Chapter 3 - Thomas Confronts The Dark Silhouette Outside The Study Door
Before Thomas could process the staggering weight of Clara’s words, a sharp creak broke the tense silence from the hallway outside.
Both of them turned instantly toward the frosted glass double doors leading out into the grand foyer.
The dark female silhouette standing on the other side remained completely motionless, casting an ominous shadow against the amber wall sconces.
“Who is out there?” Thomas called out, his hand instinctively tightening around the heavy crystal whiskey glass.
The doorknob began to turn with excruciating slowness, the brass mechanism clicking softly as the latch disengaged from the frame.
Clara stepped back, her face draining of all remaining color as she prepared for the inevitable confrontation.
“Stay behind the desk, Mr. Thomas; whoever is standing out there knows we’ve uncovered the truth,” Clara warned in a hushed tone.
The heavy study door creaked open, revealing the empty hallway illuminated by the soft glow of the midnight chandelier.
No one was standing directly in the doorway, but a faint scent of expensive French lavender lingered in the cold draft.
“She was just here... I saw her shadow against the glass,” Thomas muttered, stepping around the desk with a furious expression.
He rushed out into the grand foyer, his eyes scanning every dark corner and velvet-curtained alcove for any sign of his wife.
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The massive oak front doors were locked tight from the inside, meaning whoever had been listening had slipped away toward the service wing.
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