Chapter 2

The journey to Ethan's estate was one of seclusion; every mile took me farther into his mysterious territory and away from the world I knew. Ahead, the vast mansion appeared like a monolith made of icy stone and shadowy windows, seemingly watching me with a thousand unblinking eyes. I felt uneasy as we got closer and couldn't get rid of the impression that I was going into something far riskier than I had thought. The front doors flew wide as if they had been waiting for me when the car finally stopped. Mr. Thompson, the rigid, gray-haired estate manager of Ethan, gave me a harsh nod and ushered me inside.

The interior was as magnificent and frightening as the outside, with lofty ceilings, dark wood, and heavy draperies that filtered out what little light could make its way through the cloudy sky. It was gorgeous, but also stifling, as if the walls themselves were closing in on me.

“Here is the room reserved for your arrival, Mrs. Cross," Mr. Thompson announced, opening the door to a room at the end of a long, dimly lit hallway, his tone dismissive as if he doesn't care whether I come in or not.

I walked inside, taking in the rich yet impersonal surroundings. The chamber was huge, with a large four-poster bed wrapped with rich materials, a fireplace against one side, and a window looking down onto the shadowy grounds below. It was undeniably luxurious, but there was a chill in the air that made me shudder.

Something about this environment felt strange, like if I was intruding someplace I didn't belong. "Ethan's quarters are in the east wing," Mr. Thompson said calmly. "You will remain in this wing. The personnel will take care of your needs, but do not stray around the estate."

His remarks were caustic, a warning disguised as friendly advice. I nodded, feeling the weight of the unspoken norms fall on me. As he turned to depart, I caught a glimpse of his expression: frigid and even pitying. It simply increased my discomfort.

After he left, I closed the door and leaned against it, trying to quiet my racing heart. What may have been my fear come true. As a married woman living with an unknown man, I see the house as more of a jail than a home. At that moment, this was my life. I brushed the idea out of my mind and decided to unpack, try to bring some semblance of routine back to this strange place. I unpacked to organize my belongings, but the unpleasant sensation remained.

Night descended swiftly, with a dense and oppressive darkness outside that felt alive and pressed against the windows. I tucked in my nightie and tried to go asleep, thinking that the new bed would help, but it felt too big and too empty. Only the old mansion creaking occasionally disturbed the eerie calm of the estate. I tried to force myself to sleep and closed my eyes, but a faint sound, like cloth rubbing against wood, quickly broke the silence. I sat up, listening with my heart palpitating a bit. The sound got closer, louder, like something was moving just outside my room.

Although the sound persisted, I persuaded myself it was nothing more than the creaking of an old house at night. Seeming to originate from the hallway outside my door, it was excessively constant. Breathing hard, I put my ear against the door as I scurried from my bed.

I took a moment to collect myself before reaching for the doorknob and slowly turning it. The creaky door opened, revealing a half-lit corridor. My pulse raced as I stared into the darkness, expecting to see someone or something. Nonetheless, except from the weird shapes formed by the flickering candlelight on the walls, the hallway was unoccupied.

I stepped out into the corridor, the cool floor sending shivers up my spine. The sounds had gone, but the silence seemed strange, too weighty, as if the house was holding its breath, waiting for something to occur. My pulse hammered in my chest as I took a few hesitant steps forward, studying the darkness for any indication of what had caused the noise. Then, just as I was ready to turn around, I noticed it: a shadow flying across the far end of the corridor and disappearing around the corner. I froze, every instinct telling me to rush back to my room and lock the door, but curiosity and dread kept me there. Who or what was that?

A plethora of terrible possibilities flashed across my head. I stepped forward, then again, pulled by curiosity about what was going on in this place. As I followed the shadow, the corridor opened up in front of me, seemingly never-ending and menacing.

As I approached the corner where it had vanished, I paused again. The blackness beyond appeared to throb with an unnatural force, and I could sense the presence of unseen eyes on me. I knew I should turn back and go to the safety of my chamber, but something urged me to continue.

I took another stride before stopping dead in my tracks. A figure stood at the end of the hallway, shrouded in shadow and with features concealed by the darkness. My breath froze in my throat as I stared at it, and my heart pounded in my ears.

We stood facing each other across the emptiness for a moment, and then nothing happened. The apparition disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, leaving the hallway dark and me alone. I retreated, the want to run taking over and causing my legs to quiver.

My hand trembling, I turned around and went back to my room, locking the door. Placing my back against the door, I tried to steady my heartbeat.

“Just what did I see now?” My eyes wide opened, and my heart pounding, as if it was about to jump out of my chest.

While I was still pondering over what I just witnessed, my eyes caught a very quick sight of something lying on the pillow as my eyes roamed round the room. I looked back, drawing closer to the bed this time, a folded piece of paper it was. It had not been there before. “How did this get here?” I thought, my hands trembled, fear running over me as I reached for the note.

Carefully, I unfolded the letter, my eyes glanced through the precised written note. Though the note was very short, but the message was terrifying.

‘Do not wander around!’

I had never felt anything like the chill the message gave me through my bones. I'm not wanted here, and I shouldn't be discovered wandering around recklessly, was the clear and concise message. My chamber had been invaded, but by whom and why? My mind was filled with incessant queries, each more unsettling than the last, demanding answers.

Gripping the note tightly in my palm, I lowered myself to the edge of the bed, feeling a thump of discomfort in my nerves, and fear eroding every part of me.

It was my first night in Ethan's house, and I already felt like I was being followed and watched. This wasn't a dream or hallucinations, but actual shadows were looming in the corners of this building, and they were getting closer. Only then did I become fully aware that this marriage and this house were far more dangerous than I'd been told. I wasn't sure if I would ever be able to leave the world of secrets and shadows that I had entered. There was no guarantee.