Chapter 3 - A Child’s Curiosity
While the adults mingled in the grand ballroom, exchanging pleasantries and discussing stock portfolios, ten-year-old Leo found himself suffocating from boredom. Dressed in a miniature, highly stylish black tuxedo complete with a tiny silk bowtie, he felt entirely out of place. He was the nephew of one of Adrian’s senior board members, dragged to the event with strict instructions from his mother to sit still, stay quiet, and not ruin his expensive clothes.
For the first hour, Leo had managed to obey. He had sat rigidly in a velvet chair, sipping a glass of sparkling apple cider and watching the photographers snap endless pictures. But Valmont Manor was massive, a sprawling labyrinth of historical corridors, hidden alcoves, and locked doors. For a boy with a hyperactive imagination and a love for mystery novels, the temptation to explore the off-limits areas of the estate was simply too great to resist.
"I'm just going to the restroom," Leo had mumbled to his mother, slipping away before she could object.
May you like
Instead of heading toward the public restrooms in the east wing, Leo turned left, slipping past a velvet rope meant to keep guests away from the family’s private quarters. The noise of the orchestra and the chatter of the crowd began to fade, replaced by the heavy, imposing silence of the manor's restricted hallways. Thick Persian runner rugs muffled his footsteps as he wandered deeper into the unknown.
He admired the ancient oil paintings lining the walls and the suits of armor standing guard in the corners. He felt like an explorer discovering a forgotten castle. As he turned a corner into a dimly lit, narrow corridor, he heard the faint, distinct sound of a door clicking shut. He froze, pressing his small back against the cool stone wall. He peeked around the corner and saw the bride, Claudia, moving swiftly and suspiciously down the hall, entirely alone. She wasn't heading toward the ceremony; she was heading in the exact opposite direction. Driven by pure, childish curiosity, Leo decided to follow her, unaware that his innocent adventure was about to turn into a nightmare.
