Chapter 2 - Shadows in the East Wing
Leo’s small legs carried him blindly through the labyrinthine corridors of the east wing, far away from the oppressive grandeur of the main foyer. The vast mansion felt alive, its towering portraits of past Vances seeming to glare down at the runaway heir with silent judgment. He finally ducked behind a heavy velvet drapery in the unused music room, pulling his knees up to his chest. The silence here was suffocating, broken only by the rhythmic ticking of a grandfather clock in the corner and the ragged sound of his own breathing.
He clutched the small silver pocket watch his grandfather had given him before passing away—the only thing Mr. Vance hadn't managed to lock away or destroy yet. The cold metal grounded him, keeping the panic at bay, though his chest still ached from the shock of the confrontation.
Outside the heavy mahogany door of the music room, muffled footsteps approached. Leo froze, holding his breath as the heavy fabric of his suit rustled against the floorboards. The footsteps paused right outside. A sliver of light cut across the dark hardwood floor as the door slowly creaked open.
"I know you're in here, little man," a low, gravelly voice echoed through the empty room. It wasn't Mr. Vance, but rather Marcus, the estate’s longtime head of security, whose loyalties had always seemed dangerously flexible.
Leo squeezed his eyes shut, pressing himself deeper into the corner where the thick velvet shadow swallowed his small form.
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"Mr. Vance wants the watch back," Marcus said, his footsteps drawing closer, his heavy boots crunching faintly on a stray piece of dust. "And trust me, kid, you don't want to make things harder on yourself than they already are."
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