8

Lilith's heartbeat felt very fast. Every sentence Noah said seemed to invite Lilith to justify everything. However, Lilith felt that both Lucas and Noah were trying to confuse her mind right now. So, Lilith didn't really know which one she should listen to and believe. Herself, or the two strangers who had trapped her here.

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because,” Noah said slowly with a slight pause, then leaned forward slightly, right towards Lilith who was still standing tensely. “You have the right to know the reason why Lucas bought you from that nightclub.”

Noah straightened up again and smiled slightly, looking a little cynical even though it wasn't really noticeable. “Do you think, why did he let you stay in this mansion without doing anything? Why didn't Lucas touch you even though he bought you at a very high price?”

Noah tilted his head slightly, then looked Lilith up and down with his sharp eyes. “Ask yourself, little lady. What does Lucas really want from you here?”

Lilith’s head felt heavy. She felt like she was going to vomit, though she tried not to show too obvious a reaction in front of Noah now. “You’re trying to make me doubt him.”

“You already doubt him.” Noah interrupted her quickly. And although reluctant, Lilith admitted that she had indeed been doubting Lucas since last night.

“But I'm trying to give you a small choice.” Noah's next words made Lilith feel a little threatened, but also invited her toward something dangerous.

“If you really want to know all the secrets Lucas is hiding, then come to the old mansion in the northern forest. I guarantee you will find something very valuable there.”

Without waiting for Lilith's answer, Noah turned and walked towards the mansion's exit. Noah stopped only once to glance back at Lilith.

“If you don't dare to come to the old mansion alone, then you will never know who you really are, Lilith.” Noah continued softly, as he resumed walking out of the mansion.

Instantly, the mansion felt cold again, even colder than before. Lilith sat back down stiffly in her chair. Between her two brothers and the truth that had yet to be revealed, Lilith felt that she had no idea which would destroy her first.

***

Lilith waited until Lucas returned to the mansion at nightfall. Even though it was already midnight, there was no sign that Lucas would return to the mansion tonight. Therefore, after making sure everything was under control and the mansion was completely deserted, or perhaps because it had always been deserted, Lilith decided to change into warmer clothes.

Remembering that when Lilith arrived at the mansion, Lucas had prepared many things she would need there. Lilith put on long pants, a thick long-sleeved shirt, shoes, and a jacket. Lilith left her room and searched for a flashlight in the drawers along the hallway. But Lilith didn't just find a flashlight there, she also found several car keys.

“That means Lucas has several other cars in this mansion. In that case, I can use one of them,” Lilith muttered with a relieved smile.

Although a little hesitant, Lilith took a key and immediately put the flashlight she also found in the drawer into her jacket pocket. Lilith paused for a moment, breathing slowly, trying to really prepare herself before embarking on this sudden investigation mission.

Yes, Lilith was heading to the northern forest, specifically to the old mansion Noah had mentioned to her earlier, where Lucas was said to be keeping important and secret information related to Lucas, Noah, and Lilith herself. Lilith really wanted answers and the truth right now. Not just the fear that was holding her back.

“Okay, calm down, Lilith. You can do this. It's okay, nothing will happen there. Everything will be fine,” Lilith muttered to herself.

After that, Lilith immediately walked out of the mansion, headed to the garage, and pressed the alarm button on the car key she had taken earlier. A small black car beeped with its lights flashing. Fortunately, Lilith had learned to drive when she was working part-time. So, as quickly as possible, Lilith approached the car, got in, and drove it slowly.

Several times Lilith glanced around, hoping that no one else was there to catch her looking like a thief. The gate opened automatically as Lilith's car approached. For a moment, Lilith felt a little hesitant to actually leave the mansion and head for her destination. But then, Lilith started to slowly drive her car out, until the gate closed again.

The journey to the northern forest was darker than she had expected. Not to mention the road was lined with trees so dense that they almost covered the moon in the sky. Inside the car, Lilith felt her body shivering from the cold. There was something very different about this area, although Lilith still didn't know what it was.

Before long, Lilith's gaze fell upon a building in the middle of the forest. Lilith was only halfway there, and judging from the position of the building, it seemed to be quite far ahead and deep inside. The car's headlights pierced through the thick fog, and the road began to narrow.

The road looked poorly maintained. It was as if no one had traveled on it for years. Then, Lilith saw it, a mansion that looked old, with many parts worn and slightly damaged in places. Lilith swallowed, finding it a little difficult.

The mansion's architecture looked like something historical, something very old. It didn't look completely abandoned; perhaps someone came to clean it once in a while, but didn't really fix the things that were broken there. Lilith's heartbeat quickened as she stopped the car and walked out slowly.

Lilith looked around the place and felt that there was something really different there. The air was very different, like a mixture of the smell of wet soil, old wood, and something made of metal. Although faint, Lilith could smell it quite clearly. The dark surroundings made Lilith immediately turn on her flashlight.

Lilith pointed the flashlight at the slightly open door of the mansion. “All right... I can definitely do this,” Lilith muttered as she began to walk toward the door.

“Hello? Is anyone here?” Lilith called out softly, hesitantly. She was being silly because there was definitely no one living there, considering its dilapidated condition.

Lilith pushed the mansion door slowly, causing a loud creaking sound, reminding her once again how long the mansion had been standing. Lilith stepped further inside. Dust flew in the dim light of the flashlight in Lilith's tightly clenched hand. It was as if Lilith didn't want the flashlight to slip or fall from her grasp.

The silence inside the mansion felt even heavier and weighed on Lilith's feelings. Several floorboards also creaked under Lilith's feet as she walked slowly and cautiously. The furniture inside the mansion was also covered with white blankets that were only dirty from dust and not badly damaged. Lilith frowned deeply.

‘Does that mean someone really came here just to clean the furniture inside? But why is the location so far and remote here? Why did Noah also say that Lucas was hiding something valuable here? But what?’ Lilith’s mind raced as she tried to find answers.

Her eyes scanned the walls. There were several damaged paintings and others whose shapes were unclear. There were also portraits of a man's family, from children to teenagers. Lilith didn't know why looking at the portraits made her feel a little off. Lilith continued walking until she reached the end of the room, which she didn't know the name of, because Lilith hadn't really paid attention to the shape of the room she had entered earlier.

There was a fairly large photo hanging there. It was an original black and white photo, worn in some parts. Lilith approached and looked closely at the man in the photo, who was standing stiffly in an old military uniform. Lilith's breath caught when she pointed the flashlight at the man's face in the photo.

“Lucas?” Lilith whispered in disbelief.

The man in the photo was Lucas. It was definitely Lucas, wearing an old military uniform and sporting a bold expression. On the left side of the photo, written in ink that was beginning to fade, were the words, 1865.