Chapter 1: The Child Behind the Locked Door
Chapter 1: The Child Behind the Locked Door
The ballroom had fallen so silent that every footstep echoed across the marble floor.
The young man carried the trembling little girl in his arms. Dust covered her white dress, and tiny scratches marked her bare feet. She buried her face against his shoulder, refusing to look at the crowd.
The guests stared in disbelief.
"Who is that child?"
"Where did she come from?"
Then the elegant woman in the purple gown gasped.
"No..."
Her wineglass slipped from her hand and shattered against the floor.
The young man turned toward her.
"You know this little girl."
It wasn't a question.
The woman's face turned pale.
"I... I've never seen her before."
Before anyone could respond, the little girl slowly lifted her head.
She looked directly at the woman.
"She's lying."
The room froze.
The little girl's voice trembled.
"She brought me food every night."
A wave of whispers spread across the ballroom.
The woman stepped backward.
"She's confused!"
But the child continued.
"She said no one would ever come looking for me."
The young man's expression hardened.
"For how long?"
The little girl looked down at her tiny fingers.
"I don't remember."
"I stopped counting after my birthdays."
A terrible silence settled over the mansion.
May you like
Someone had hidden a child inside this house for years.
And everyone was about to discover why.
