Chapter 175
Chapter 175
Elena's POV
I signed the final page of the contract with excitement.
"There's something I should tell you, Ms. Winter," Bobby said, tucking the papers into his briefcase. "When I bought this property at auction, it was purely as an investment. I figured the city would eventually expand in this direction, but..." He gestured at the surrounding neighborhood, "Development shifted to the north instead."
I raised an eyebrow. "And?"
"The house has never been occupied since the auction. Never even rented it out. Everything is exactly as it was when..." he paused, seemingly unsure how to phrase it delicately, "when your family left."
My heart skipped a beat. "You mean nothing's been changed? For all these years?"
"Not a thing. Just collected dust." He handed me the keys with a shrug. "Seemed like a waste to clear it out when I thought I'd be selling to developers who'd tear it down anyway."
I clutched the cold metal keys in my palm, barely hearing his goodbye as he drove away. This was more than I'd dared hope for. My family home, preserved like a time capsule.
---
Standing in this foyer again after nearly seven years felt surreal. Dust motes danced in the afternoon sunlight streaming through dirty windows, but beneath the grime, everything was exactly as we'd left it.
I trailed my fingers across the bannister, leaving tracks in the dust as I moved through the living room. My heightened senses detected traces most humans would miss - old scents preserved in the untouched fabric of the furniture.
Upstairs, I paused at my parents' bedroom door, my hand trembling slightly before pushing it open. The bed was still made.
My own bedroom was next, teenage posters still on the walls, books on the shelves. I smiled at the silly stuffed animals I'd insisted I was too old for but couldn't bear to part with.
Finally, I approached Mandy's room. My parents had given her a room the same size as mine, treating her like their own.
Unlike the rest of the house, Mandy's room looked like it had been ransacked. Clothes were strewn across the floor, the small sofa and bed piled with belongings, the desk a chaotic mess of papers and books.
I moved carefully through the clutter, sensing beneath the surface disarray something deliberate, almost staged. At the desk, I shifted a stack of textbooks and froze. Underneath lay a journal with an ornate lock.
I remembered these from high school. Every girl seemed to have one, recording crushes and secrets and dreams.
Using a paperclip from the desk, I picked the flimsy lock with practiced ease. The journal fell open, and my blood ran cold.
Each entry documented my manuscripts and letters I had written.
"What is this?" I whispered, shocked. I noticed dates and addresses recorded. Was someone in contact with her?
Inside the front cover, I found a phone number scrawled alongside a crude drawing of a blue rose. Without hesitation, I pulled out my phone and dialed.
A woman answered immediately. "Moonlit Pub, looking for a reservation tonight?"
I paused, caught off guard. "Is this a hotel?"
Her tone cooled instantly. "This is a bar. Very funny, now I'm getting prank calls too."
She hung up after saying this.
I stared at the journal, my mind racing. What was Mandy doing at this bar?
Decision made, I tucked the journal into my bag. I would visit this "Moonlit Pub" tonight.
---
Emma's POV
I gripped the pastry box tightly as I approached Highland Estate, rehearsing what I'd say to the children. My mother had suggested bringing treats might soften their attitude toward me. The security guard waved me through, recognizing my car.
Before I could reach the front door, I heard children's voices from the garden. Instinctively, I slowed my steps.
"Has Mom been released?" Lily's voice carried clearly through the air.
"Of course," Kathy replied, her tone matter-of-fact. "I called Mason, and he personally went to find Daddy."
I froze mid-step, my knuckles white around the pastry box.
"So Daddy won't cause Mom any more trouble?" Lily asked.
"Probably not. This morning Mason took Mom to meet Daddy. They met at a coffee shop, and Anna said Dad came back in a good mood."
The pastry box crumpled slightly in my grip. Happy? After all she'd done? After the accusations she'd made against me? Rage burned inside me.
"Oh? Ms. Wells, why are you standing here? Come in!" Anna's voice appeared behind me.
I composed myself. "Is Richard back?"
"Not yet. Mr. Blackwood said he has a lot of business today and might return later."
"Alright, I'll come back later." I turned and left.
There were some things I needed to confirm with him.
---
Elena's POV
The Moonlit Pub stood at the junction between Moonhaven's old district and the newly developed areas - a nondescript building with only a small blue neon sign marking its existence.
The hostess at the door gave me a cold once-over. "We don't usually see single women here," she remarked, her dismissive tone making it clear this wasn't a typical bar.
I reached into my purse and showed her the blue rose from the journal. Her attitude transformed instantly.
"Oh! You're Mr. Blackwood's friend," she said, her voice now honey-sweet. "Please, follow me."
Mr. Blackwood? My heart stuttered. Richard wouldn't associate with a place like this.
The hostess led me upstairs to a private room at the end of the hallway. The door was marked with a blue rose. Inside, lounging with a drink in his hand and two scantily-clad women at his sides, sat a man I vaguely recognized.
The hostess announced me: "Mr. Blackwood, I've brought your friend."
The man looked up, surprise flickering across his face before a sly smile replaced it. He shooed away the women and stood.
"Well, well... Elena? It's been a long time."
I stared at him, memories clicking into place. "Marcus? You're the 'Mr. Blackwood' they're referring to?"
He grinned, spreading his arms wide. "The one and only. Well, not the only Blackwood. But around here, I'm the one that matters."
Marcus Blackwood - Howard Blackwood's son, a playboy.
I narrowed my eyes. So he was the one in contact with Mandy?
It made sense - hadn't his father always wanted to secure him a position as heir? It wasn't impossible that he had planned early, having Mandy steal my manuscripts, then arranging for Victoria to infiltrate Richard's life posing as the author of these manuscripts, gradually working to take over the company.
Thinking this, I stared at him, my finger bones cracking audibly as I clenched my fists.