Chapter 17- Storms beneath the silence

The morning after Justin's visit arrived with a muted sky and the scent of rain in the air. Gray clouds loomed above the mansion, as if nature itself was bracing for something to unravel. Inside the grand estate, the silence was heavier than usual, thick with unspoken truths.

Lily stood in the hallway outside her room, holding the pendant—S & J—that had taken on an entirely new meaning. Her mind swirled with Justin’s words. I loved her. But the man who loved Selena... failed her.

It was too much to absorb in one night. She hadn’t been able to sleep. Her thoughts drifted constantly from Selena’s laughter to the image of her lifeless face in the memory Justin had painted.

The hallway stretched long and empty ahead of her, the stillness almost mocking her confusion. Her footsteps echoed as she made her way toward the conservatory. She needed air—something fresh to clear her mind.

But instead, she found William.

He was leaning against one of the tall French doors, arms folded, his eyes fixed on the misty garden outside. He looked different—less guarded, more contemplative. Still sharp, but quieter, like a storm waiting for the right wind to rise.

Their eyes met, and for a moment, neither spoke.

"Did he tell you?" William asked finally, voice low.

Lily blinked. "About Selena? Yes."

He nodded once, almost too slightly to notice. "How much?"

She held up the pendant. "That he loved her. That she was with him. That... she’s gone."

William exhaled, not a sigh but something sharper—a release of breath he had held too long. "I always suspected."

"Then why didn’t you say anything?"

"Because suspicion doesn’t bring the dead back," he said, his tone sharpening. "And grief doesn’t deserve assumptions."

She took a tentative step closer. "You still visit her room. Don’t you?"

He looked at her fully now. "She was my only sister. Of course I do."

Lily’s chest ached with shared pain. "I miss her too."

William’s expression flickered. “You’re not the only one who lost her. But I suppose pain doesn’t distribute itself equally.”

Before Lily could answer, footsteps echoed behind them.

"Morning!" Nany’s cheerful voice felt almost misplaced in the tension. She entered the conservatory with a hopeful smile, unaware of the conversation she'd just interrupted.

"You’re up early," Lily said.

Nany nodded. "Thought I'd see if you're alright."

William gave them both a curt nod and stepped away without another word. His departure left behind a strange emptiness.

Once he was gone, Lily turned to Nany. "How did you know what happened?"

Nany’s expression sobered. "One of William’s men called me. Said it was urgent. They didn’t give details at first. Just that you were in the hospital. The car was waiting before I could even pack."

Lily was quiet for a moment. "I was surprised when I saw you. I hadn’t expected anyone."

"He may not say it, Lily, but William was the one who wanted someone to be there for you. Even if he didn’t show up himself right away."

Lily felt something shift inside her—not forgiveness, not understanding, but recognition. William’s methods were often cold and indirect, but maybe his silence was not always absence.

They returned to the drawing room, where the fire was already lit despite the mild weather. Lily wrapped herself in a shawl and sat on the velvet couch. She stared at the flames for a long moment.

"Nany," she began, "what do you think Selena was like when we weren’t around? I mean... when she was with someone she loved?"

Nany smiled faintly. "Probably even more radiant. Love makes people glow, doesn’t it?"

"She mentioned someone in her diary, but not by name. Just the initial. ‘J.’"

"You think it was Justin?"

Lily nodded slowly. "He confirmed it. He said he loved her. That their love came with enemies."

Nany tilted her head. "Then maybe her death... wasn’t just a coincidence."

Lily’s grip on the pendant tightened. "Justin didn’t say who. He claimed he still doesn’t know."

"And do you believe him?"

Lily hesitated. "Part of me wants to. But I’ve learned that people hide the ugliest things behind the prettiest masks."

Just then, the butler entered with a card on a silver tray.

"Madam, you have a visitor. Mr. Justin is in the lounge."

Lily exchanged a glance with Nany.

"Would you like me to stay?" Nany asked.

"No. I’ll talk to him."

The lounge was a room of classic wood and aged books, with large windows that overlooked the rain-speckled courtyard. Justin stood near the fireplace, his hands behind his back, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"You came back quickly," Lily said.

He turned, smiling softly. "There were things I needed to say."

Lily crossed her arms. "Are there more secrets I need to know? Or just more delays?"

He didn’t flinch. "I understand your anger. But I need you to know something. I didn’t leave her. I didn’t run. The day she died... I was supposed to meet her."

Lily frowned. "Then why didn’t you?"

Justin’s voice dropped. "Because I was being followed. And I thought I’d protect her by staying away."

Lily’s jaw clenched. "So your absence was your protection. How noble."

"It cost me everything, Lily," he snapped, then immediately softened. "I failed her. I live with that every single day."

She looked at him carefully. For the first time, she saw how tired he was. Not physically—but in the soul.

"So what now?" she asked. "What do we do with these broken pieces of her memory?"

He stepped closer. "We find the truth. Together. If you'll trust me."

She wasn’t sure if she did. But she nodded.

"And if I find out you’re lying—"

"You won’t," he promised.

Later that afternoon, the storm broke. Thunder cracked overhead, and rain swept against the mansion windows in harsh sheets. Lily stood by the balcony, her eyes tracing the streaks of water.

Nany entered with a blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders. "You okay?"

"I don’t know what okay means anymore," Lily said softly. "I just know I miss her."

"Selena?"

"Yes."

There was a long pause.

"Do you want to tell me what she meant to you?" Nany asked.

Lily turned toward her. "She was one of the few people who ever made me feel safe. She made this cold place feel warm. And now that warmth is gone."

The two women stood in silence as thunder rumbled again.

Deep in the mansion, William sat in the study, staring at a fresh envelope that had arrived—no return address. Inside it was another note, typewritten:

"Look closer. She didn’t die alone."

He folded the note carefully and locked it in a drawer. Then he turned to the window. Outside, Lily was still there, her figure cast in shadows and light.

Selena’s ghost still wandered these halls.

And someone... someone wanted her story buried.

But William wasn’t ready to let go.