Chapter 6 — The Blue Room
1649 Words
Elena barely slept.
The memory of her mother's warning kept returning.
If anything ever happens to me, don't trust anyone who asks about the blue room.
She had been only eight years old when her mother said those words.
At the time, Elena hadn't understood them.
She had assumed it was another strange thing adults sometimes said.
Now, years later, the memory felt like a warning she had been waiting her entire life to remember.
She sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the photograph on the table.
Her mother.
Damian's father.
The past she had never known.
And now the blue room.
Elena stood.
She needed answers.
She opened her bedroom door and stepped into the hallway.
The mansion was quiet.
Most of the lights had been turned off, leaving only the dim wall lamps glowing along the corridor.
She remembered Mrs. Carter mentioning that the mansion had several unused rooms.
Perhaps one of them was blue.
Elena walked downstairs.
She found Mrs. Carter in the kitchen preparing tea.
The older woman looked surprised.
“Miss Hart?”
“I need to ask you something.”
Mrs. Carter put down the spoon.
“What is it?”
“Does this house have a blue room?”
The woman's face changed.
It was subtle.
But Elena noticed.
“What makes you ask that?”
“My mother.”
Mrs. Carter went completely still.
“She told me about it when I was a child.”
“You remember?”
“Not much.”
Elena stepped closer.
“She told me never to trust anyone who asked about it.”
Mrs. Carter looked toward the hallway.
“You shouldn't be here.”
“Why?”
“Because some rooms are better left locked.”
“Which room?”
Mrs. Carter hesitated.
“Second floor. East wing.”
Elena's heart quickened.
“Is it still there?”
“Yes.”
“Take me there.”
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“Mr. Cross forbade anyone from entering that part of the house.”
Elena frowned.
“Why?”
“I don't know.”
“You know more than you're telling me.”
Mrs. Carter looked troubled.
“Your mother once stood in that room.”
Elena froze.
“When?”
“Years ago.”
“Was Damian with her?”
“No.”
“Then who was?”
Mrs. Carter lowered her voice.
“Your father.”
Elena's heart sank.
Again.
Her father.
He was everywhere in this mystery.
She turned toward the stairs.
“I'm going.”
“Miss Hart—”
Elena kept walking.
“Don't tell Damian.”
Mrs. Carter caught her arm.
“You don't understand.”
Elena looked at her.
“Then help me understand.”
The older woman released her.
“Be careful.”
---
The east wing was darker than the rest of the mansion.
Elena walked slowly down the corridor, her footsteps echoing against the wooden floor.
At the end stood a large door.
Its paint had faded over time.
But there was still a faint blue color beneath the dust.
Elena's heart pounded.
She tried the handle.
Locked.
Of course.
She searched the nearby table.
Nothing.
Then she noticed a small painting hanging beside the door.
It was slightly crooked.
Elena moved it.
A key was hidden behind it.
Her hands trembled as she picked it up.
She looked down the hallway.
Nobody was there.
She inserted the key.
The lock clicked.
Elena slowly opened the door.
Dust filled the air.
She covered her nose and stepped inside.
The room was exactly what she remembered from her childhood dreams.
Blue walls.
Old furniture.
A large wooden desk.
And a portrait of Elena's mother hanging above the fireplace.
Elena walked toward it.
Her mother was smiling.
But something about the portrait felt wrong.
She moved closer.
There was a small mark carved into the frame.
A circle with a line through it.
Elena touched it.
The wooden panel beside the portrait suddenly moved.
She gasped.
Behind it was a narrow compartment.
Inside was a small metal box.
Elena pulled it out.
Her hands were shaking.
She placed it on the desk.
There was no lock.
She opened it.
Inside were several documents.
A flash drive.
And an old envelope.
Elena picked up the envelope first.
Her mother's handwriting was on the front.
For Elena.
Her heart stopped.
She carefully opened it.
Inside was a letter.
My dear Elena,
If you are reading this, then something has happened to me.
Elena's eyes immediately filled with tears.
She continued.
There are things about our family that I never wanted you to know. I wanted you to have a normal life. I wanted you to grow up without carrying the weight of my mistakes.
But I may not get the chance to explain everything.
Elena swallowed hard.
Trust no one completely. Not even your father.
Her breathing stopped.
She read the sentence again.
Not even your father.
Elena's hands began to tremble.
Why would her mother write that?
She continued reading.
There is a man who believes your father destroyed his family. His name is Damian Cross.
Elena froze.
Her mother had known.
She had known Damian's name.
But Damian is not the person you should fear.
Elena's eyes widened.
Then the letter continued.
The people you should fear are the ones who know what happened the night I died.
A noise came from the hallway.
Elena quickly folded the letter.
Footsteps.
Someone was coming.
She looked around desperately.
The door began to open.
“Elena?”
Damian.
She released a breath.
But his expression changed the moment he saw the box.
“What are you doing here?”
Elena stepped backward.
“I found this.”
Damian walked into the room.
His eyes immediately went to the documents.
“Where did you get that?”
“It was hidden behind the portrait.”
Damian's face became pale.
“You opened it?”
“Yes.”
“What did you read?”
Elena held the letter tightly.
“My mother's letter.”
Damian stepped closer.
“What did she say?”
Elena stared at him.
“She said you aren't the person I should fear.”
His expression changed.
“What else?”
“She said the people who know what happened the night she died are dangerous.”
Damian was silent.
Elena's voice shook.
“She knew you.”
“Yes.”
“She knew your father.”
“Yes.”
“And she knew something about his death.”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I didn't know what she had left behind.”
Elena held up the flash drive.
“Maybe this is what you've been searching for.”
Damian stared at it.
“Give it to me.”
“No.”
His eyes narrowed.
“Elena.”
“You've lied to me since I arrived.”
“I didn't lie.”
“You withheld the truth.”
“There's a difference.”
“Not to me.”
She stepped back.
“I want to know everything before I give you anything.”
Damian looked at her.
For a moment, anger flashed across his face.
Then it disappeared.
“You don't understand what you're holding.”
“Then explain it.”
“That drive could destroy powerful people.”
“Who?”
“I don't know.”
“You're lying again.”
“No.”
He looked at the box.
“Your mother was investigating something before she died.”
“What?”
“I don't know.”
Elena stared at him.
“You're telling me my mother left evidence behind, and you still don't know what happened?”
Damian's expression darkened.
“I've spent fifteen years trying to find that evidence.”
“Why?”
“Because my father died because of it.”
Elena's eyes softened slightly.
“Was he murdered?”
Damian looked at her.
“Yes.”
She swallowed.
“And my mother?”
“I believe she was murdered too.”
Silence filled the room.
Elena looked down at the letter.
“Then why did my mother say you weren't the person I should fear?”
Damian didn't answer.
Before he could, footsteps sounded again.
This time, they were coming from the opposite end of the corridor.
Damian immediately turned.
“Someone is here.”
Elena's heart raced.
“Who?”
“I don't know.”
The lights suddenly went out.
Darkness swallowed the room.
Elena gasped.
Damian grabbed her hand.
“Stay close.”
A loud crash came from the hallway.
Then another.
Someone was moving through the east wing.
Damian pulled Elena behind him.
“Don't make a sound.”
They heard the door open.
A shadow moved across the room.
Elena held her breath.
Damian reached inside his jacket.
But before he could draw his weapon, the intruder threw something onto the floor.
A small object rolled toward Elena's feet.
It was a phone.
It began ringing.
Damian stared at it.
Then the screen lit up.
One message appeared.
YOU FOUND THE BOX. NOW YOU'LL BOTH DIE.
Elena looked at Damian.
His expression was deadly.
Then another message appeared.
THE WEDDING MUST HAPPEN BEFORE MIDNIGHT.
Elena's blood ran cold.
“Why would they care about our wedding?”
Damian didn't answer.
He was staring at the message.
Then he looked at Elena.
“Because they need you to become my wife.”
“Why?”
Damian's eyes darkened.
“Because once you're officially Mrs. Cross, they'll finally be able to access what your mother left behind.”
Elena's heart stopped.
The marriage wasn't simply a trap for her.
It was part of someone's plan.
And somehow, the secret her mother had died protecting was now hidden inside the marriage contract Elena had already signed.
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