Chapter 3 – A Floor Plan That Shouldn't Exist
Security guards sealed every entrance to the west wing.
Guests whispered nervously inside the ballroom.
Rumors spread faster than the music had.
Grace followed Charles into his private office.
He unlocked an antique cabinet.
Inside were blueprints dating back almost eighty years.
Dust covered every roll.
Charles spread them across the desk.
"This is impossible."
Grace leaned closer.
"What is it?"
"The architect designed only three floors."
"There isn't supposed to be any hidden chamber."
They searched every page.
Nothing.
Charles opened another drawer.
Inside lay an older leather folder marked "Original Foundation."
The paper had yellowed with age.
Grace carefully unfolded the first drawing.
Both of them stared.
A narrow chamber appeared between two structural walls.
No doors.
No windows.
Only one secret entrance.
Hidden behind the ballroom.
Someone had crossed the room out using thick black ink.
Charles whispered quietly.
"Someone erased it."
Grace pointed toward a handwritten note.
"B-17."
"The same number."
Charles turned another page.
Most of the writing had faded.
Only one sentence remained readable.
Emergency isolation room.
Grace felt cold.
"Why would anyone build that?"
Charles didn't answer.
A security guard suddenly knocked on the office door.
"Sir..."
"We found fresh footprints."
"Where?"
"Inside the maintenance tunnel."
Charles looked up immediately.
"There are maintenance tunnels?"
The guard nodded.
"They connect beneath the west wing."
Grace grabbed the flashlight from the desk.
"If someone locked that child away..."
"They may still be down there."
Charles looked at her.
"You're coming with me."
Neither of them noticed the elegant woman watching silently through the office doorway.
She slowly removed another bronze key from her purse.
May you like
It was identical to the first one.
End of Chapter 3
