Chapter 2 - The Red Room
Julian didn't wait for her to elaborate. He pivoted sharply, carrying Lily down the long, vaulted corridor toward his private study—the only room in the estate fitted with biometric locks. Every step echoed against the towering walls of modern glass and concrete. Behind them, Elena’s muffled laughter lingered in the kitchen, sharp and brittle.
Inside the study, Julian gently set Lily down onto the wide leather sofa. He immediately knelt before her, peeling off his heavy coat and wrapping it around her fragile shoulders.
""Show me, sweetheart,"" Julian murmured, his hands steady despite the tempest raging inside his chest. ""Show Daddy your arm.""
Lily kept her head lowered, but slowly extended her right forearm. The light blue cotton sleeve was rolled up just past the elbow. There, stamped violently into the pale skin, were two sharp puncture wounds, swollen and weeping dark blood. Beside it was an old, faded bruise in the distinct shape of five adult fingers.
The air left Julian's lungs in a harsh hiss. He had left for Zurich four days ago thinking his home was a fortress. He had believed Elena’s gentle smiles, her promises to build a loving home after Clara’s tragic death two years ago. It had all been an elaborate masquerade.
""Did she do this, Lily?"" he asked, fighting to keep his voice completely calm. ""Did Elena do this?""
Lily didn't nod. Instead, she pointed a trembling finger toward the high-definition security monitor mounted on Julian’s wall. The screen displayed eight rotating feeds of the estate: the front gates, the perimeter gardens, the subterranean garage, and the master suite.
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The screen in the bottom right corner showed the abandoned nursery on the third floor—Clara’s old studio.
The camera was static, but the red recording light was flashing erratically. In the middle of the empty room, bathed in grey shadows, an antique rocking chair was moving. It swayed steadily back and forth, entirely on its own.
