Chapter 3 - THE SECRET UNDER THE STAIRCASE

Nobody slept that night.

Not in the Ashford mansion.

Not after Noah’s words.

Daniel sat alone in his office, staring at an old photograph.

Emily.

His wife.

The woman everyone said he lost in an accident.

But now, for the first time in three years…

He questioned everything.

A knock came at the door.

“Come in.”

Maya entered quietly.

“You believe him.”

Daniel looked up.

“He’s six years old.”

“But he’s telling the truth.”

Daniel looked away.

“Children remember things differently.”

Maya stepped closer.

“Noah remembers fear.”

Those words hit harder than anything else.

Daniel knew his son.

Noah had nightmares for months after Emily died.

He would wake up screaming.

“There was someone there.”

Everyone thought it was grief.

Maybe it wasn’t.

“What do you know, Maya?”

She hesitated.

Daniel noticed.

“Maya.”

The maid looked down.

“I never told you because I was afraid.”

“Afraid of what?”

She swallowed.

“Mrs. Emily didn’t trust Lauren.”

Daniel stood immediately.

“What?”

“Before she died, she asked me to watch over Noah.”

“Why?”

“Because she believed someone inside this house wanted something from her.”

Daniel’s jaw tightened.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because two days after the funeral, I found my room searched.”

Silence.

“And then?”

“My diary disappeared.”

Daniel stared at her.

“What was in it?”

Maya looked toward the staircase.

“Everything Emily told me.”

Before Daniel could answer, a loud crash came from upstairs.

They both turned.

A sound from Noah’s room.

Daniel ran.

Maya followed.

The door was open.

Noah was standing beside his bed, shaking.

“What happened?”

The boy pointed toward the wall.

“There.”

Daniel looked.

Nothing.

Then Maya noticed something.

A small crack behind the bookshelf.

“That wasn’t there before.”

They moved the bookshelf.

Behind it was a hidden compartment.

Inside was an old envelope.

Daniel opened it.

His hands froze.

Because written on the front were three words.

FOR NOAH.

He opened it slowly.

Inside was a photograph.

A photograph of Emily.

Standing beside the same man from the security footage.

And on the back of the picture was a message.

Daniel read it.

His face turned pale.

“Daniel…”

Maya looked at him.

“What does it say?”

He slowly turned the photo around.

The words were written in Emily’s handwriting.

“If anything happens to me, do not trust Lauren.”

The mansion went silent.

Then Noah whispered from behind them:

“I told you.”

Daniel looked toward his son.

And for the first time in three years…

He realized his wife’s death might not have been an accident.

But before he could say another word…

The lights went out.

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Someone was still inside the house.