CHAPTER 25 — THE SHADOWS THAT MOVE WHEN NO ONE IS LOOKING
The mansion felt different after the incident in the east wing.
Not just tense.
Not just cold.
Alive.
As if something unseen crawled through the walls, watching every step Mara took.
Damian doubled the security team, strengthened patrol routes, and ordered every corner of the house to be inspected. But even with guards surrounding the property, even with cameras humming in every hallway, the air carried a strange heaviness that followed Mara like a shadow.
Damian refused to let her out of his sight.
Not for a second.
He moved through the mansion like a man ready for war, checking blind spots, walking ahead of her in every hallway, his expression carved from stone.
The staff avoided meeting Mara's eyes now.
Not out of disrespect—out of fear.
Fear of the unknown person walking among them.
Someone who had left a message
A rose dripping blood
And the warning:
You're getting too comfortable.
