Chapter 4 - Shards of the Past
The heavy velvet curtains whipped violently as a cold gust of wind rushed through the shattered window, carrying the sharp scent of damp earth and river water. Evelyn shielded her face with her arm, the sequins on her gown clicking together like teeth. Glass crunched beneath Julian’s polished shoes as he lunged forward, throwing his body protectively in front of Clara, who stood entirely unfazed by the chaos.
"Get down!" Julian yelled, his eyes scanning the dark courtyard below.
Evelyn ignored him, stepping over the glittering debris scattered across the Persian rug. She approached the broken window frame, looking out into the misty night. The gala’s floodlights cast long, distorted shadows across the manicured lawns. Near the edge of the old boathouse, a solitary figure stood motionless, wrapped in a dark trench coat, holding an object that caught the amber glow of the security lights—another artificial peach peony flower, identical to the one Clara had handed her.
"Who’s out there?" Evelyn called out, her voice cutting through the rising wind. "Show yourself!"
The figure didn't move. They simply raised the flower higher, as if presenting an offering to the dark water of the river beyond.
Julian pulled Clara back toward the heavy oak door, his face pale with panic. "Evelyn, step away from the glass. This is a setup. Someone is trying to lure you out there. It’s a trespasser, probably a disgruntled former employee or a blackmail scheme orchestrated by Richard."
"Richard doesn't have the imagination for this," Evelyn said coldly, her eyes locked on the figure in the courtyard. She reached into her pocket, her fingers closing around the microchip. "That person is holding Maya's memory out like bait, and I'm done biting air."
"If you go out there, whatever career, whatever reputation we've salvaged from the ashes of that night will be gone by morning," Julian pleaded, his hand resting on the brass doorknob. "Think about what's at stake."
"I spent twelve years thinking about what's at stake," Evelyn replied, turning her head to look at him with a dead, terrifying calmness. "And do you know what I realized today, Julian? There's nothing left to lose."
She climbed up onto the mahogany window sill, her high heels clicking sharply against the wood. The wind caught her blonde highlights, whipping them across her face.
Clara slipped out of Julian’s grip, running toward the desk. Before Evelyn could jump down into the courtyard, the little girl held up the silver locket she had taken from her pocket.
"She left this on the windowsill before the window broke," Clara said, her voice eerily steady for a child. "She said if you want to know who pushed Maya, you have to look at the back of the picture."
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Evelyn paused, one leg dangling over the shattered glass. She reached out, snatched the locket from Clara’s small hand, and flipped it over in the pale moonlight. Scratched hastily into the silver backing was a set of initials that made her blood run instantly cold.
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