CHAPTER 51

William sat on the staircase beside the door marked INSTRUMENT ROOM in bold, peeling letters. His chin rested on his hand, elbow digging into his knee. Who knew waiting idly in an empty school could feel so exhausting. Leo had no lectures today, and Anthony and Eugene had left right after the last class. The department had fallen quiet, though he could still hear the faint murmur of students swamped under assessments. William checked the time again. A few minutes to six. He let his head fall back against the railing, staring down at the floor tiles as if they might make the minutes pass faster. The moment he heard footsteps from inside the instrument room, he sat up straight. "You're William Stones, right?" He scrambled to his feet, nearly tripping on the step. "Yes." The older student, tired-looking, violin case slung across his back, held out a set of keys without ceremony. "Here. Lock up when you're done." "Thank you." The student was already walking away before W

CHAPTER 52

"Welcome, Sir Jacob," Matthew greeted, taking Jacob's coat. "Sir William." He bowed slightly. "Get the key to the music room," Jacob said, already heading down the corridor. Matthew stood still. "You mean the music room, sir." "Has old age impaired your—" Jacob didn't bother finishing it, already walking. "No, sir." Matthew hurried off. William lingered near the doorway. Why did Matthew react like that? It was the first time he had heard Jacob speak to Matthew in that clipped, cutting tone. Guess he doesn't discriminate with who gets it. "Why are you still standing?" "Coming." William followed Jacob to the farthest room in the corridor. It struck him that he had never explored this mansion at all. He had only been in their room, the kitchen, the dining room, the backyard. Nowhere else. He didn't want to cross boundaries, didn't want to stumble into something that would end with him in trouble. Matthew rushed forward, fumbling the key against the lock twice before i

CHAPTER 53

William sat motionless on the piano bench long after the door clicked shut. The silence felt heavier now, thick with the ghost of Jacob's playing. The scent of salt and deep cold water still clung to the air, wrapping around him like wet clothes he couldn't peel off. He exhaled shakily and touched the keys again. She was a stupid woman. What could have possibly happened for him to call his mother stupid? Did his mother have anything to do with this piano? Should he ask Matthew later? He shook his head. That would be prying into Jacob's privacy. William stared at the place Jacob had sat seconds ago. He was really good, better than Eugene. The gap between them was enormous. So what did that make him? He placed his fingers on the keys and began to play. The sound filled the room, no hesitation this time, no wrong note breaking the line. Everything moved in perfect harmony, one note surrendering into the next. So this is why he suggested Moonlight Sonata. The melody felt like an a

CHAPTER 54

Elsewhere, in the Stones mansion, the night was quieter.Vivian sat at the dressing table, tying back her hair. The room was dark except for the lamp on the nightstand.Wilson walked in and climbed onto the bed.Vivian got up and walked over, a small jar of cream in hand, rubbing it into her face as she went. "Was anything unusual today?""No." Wilson pulled the blanket back, not looking at her.She climbed onto the bed. "Nothing at all? Not with William?""I told you to stop worrying about that. You've been asking me the same question every night since that day.""You can't blame me, honey." Vivian set the jar down on the nightstand harder than she meant to. "I just … I keep thinking about it. Him finding out. What if he actually does something."Wilson exhaled through his nose and turned toward her. "Don't you think if he wanted to do something, it would've happened by now?" He straightened up against the headboard. "Nothing is going to happen. Okay?"Vivian didn't answer right away

CHAPTER 55

Chapter 55The sun slipped through the open window, casting a warm glow over the two figures still tangled in the bed.Jacob stirred, slowly opening his gray eyes, trying to bring the room into focus. He straightened, head spinning, and rubbed his forehead with a groan before looking down at the younger man curled against him, one hand fisted loosely in his shirt, breathing slow and even.He reached for William's wrist to peel it off him, but the movement woke William before he could."Sir Jacob." William immediately sat up. "Good morning."He looked down at his wrist, still caught in Jacob's grip. Why is he still holding on? Is he having a nightmare with his eyes open now?Jacob followed his gaze, let go at once, and moved to get up, then stopped, one hand pressed briefly to the mattress like the room had tilted under him. "Mmm... are you feeling okay?" "Mmm," Jacob hummed.William scooted closer and, without thinking, pressed a hand to Jacob's temple. His skin was warm, damp at th

CHAPTER 56

The room fell into a stifling silence, the kind that swallowed the sound whole. His grandmother set her bag down on the desk. "I heard some interesting things lately. I heard you let William play piano in your private room." Her eyes fixed on him. "If I remember correctly, the only piano in that room once belonged to Dianala." Jacob's hold on the pen tightened, veins standing out along the back of his hand. "I also heard," she continued, folding her hands neatly in her lap, "that you drank yourself into a stupor last night." Jacob's lips curled up, thin and humorless. "Your rat truly needs a raise." "Yes, it does?" She tilted her head, watching him the way she'd watched him as a boy… patient, assessing. "You haven't touched that piano in fifteen years, Jacob. Not once. And now, in the span of a few weeks, you're playing it for that boy." She smiled brightly, the wrinkles at her eyes deepening. "I'm happy to know that my judgment wasn't wrong." "Your judgment." The word