting golden hues over the grand estate. Evelyn sat at the breakfast table, her fingers absentmindedly tracing the delicate rim of her porcelain teacup. Across from her, Theo sat in silence, his expression unreadable as he skimmed through a newspaper, its pages rustling with every turn.

The tension from last night still lingered in the air, heavy and unspoken. Evelyn replayed the conversation she had overheard, the warning whispered in the shadows. 'The past does not remain buried forever.' Those words sent a chill through her bones.

She set her cup down with a soft clink. "Who was that man, Theo?"

His fingers stilled on the newspaper. A flicker of something—perhaps hesitation—crossed his face before he folded the paper neatly and placed it aside. "A complication," he said simply.

Evelyn frowned. "That's not an answer."

He exhaled, his gaze finally meeting hers. "Eve, some truths are dangerous. The less you know, the safer you are."

She bristled at his evasiveness. "I don't want to be kept in the dark. If I'm in danger, I deserve to know why."

A muscle in his jaw ticked. For a moment, it seemed as though he would brush her off again, but instead, he leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice. "There are powerful people who would rather you were not here. People who do not take kindly to disruptions."

Her heartbeat quickened. "Disruptions?"

Theo hesitated before saying, "You were not meant to arrive in this time, Evelyn."

The words felt like a slap to her senses. A fresh wave of confusion crashed over her. "What are you saying?"

His expression was solemn. "I don't know how you got here, but your presence has changed things. And those who thrive on control… they will do anything to restore order."

Evelyn swallowed hard. She had suspected something was amiss, but to hear Theo confirm it left her reeling. "Then help me understand. If I wasn't meant to be here, how do I get back?"

Theo's gaze darkened. "That is the question, isn't it?"

The weight of his words settled over her like a storm cloud. She was caught in a web of secrets, and the more she pulled at the threads, the closer she came to unraveling something far more dangerous than she had ever imagined.