Chapter 10 - Reading the Truth
Holland crawled into a linen closet at the end of the hall, pulling the wooden louvered door shut to block out the rest of the house.
By the faint light slipping through the slats, he flipped open the heavy leather cover.
His mother’s elegant, sloping handwriting filled the yellowed pages, detailing the final months of her life in Ashford Manor.
“December 14,” an entry read. “I feel weaker every day. The tea Celeste brings me every evening leaves a metallic taste in my mouth.”
“December 22,” another entry stated. “Damian refuses to listen to my concerns. He thinks I’m imagining things. Celeste is isolating us completely.”
“January 3,” the final entry was scribbled in shaky, barely legible ink. “She is standing in the doorway right now. If anything happens to me, look behind the library fireplace.”
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Tears spilled over Holland’s eyelashes, hot and silent, as the absolute horror of what had happened to his mother settled into his chest.
Celeste hadn't just imprisoned him; she had murdered the woman who gave him life.
