ISABELLA
I closed the bathroom door behind me, pressing my back against the cool wood as I exhaled shakily. My heart still raced, the pressure in my chest unbearable.
The note burned in my pocket, as if it had a pulse of its own. A warning. A threat.
But from whom?
I bit my lip, fingers trembling as I pulled the crumpled paper from my robe. The ink was smudged slightly from my grip, but the message was still clear.
You should have never come back.
I inhaled sharply. The words were vague, but the malice behind them was unmistakable.
Who would do this?
The manor was secure, protected. And yet, someone had slipped this note onto the terrace, right where I would see it.
A chill crawled up my spine.
I needed to think. I needed to figure out what to do next.
But my mind was a mess.
