Veil of ashes

CHAPTER 4: THE SECRET

The discomfort from that night persisted, becoming stronger with each passing day. Lila couldn't get the notion that Elias was hiding something—something deeper than his attractive demeanor suggested.Her concerns grew stronger during a routine visit to the city records office. She was looking for historical information on the Aureum Theater to include into the wedding theme when she came across an unusual name.

The name "Duvall" emerged several times in the records, linked to controversies stretching back over a century. Embezzlement, strange murders, and bankruptcies—all linked to the family that had controlled the theater for centuries.A shiver ran down her spine as she turned through the records. The same patterns were emerging: sumptuous events followed by tragedy, as if the theater expected a fee.

Lila's pulse hammered when she discovered an old photograph in the archives. It featured a couple standing in front of the Aureum, their smiles frozen in time. The woman's face was strangely familiar—it was the same woman Elias had introduced at the ceremony as his fiancée.However, the photograph dates back decades.Her hands trembled as she read the caption.

"Edward and Lillian Duvall on their wedding day, 1923."She ran back to her workplace, clutching the photograph in her palm. Her mind raced with questions. Was this an odd coincidence? Or was Elias' fiancée somehow linked to the theater's terrible history?When she approached him the next day, Elias refused to deny the relationship. Instead, he revealed the truth in parts, his typical confidence replaced by a silent desperation.

"My family's history is... complicated," he began, walking inside her office. "The theater has always been connected to us, for better or ill. I hoped that this wedding would be the catalyst for change, breaking the pattern.""What cycle?" Lila demanded, her voice shaking. "What are you talking about?"Elias paused, his eyes meeting hers. "The curse," he replied simply. "Every Duvall who has tried to defy it has paid the price."Lila glanced at him, her skepticism conflicting with the evidence she'd discovered. "And your fiancée?" Is she even real?

"She was," he confessed, his voice low. "A long time ago."Her breath caught. "What do you mean by 'was'?" "Elias, what is going on?"He moved closer, his countenance harsh. "I need you to trust me, Lila." Only a bit longer. "Everything will make sense soon."But as she peered into his eyes, Lila felt the weight of his secrets bear down on her, trying to pull her down. Trusting Elias could mean jeopardizing everything, including her own sanity.