Chapter 6: The Encounter with the Shadow
As Isabella watched Ethan run to his room, she decided to take a breath in the garden. The fresh evening air calmed her, but her mind kept replaying the events of the day. Just as she sat on a bench by the roses, a cold and familiar voice broke her peace.
—You’re getting too attached to that boy.
Isabella started, seeing Miranda standing there, arms crossed and eyes piercing into her soul. Miranda’s elegance sharply contrasted with the darkness in her tone.
—I'm just doing my job —Isabella responded, keeping her calm.
Miranda smiled, a smile loaded with malice.
—Don't get it wrong, Isabella. You’re just a nanny. Your place isn’t here… and much less near Alexander or Ethan.
Isabella felt a shiver run down her spine. Before she could respond, Miranda slowly approached, her voice a threatening whisper.
—You have no idea what’s at stake. You don’t know this family’s history, nor the secrets we hide. You won’t last here long, I assure you. And when you leave… you won’t even remember having met Ethan.
Isabella felt her heart racing. What did that mean? What was Miranda trying to say? But before she could form a response, Miranda turned and walked away, leaving Isabella with more questions than answers.
When Isabella finally stood up, trembling slightly, she heard a soft sound behind her. Ethan was standing at the entrance of the garden, his eyes wide and filled with fear. How much had he heard?
—Ethan? —she asked softly, walking toward him.
But before she could get closer, Ethan ran into the mansion without saying a word, leaving Isabella with a knot in her stomach.
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Later that night, as Isabella prepared to sleep, an envelope slid under her door, making her stop. She picked it up with trembling hands and opened it carefully.
Inside was a single sheet of paper, with handwritten words in black ink:
"Don't keep searching for answers. Some truths are more painful than you can imagine."
Isabella felt the world around her close in. Who had left that note? Miranda? Someone else? It was clear that there were forces in that house that didn’t want her there. But now she was more determined than ever to protect Ethan. And even though she didn’t understand why, she felt deep down that her connection to that boy was stronger than any threat could destroy.
However, something inside her felt uneasy. She had started to notice small details in Ethan, gestures and expressions that seemed strangely familiar. Something in the way he smiled, the way he frowned when upset… reminded her of someone. Of herself.
Isabella’s heart raced. It couldn’t be… Could it?
Before she could process her thoughts, a loud knock on the door pulled her out of her reflections. It was Alexander, his face pale and an expression that made her freeze.
—Isabella, Ethan is missing.
The echo of Alexander’s words still resonated in Isabella’s ears.
—Ethan is missing.
Her mind tried to process the news, but with each passing second, she felt panic consuming her. Without thinking, she ran out of her room, followed by Alexander, who looked just as anguished as she did.
—What do you mean he’s missing? —Isabella asked, her voice trembling as they hurried through the long corridors of the mansion—. Did you check his room? Maybe he’s just hiding…
—He’s not —Alexander replied, not stopping—. We searched every corner. He’s nowhere in the house.
Fear began to take hold of Isabella, but also a determination she couldn’t understand. She had to find Ethan; she had to protect him.
They reached the main hall, where several staff members were running back and forth, searching for clues to his whereabouts. Miranda was there, sitting on a sofa with a glass of wine in hand, watching the chaos with unsettling calm.
—Aren’t you going to help? —Isabella snapped, her voice filled with frustration.
Miranda simply raised an eyebrow, offering a cynical smile.
—Help with what? The boy is just another problem in this house. I'm not surprised he decided to disappear.
Isabella felt anger rising in her chest, but before she could respond, Alexander took her arm and pulled her aside.
—Don’t waste time with her —he whispered—. We need to think about where he might have gone.
At that moment, one of the servants approached them, his face drawn.
—Mr. Blackwell, we reviewed all the security cameras… and it seems Ethan left the house about an hour ago. We haven’t seen him return.
Isabella’s stomach sank. The boy was outside, alone, and in the middle of the night. Time was running out.
—I’m going to find him —Isabella said, determined, grabbing a jacket from the entrance.
—You’re not going alone —Alexander replied, his tone serious—. I’ll go with you.
Without exchanging more words, they both left the mansion, the cold night breeze hitting them like a cruel reminder of the threat lurking in the darkness. Their hearts raced as they ran toward the gardens, the sound of their footsteps echoing in the tense silence of the night. Each stride took them further away from the house's lights, plunging them into a dark path that seemed to swallow the light, as if the property itself was trying to keep them inside.
The sense of urgency intensified with every step they took; the air was thick with palpable fear, as if invisible shadows were watching them from the bushes. Isabella felt a knot in her stomach, Ethan's image landing in her mind. Guilt wrapped around her like a heavy cloak, and she wondered if she had done enough to protect him.
—We can’t stop —Alexander said, his voice tense, almost a whisper—. If we don’t find him soon, he could be in danger.
The wind howled through the trees, creating a sound that seemed like a distant lament. Isabella nodded, her determination renewed. However, inside her, a voice insisted that something darker was hidden behind Ethan’s disappearance, something that could put not only the boy at risk but also their own lives.
As they ventured deeper into the darkness, the pressure mounted, as if the world around them was crumbling. The night seemed alive, hidden whispers floating in the air as tension enveloped them. They had to find Ethan, n
ot just for him, but to unravel the secrets the mansion had kept so closely guarded.