5

He didn’t seem bothered by my denial. Instead, he simply smiled, a cold, knowing smile that sent a wave of dread crashing over me. “He will come for you soon,” the man continued, his voice as calm as if he were discussing the weather. “You should pay your respects.”he mumble " you have grown more beautiful, he will be pleased "

I tried to step back again, but my body wouldn’t move. It was like I was frozen in place, trapped by the weight of his gaze. The air around me felt thick, oppressive, like it was pressing down on me from all sides. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t think.

As I watched, the man began to walk backward, slowly, his form fading into the shadows with each step. His presence seemed to vanish with him, the air around me growing lighter as he retreated. But his words hung in the air, thick and heavy, filling the space he left behind.

"He will come for you soon," he repeated, his voice echoing in the empty corridor, even as his figure disappeared completely. "You should pay your respects."

And then... he was gone. The corridor was empty again, as if he had never been there at all.

I gasped, finally able to move, and stumbled backward, my heart racing. What had just happened? Who was that? And what did he mean—this building belonged to me? My mind raced, desperate to make sense of what I had just experienced, but nothing added up. None of it made sense.

I turned, frantic, and that’s when I saw Liam standing right beside me, his flashlight casting long shadows on the walls. He looked at me, concerned, and I blinked, trying to reconcile what I had just seen with the reality of him being there.

"Liam?" I whispered, my voice shaky.

"Selene?" He frowned, reaching out to steady me. "Are you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost."

I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came out. Instead, I just stood there, staring at him, my mind reeling from the encounter. It couldn’t have been real. It couldn’t.

"I... I saw someone," I finally managed to say, my voice trembling. "He was here, Liam. He said... he said they bought this place for me. That it belongs to me now."

Liam’s brow furrowed, his expression shifting from concern to confusion. "What are you talking about? There’s no one here but us." He glanced around the corridor, his flashlight sweeping over the walls and the empty space. "Are you sure you didn’t imagine it?"

I shook my head, my hands trembling. "No, I didn’t imagine it. He was here. He spoke to me. He said... he said someone is coming for me." My voice broke as the fear I had been holding back threatened to overwhelm me. "Liam, I don’t know what’s happening, but we need to leave. Now."

He hesitated, his eyes searching mine for a moment before he gave a small nod. "Alright. Let’s get out of here." His voice was steady, but I could see the worry etched into his features. He didn’t believe me, not really, but he wasn’t going to argue. Not now, at least.

We hurried down the stairs, my legs shaking with every step. The house seemed to loom over us, its dark halls and crumbling walls pressing in from all sides. I kept glancing over my shoulder, half-expecting to see the man again, watching us from the shadows. But there was nothing. Just the house. Silent and still.

When we finally burst through the front door and out into the cold air, I felt a rush of relief. The sky above was darkening, and the wind had picked up, but at least we were outside. Away from whatever it was that had happened inside.

Liam glanced at me as we started walking back toward town, his expression unreadable. "You’re sure you’re okay?" he asked quietly.

I nodded, though I didn’t feel okay. I felt like something had shifted—like a line had been crossed and there was no going back. But I didn’t know how to explain it, didn’t know how to make him understand.

"Yeah," I said, though my voice didn’t sound convincing, even to me. "I’m fine."

But I wasn’t. I could still feel the man’s presence lingering in my mind, his words echoing in my ears. *He will come for you soon.*

And I had no idea what that meant, or who "he" was.

But I knew one thing for certain: nothing would ever be the same again.

I trudged home, trying to shake off the strangeness of the mansion, but the man’s words kept replaying in my head. "We have been waiting for you, milady… the house is yours." Every step seemed to echo with his voice, deep and unsettling, reminding me of those dark eyes that held something beyond my understanding.

The streets were empty, the quiet only adding to the heaviness that hung around me. I’d wanted to tell Liam what happened, to explain the eerie feeling that had wrapped around me when the man spoke, but he wouldn’t believe me. He thought I was just spooked by the mansion, and maybe a part of me wished he was right. But now, with every passing minute, the pit in my stomach grew.

When I reached the front of my aunt’s house, I stopped, my breath catching. There, sitting on the front step, was a small box. My name was written on it in elegant, swirling letters, the kind you’d see in old books or on ancient artifacts. I glanced around, but the street was deserted. No one had been near the house when I arrived, and yet… the box was there, waiting for me.

My fingers twitched as I reached for it, hesitant but drawn in by curiosity. It wasn’t heavy, but the craftsmanship was detailed—ornate carvings along the sides, with patterns I couldn’t place. Something about it felt old, far older than anything that should have been on my doorstep. I slipped it into my bag, unsure what to make of it, and then opened the door.