Chapter 3: The parcel
1113 Words
Maria's POV
*1 weeks after the fire incident
-Cermen Mansion-
Knock Knock Knock
“Come in”
I said while still looking at the documents spread across the desk.
“You should not be working” Leo sighed as he saw the mess on the desk, files piled up at the edge of the desk before walking towards the sofa.
“And you should not be sprinting through my house” a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips
“Fair enough”
I finally looked up to see him dressed in casual clothes.
“So how's the holiday going ?” I asked
“Relaxing , yours ?”
“As you can see..” i replied while using my eyes to show him the work piled up before me and he chucked while i rolled my eyes at him
“So what brings you here?”
I watched as he stood up and walked to my desk before placing his tablet before me
“I was able to recover the CCTV footage”
I leaned forward immediately
“And ?”
I asked a little nervous
He hesitated a little before replying
“Nothing”.
“What do you mean, nothing?”
“The cameras captured only you”
He tapped the screen, to zoom in on me
“Nothing else was captured, no one was seen entering or leaving your office, no one was in the corridor with you, only smoke and flames were captured.”
I stared in shock at the frozen image, it showed me standing alone, exactly where I had seen the stranger, my fingers tightened around the edge of the desk
“That's impossible”.
“I know” Leo replied, I sat there in silence as Leo suddenly took the tablet before changing the footage to when I just left the office for the board meeting
“Although I did not see any figure as you claimed I found this instead” He said before passing the tablet to me
Few minutes after I left the office a strange glow could be seen, not white, not orange but a deep golden light pulsed from behind the painting, where the safe was located giving the office a surreal vibe
Once
Twice
Like a heartbeat.
I slowly rose from my chair
“....My office”
Neither of us spoke
As we stared at each other
“I'll have security check-”
A knock interrupted him
Three slow, deliberate knocks
Unlike the hurried knocks of the staff
These were calm and measured
I glanced towards the door
“Come in”
The butler stepped inside carrying a small parcel wrapped in matte black paper.
“I apologise for the interruption, Miss”
“I believe this was delivered moments ago”
I frowned as I was not expecting anything
“That's strange” I said slowly before the butler carefully placed the parcel on the desk
“There was no courtier or vehicle, I found it resting against the front gates” the butler said before giving a slight bow and stepping back
I and Leo exchange a glance before he asked the butler
“Did anyone see who left it ?”
“No sir, the guards insist no one approached the mansion”
“You may leave” I quickly dismissed the butler
“Okay Miss”
I reached for the parcel
It was surprisingly cold
My name
Maria Cermen
It was written across the front in elegant silver ink.
No address.
No seal.
No indication of who had sent it
Leo instinctively stepped closer
“Should I have security inspect it first?”
I did not answer
I slowly untied the black ribbon
Lifted the lid
Inside laid a neat stack of photographs, I felt my blood go cold
One photograph slipped from my trembling fingers onto the polished wooden floor
Leo bent to pick it up-
“Don't.”
I said with a voice that was barely above a whisper.
For the first time in a long time
I felt fear
Not fear of an enemy
Not fear of death
The kind of fear reserved for something that should never have resurfaced.
I slowly looked back into the box
Tucked beneath the photographs
Was a single cream coloured card only four words were written across it
“Let the game begin”
“Leave” I slowly said to Leo who was in front of me
“Maria-” Leo called out to me with concern
“Leave Leo Camila” I said with a stern voice
“Okay ma'am” Leo said motionlessly
I felt bad for the way I spoke to him but I could not help it
Who could have sent this photos
What was he/her motive I need answers to me questions
*Two months later
Sixty-three sleepless nights.
I had lost count of how many times I had reopened the black box, hoping the photographs inside would somehow change.
They never did.
The anonymous sender never contacted me again.
No demands.
No threats.
No explanation.
Just silence.
The investigation led nowhere.
The fingerprints had been wiped clean.
The wrapping paper yielded nothing.
The handwriting could not be traced.
Even the security cameras outside the Cermen Mansion showed no one approaching the gates that night.
It was as though the parcel had simply... appeared.
——
The incident at MAEX had been dismissed as an electrical fire.
The twenty-seventh floor underwent extensive renovations, forcing me to temporarily relocate my office while engineers replaced every damaged wall, cable, and window.
Life slowly resumed.
Or at least...
That was what everyone believed.
I became more quiet, I got startled at unexpected noises, every unfamiliar face made me wonder if they were watching me, every package delivered to my office sent a chill down my spine.
I found myself constantly looking over my shoulder.
I was scared of the unknown
——
The morning the renovations were finally completed, I insisted on returning to my office alone.
No assistants.
No executives.
No Sofia.
No Leo.
I wanted a moment of peace.
The office looked exactly as it had before the fire. Almost.
Fresh paint covered the walls.
The shattered windows had been replaced.
New shelves lined the room.
Not a single trace remained of what had happened two months earlier.
I walked slowly through the office, running my fingers along the polished mahogany bookshelf.
"They even arranged the books differently..."
I smiled faintly.
"They always ignore my instructions."I could not help but laugh a little, when I heard a low chuckle echoing behind me.
"They're exactly where they belong.”
- Writer
