Two weeks had passed, and I remained a voluntary prisoner within the manor's walls. I didn't step outside, not even by mistake. I spent my days wandering the halls, killing time by writing or engaging in mundane activities with Jana to numb the gnawing anxiety. Occasionally, I found myself forced to sit with Regina at the dining table. As usual, she would drown the conversation in her trademark drama and vanity, dropping petty hints and hollow remarks that she took for wit, while I saw her as nothing more than a woman drowning in her own delusions.
Through my silent observation, I discovered that the poor girl was haunting the library daily. She went back and forth, her eyes searching desperately for any trace of Joseph. But she found nothing, for no one had summoned him. Even the inner sanctum of the library, which housed the forbidden books, had recently been locked away; it seemed Sauntra had sensed something and turned the key, leaving Regina lost in the corridors, searching for a ghost whose appearance only I controlled.
The atmosphere of the manor had shifted drastically. The sinister stillness that once preceded the nightly storms vanished. No one fell under the influence of Joseph's nightly sedation anymore. Everyone slept in peace, even the maids. If I were to ask one of them about those strange nights, she would simply reply with confusion, remembering nothing except that she woke up in her own bed as if it were any ordinary night. The trace of his magic had been wiped from their minds, leaving me as the sole bearer of the memory.
Stacker told me as much over the phone. During one of our calls, he mentioned with a note of wonder that I could now roam the manor at night without fear. His grandmother, Sauntra, had informed him that Joseph was no longer present, though he himself couldn't fathom the reason behind this sudden disappearance.
Poor Stacker. He had no idea that the monster he feared was now a prisoner in my room—that I was the one holding the reins. I had transformed from the victim he crushed into a mysterious "third party" who possessed the secret of his summoning and the rituals the grandmother performed every Saturday. Caster and Stacker were merely robots in this game, watching the grandmother perform her rites without understanding a thing, while I, the stranger to this house, managed to cage the beast behind the bars of my silence and my hidden book.
As for Stacker, he was abroad for business meetings. He told me he would return in time for My mother and Tiji's wedding announcement party, which was only a few days away. During this interval, I kept track of him only through the phone, in brief calls that never exceeded five minutes—short moments of connection while a secret burned in my chest, one that could change the face of this manor forever if it ever came to light.
.
.
.
A few days drifted by, and My mother and Tiji's wedding announcement party finally arrived.
I was paralyzed with indecision regarding my attire. This manor was currently a hive of the elite—the wealthy, the influential, and the high-bred. I feared choosing a dress that might seem too simple in their piercing eyes. And while their opinions meant nothing to me, they meant everything to my mother, who would surely scold me if I appeared in anything less than perfect formality.
In the end, I chose the dress I had bought with Jana—a piece that truly reflected my own taste. Despite its subtle adornments, it exuded an effortless luxury. It was a deep, striking red, not overly tight but cleverly tailored to accentuate my waist and feminine curves. Paired with my short hair and black heels, I felt as though I had shed the skin of an eighteen-year-old girl and stepped into the persona of a woman in her thirties. I looked alluring in a sophisticated, magnetic way, and I loved it.
My initial fear of looking "ordinary" vanished, replaced by a sudden shyness; I felt as though I was the only one whose appearance was so strikingly bold. All eyes in the manor seemed to gravitate toward me. Every guest I passed, clutching their wine glasses and murmuring in conversation, would pause as their gaze locked onto me. Was it because I was beautiful, or because I looked like a stranger in their world?
The manor's lights had been transformed into festive, radiant decorations that cast a colorful glow over everything. Soft music drifted through the halls, swallowing the rhythmic click of women's heels on the marble floors. I stood beside Jana, clutching my phone with a nervous grip. We stood there like exhibits in a gallery rather than the owners of the house, watching my mother and her husband. They held hands, walking slowly toward the guests to offer their greetings, their faces lit with pure, genuine happiness.
"That is Albert Nicacho... the CEO of [Iron-Hold Corp]... he owns the largest branch in Spain. And the woman beside him is his wife, Mina Sud," Jana whispered in my ear, educating me on the attendees one by one. I was astonished by the sheer volume of wealth in the room—guests from various countries who had traveled just for an occasion like this.
"I'll be right back... I'll return when the speech starts," Jana said, patting my shoulder before hurrying away.
Left alone, my nerves spiked. I fidgeted with my fingers, wondering where to hide, when suddenly a handsome young man stood before me. From his aura, he seemed reckless and arrogant, a man who flaunted his family's fortune. He offered me a drink, but I smiled nervously and declined.
"No, thank you... I don't drink." I had no desire for a repeat of the past, even though the fine wine at this party was hardly meant for intoxication.
I expected him to leave, but he winked at me flirtatiously. "But surely, you dance?"
He extended his hand, an unspoken ultimatum: if you won't drink with me, you must dance with me. I looked at the floor where couples were swaying slowly to the ambient music. Is this the taste of the rich?I wondered.
Before I could refuse, a familiar voice cut through the air.
"Milan?"
Stacker intervened, shaking the young man's hand just as it reached for mine, effectively pushing him back with a firm, calm gesture.
"Stacker! My friend! I've missed you!" the young man shouted, embracing Stacker.
I couldn't help but smile; I hadn't seen him for two weeks, and I realized I had missed him too.
"Diana, this is Milan, an old friend... we were business associates," Stacker said, introducing him to me.
I nodded respectfully. "Pleased to meet you."
However, Milan's gaze remained flirtatious, lingering on me with an appreciative smile, until Stacker added coldly: "Milan, this is Diana... my sister."
Suddenly, Milan's expression shifted from flirtation to sheer panic. He seemed startled; no one here truly knew my mother and me, as we never appeared in the media or involved ourselves in the manor's external affairs.
"Pleased to meet you too... um... I have to go now. See you later, Stacker!" Milan stammered, practically fleeing the scene.
I couldn't suppress a laugh at his hasty retreat, and Stacker was smiling as well.
"You saved me from that brat," I told him once I caught my breath.
Stacker stood with his hands in his pockets, his expression bright and happy as his gaze remained fixed on me. "From now on, you're going to see a lot of 'Milans'... brace yourself."
"Oh, please... it's disgusting," I teased.
"Where is Caster?" I asked suddenly.
Stacker suppressed a laugh as if the question itself was a joke, then pointed toward a distant table. There sat Caster, surrounded by a group of elegant young women, laughing as if he were regaling them with the world's best stories.
I rubbed my forehead, trying to hide my own laugh. "Mad teenager..." I muttered fondly.
"Beautiful..." Stacker whispered slowly.
I looked up in surprise. "What did you say?" I thought he was talking about Caster.
But his eyes were on my dress, filled with a cool, steady admiration. "The dress... it suits you perfectly."
I didn't know whether to be nervous or shy, so I became both. My cheeks flushed crimson, and I tucked a lock of hair behind my ear with intense trepidation. "Thank you..."
"Incredible," he continued softly. "I vanish for two weeks into work and exhaustion, and upon my return, the first thing that greets me is this... this deadly beauty."
Damn it, I thought. Since when had he become so bold? Since when was he a master of flirtation?
"Did you take lessons in flirting during those two weeks?" I asked with a playful smile.
"I did. For you," he said, winking at me.
"Oh, it seems you're right. I'll be seeing many 'Milans'... maybe I'll find one to live with," I teased back.
He let out a soft laugh—a laugh that came from deep within his heart. I laughed too, admiring how pure and kind he was.
Our moment was interrupted by the sound of Tej gently tapping a glass to gather everyone's attention.
"Ladies and gentlemen, your attention for a moment...!"
The bright lights dimmed, fading into a soft, focused glow as the spotlights turned toward the podium where Tej stood.