Chapter 18: Whispers in the Dark

The grand ballroom was alive with music and laughter, but Seraphina heard none of it.

Adrian's parting words echoed in her mind.

Before you uncover truths you cannot handle.

Was that a warning? Or a threat?

She would not wait to find out.

As soon as Adrian was drawn into conversation with a group of noblemen, Seraphina slipped away, her golden gown whispering against the marble floors. The corridors beyond the ballroom were dimly lit, the flickering sconces casting shifting shadows on the stone walls.

She moved quickly, her heart hammering as she navigated the halls of Valemont Manor. Tonight, she would find out what had truly happened to Evelyne Valemont.

She had to.

She reached the eastern wing—the part of the manor that had been closed off since Evelyne's death. Adrian had given her no explanation, only a quiet command never to enter.

But Seraphina had never been one to obey blindly.

The heavy wooden doors loomed before her. She hesitated for only a moment before pushing them open.

The room beyond was suffocatingly still. Dust clung to the abandoned furniture, and the air carried the faintest scent of lavender, long faded with time. A grand mirror stood against the far wall, its surface covered with a sheet.

Seraphina's fingers trembled as she pulled it away.

The reflection stared back at her—until she noticed something carved into the glass.

A single word, etched with a shaking hand.

Murder.

The breath left her lungs.

A floorboard creaked behind her.

She spun around, pulse racing.

A shadow moved in the doorway.

"You should not be here, ma chérie."

Adrian.

His silhouette was framed by the dim candlelight, his silver eyes unreadable.

Seraphina's hand clenched around the edge of the mirror. "Why is this room locked? What are you hiding?"

Adrian stepped forward, slow and deliberate. "This is not a place for you."

"You keep saying that," she shot back, voice steady despite the fear clawing at her ribs. "Yet you refuse to tell me why."

Adrian exhaled sharply, running a hand through his dark hair. "Because some ghosts are best left buried."

Seraphina's gaze flickered back to the mirror. "Was Evelyne murdered?"

Silence.

A muscle ticked in Adrian's jaw.

And that was answer enough.

Seraphina took a step forward, her heart pounding. "Who killed her, Adrian?"

His expression darkened.

Then, in a voice softer than a whisper, he said—

"You need to leave this alone, Seraphina. Before it's too late."