Semua Bab Whispers Behind the Glass: Bab 21 - Bab 25

The director’s office reeked of old leather, bureaucracy, and something darker, paranoia. Adrien Kael stood alone in the center, surrounded by silence thicker than the snow outside. Dr. Vallin was gone. In his place sat her. Celeste Granger. She had never been officially listed as anything more than “Head of Clinical Compliance,” a title vague enough to slip under radar. But everyone knew she held the real power. Everyone feared her... even Vallin. She didn’t look up when Adrien entered. Just kept typing something into a terminal, long fingers clicking with measured precision. “I thought you were dead,” Adrien said flatly. She smiled without warmth. “You thought wrong.” “Where’s Vallin?” “Retired. Suddenly.” Adrien’s jaw tensed. “You mean removed.” Granger finally looked up. Her eyes, cold and calculating, locked onto his. “You’ve become quite the problem, Adrien.” He didn’t flinch. “Funny. That’s what I was going to say about you.” Granger’s lips curled. “

The fire had left no trace of Cassia’s body. No DNA. No bones. Just ashes and a report that no one ever questioned except Adrien, now, with the truth Jonas had laid bare. Mila stood in the small Halden chapel, empty except for rows of unlit candles and the sound of her breath. The air smelled faintly of burnt wax and dust. She clutched the folded paper Jonas had written on his list of names and timelines, notes scrawled in a trembling hand that told a story more horrifying than her nightmares. Cassia had been real. Cassia had been murdered. And all this time, Mila had carried the burden like a brand, believing she’d set the match that ended her sister’s life. She touched the piano at the far wall... unused, untuned and sat down. Her fingers hovered, but no melody came. Only silence. She bowed her head, whispering into the wood. “I’m sorry I forgot you.” Behind her, Adrien stood watching. He’d seen her splinter and shatter, rage and cry. But this quiet grief was different. It

Six months later. The sea was calmer here. Not silent, but rhythmic. Trustworthy. Every wave that broke against the rocky shore felt like breath drawn in, held, and released again. For Mila Everhart, it was the first place that didn’t feel haunted. The house was small, tucked into the cliffs like a secret. It had wide windows that faced the ocean and creaked with age. She liked the creaks. They sounded alive. Inside, sunlight spilled across the floorboards where scattered newspaper clippings lay articles, court hearings, headlines screaming: > “Whistleblower Exposes Halden Institute” “Unethical Experiments Confirmed” “Victims of Psychological Trials Speak Out” Her name wasn’t on them. That had been the deal. Mila gave the evidence but asked for anonymity. For Cassia’s sake. But the truth was out. Halden was shut down. Celeste Granger was under investigation. And Adrien Kael had surrendered his license willingly. Mila sipped her tea and stared out toward the horizon. For the