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Chapter 11: The Veranda

"What did you say?" Leonardo exclaimed in disbelief.

"The woman you ran over on the street is no longer alive," Angela repeated, her voice flat.

"I didn't hit that girl; she was the one running past, so I hit her; it was an accident!" Leonardo defended himself.

Angela sensed the gravity of the situation as she grumbled, "Someone killed her. Someone in the black car killed her."

Leonardo couldn't believe the news. "Are you telling the truth?" he asked, his voice tinged with desperation.

"Yeah, and whoever those people are... whatever their motivation for killing her was... they will pay the price; Karma is real, and they will suffer as the girl did," Angela said, gasping for breath.

She excused herself to step outside for some fresh air. As she leaned against the wall, she wondered why she couldn't bring herself to tell Leonardo about Esper. Mrs. Vera's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"You looked pale. What happened?" Mrs. Vera asked.

"Oh, nothing, Mrs. Vera," Angela tried to hide her anxiety.

"How is he doing?" Mrs. Vera inquired.

"He's still a little stubborn and headstrong, but I keep an eye on him because his mind might turn around again; you know what happens when a person is depressed, whatever comes to mind," Angela replied.

"Thank you, Angela, for truly understanding my son," Mrs. Vera said gratefully

"I do this job, Mrs. Vera, and I'll go to any length to make my patient happy. Excuse me, I have to get him his coffee," Angela said, eager to move away from the conversation.

But Mrs. Vera wasn't finished yet. "Wait, Angela," she said, looking at her with teary eyes. "I'll offer you a reward to make my good son back to his old self."

"I don't need a reward to do my job, Mrs. Vera. And if you don't mind, I need to get a cup of coffee for your son," Angela said firmly before walking away.

Leonardo was discharged from the hospital soon after, but Angela knew that the events of the accident still haunted him. She resolved to keep a closer eye on him to ensure that he didn't spiral into depression again.

A few days later, the phone rang again in the living room, shattering the silence of the morning. Angela, the only one nearby, hesitantly picked up the receiver. A familiar voice greeted her on the other end - it was Frederick, the wealthy collector who had hired her to care for Leonardo Vera and his estate.

"How is the painting, Angela?" Frederick's voice was urgent. "Do you have any idea where they keep the Crying Lady?"

"I haven't seen it, Sir Frederick," Angela replied, struggling to keep the worry out of her voice. "I'm sure it was hidden if it was here in the house."

"You have to find it," Frederick insisted, his tone becoming more forceful. "Our agreement depends on it."

Angela sighed, the weight of the situation bearing down on her. "I haven't forgotten about it, Sir Frederick; if I come across that painting, I'll call you right away."

Hours later, as night descended upon the estate, Angela prepared an early dinner for Leonardo Vera. But despite her efforts, the atmosphere in the room was heavy with an unspoken tension. Leonardo sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the wall with a haunted expression.

"What are your thoughts, Mr. Vera?" Angela asked gently.

Leonardo remained silent for a moment before finally responding. "Do you believe in ghosts?"

Angela was taken aback by the sudden question. "I...I'm not sure, Sir. Why do you ask?"

"I keep seeing her," Leonardo murmured, his eyes unfocused. "The Crying Lady. She's always watching me, following me. I can feel her presence in this room."

Angela's heart sank as she realized the full extent of Leonardo's delusions. She tried to distract him with his favorite food, but even that couldn't lighten the mood. Leonardo ate his chicken with his fingers, barely registering the taste, and asked for another cup of coffee before abruptly falling asleep.

As Angela sat on the floor, watching over her troubled patient, she couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. The Crying Lady - whoever or whatever that was - seemed to be haunting the estate, and she couldn't shake the feeling that they were all in grave danger.

Leonardo's weary expression caught Angela's attention as she sat by his bedside. She couldn't help but feel conflicted about the situation with him. Her anger towards him was still present, but it had shifted into a different kind of frustration until she dozed off to sleep.

Suddenly, a sharp slap jolted Angela awake. "Wake up, Angela!" Lara Chavez's voice bellowed.

Angela was taken aback when she saw Lara standing in the room. "I was just resting on the floor, Lara," Angela explained as she turned around and realized that it was already morning.

Lara's tone grew louder. "Why are you sleeping in Leonardo's room?"

Angela felt uneasy under Lara's accusatory gaze. "I'm his nurse, and I need to make sure he doesn't have access to anything that could harm him."

"How can you do that when you're sleeping?" Lara spat.

"I'm nearby, and I'll wake up if anything happens," Angela reasoned.

Lara wasn't convinced. "Get out of here! I'm taking over from now on."

Leonardo stirred awake. "It's okay, Angela. Lara can take over for today."

Angela felt a pang of hurt and anger at Leonardo's sudden acceptance of Lara. He had pushed her away before, and now he was allowing Lara to take over. Despite the coldness of the morning air, Angela's face grew hot with frustration.

"Fine, I'll leave," Angela said, trying to keep her tone calm as she left the room. "No need to yell."

As she stepped outside, Angela couldn't help but wonder why Leonardo was so quick to welcome Lara back into his life. It was frustrating, but Angela knew she needed to keep her cool and remain professional.

As Angela left Leonardo's room, Mrs. Gale approached her. "Did Lara kick you out?" she asked.

Angela nodded. "Yes, she insisted on looking after Leonardo today."

Mrs. Gale sighed. "She'll have to try harder to do her job as Leonardo's wife."

Angela's ears perked up at the mention of their relationship status. "Wait, they're married?"

"Not yet, but they plan to be," Mrs. Gale confirmed. "Lara even contacted her wedding planner before the accident."

Angela was taken aback. She hadn't realized the extent of Leonardo and Lara's relationship. Trying to change the subject, she remarked, "This is a beautiful house."

"It is, but it's also the saddest house," Mrs. Gale said with a hint of melancholy.

Angela raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Before Leonardo went blind, this house used to host parties every week. But after the accident, the mood shifted," Mrs. Gale explained. "And I forgot to warn you, don't ever step onto the back veranda of the studio."

"Why not?" Angela asked, confused.

Mrs. Gale hesitated. "Just trust me, the less you know, the better."

With that, Mrs. Gale retreated into the house, leaving Angela with unanswered questions and a sense of unease.

Angela checked her wristwatch. It was 6 a.m., and she had just enough time to explore the veranda mentioned by Mrs. Gale. She made her way to the back of the mansion, through the dense woods, until she arrived at the studio. As she approached the veranda, she noticed a broken baluster that had been deliberately snapped in half, which sent shivers down her spine.

She cautiously pushed open the barred door leading to the veranda and made her way up the steps, gripping the railing tightly. The veranda circled behind the studio, offering a stunning view of the city below.

Suddenly, Angela heard a faint whisper, as if someone was trying to communicate with her. She strained to listen but couldn't make out any distinct words. “Maybe it’s the wind blows,” Just then, Mrs. Vera's voice shattered the eerie silence. "Get out of there, Angela!” She shouted in terror.

Angela was taken aback by the sudden outburst and quickly retreated from the veranda. "I'm sorry, I was just curious," she stammered, trying to explain.

Mrs. Vera's expression softened slightly. "That veranda is off-limits, Angela," she said, her voice trembling. "Promise me you won't go back there again."

"I promise," Angela replied, feeling a sense of unease settle over her.

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