Chapter 1: The Room That Did Not Exist
The first thing I heard inside the Blackwood mansion was a child crying.
The second thing I heard was the family telling me there were no children in the house.
Three months ago, I arrived at Blackwood Mansion carrying one suitcase, a folder of references, and the desperate hope that I could finally escape the mistakes that had followed me for years.
The mansion stood on a private hill outside the city, surrounded by towering trees and iron gates that looked more like the entrance to a fortress than a home. Its black stone walls, enormous windows, and perfectly trimmed gardens belonged in a magazine, not a place where someone like me would work.
I was Elena Carter, twenty-nine years old, and I had spent most of my life taking care of other people.
But after losing my last job and dealing with a painful chapter I never wanted to discuss again, I needed a fresh start.
That was why I accepted the position as a live-in caretaker for the Blackwood family.
The offer seemed impossible to refuse.
A private room.
A generous salary.
A chance to disappear from the world for a while.
When I arrived, a tall man in a dark suit opened the front door.
“Ms. Carter?”” he asked.
“Yes. I’m Elena.””
“I’m Victor Blackwood.””
I immediately recognized the name.
Everyone knew the Blackwoods.
They owned hotels, technology companies, and investment firms across the country. Their family name appeared everywhere, from business magazines to charity events.
Victor was handsome in a cold, controlled way. His expression never changed.
“You understand your responsibilities?”” he asked.
“Yes. Household care, medical assistance if needed, managing schedules, and making sure everything runs smoothly.””
He nodded.
“My father’s health is fragile. My wife does not like strangers in the house. Keep things professional.””
A woman appeared behind him.
She wore an elegant cream dress and looked like she had never touched anything ordinary in her life.
“Victoria Blackwood,” she said.
Her smile looked polite, but her eyes studied me carefully.
“One rule,” she said.
I waited.
“You do not enter private areas of this mansion.””
“I understand.””
“Especially the east wing.””
I glanced toward the hallway behind her.
The lights were off.
The entire section looked abandoned.
“Why is that area closed?””
Victoria’s smile disappeared for half a second.
“Because there is nothing there.””
Victor interrupted.
“Just follow instructions.””
I nodded.
At the time, I thought it was strange.
I had no idea it was a warning.
That night, the mansion felt different after everyone went to sleep.
The silence was overwhelming.
No television.
No conversations.
No footsteps.
Only the sound of rain hitting the enormous windows.
I was organizing medical supplies in the downstairs office when I heard it.
A faint sound.
A child.
I froze.
At first, I thought I imagined it.
Then I heard it again.
A small voice.
Crying.
“Please…”
I slowly stepped into the hallway.
My heart started beating faster.
The sound was coming from the east wing.
The same place they told me did not matter.
I walked toward the closed hallway.
Every instinct told me to stop.
But another instinct, the one that had made me become a caretaker in the first place, told me someone needed help.
The door at the end of the hallway was locked.
I touched the handle.
Cold metal.
Then I heard the voice again.
“Is someone there?””
I whispered, “Yes. I’m Elena. Are you hurt?””
Silence.
Then a frightened answer.
“Please don’t let them know I’m here.””
My blood went cold.
I looked around.
Nobody was coming.
Nobody was watching.
I found an old key inside a drawer near the hallway. It looked like it had been hidden there for years.
My hands trembled as I unlocked the door.
The room smelled like dust and old wood.
A small lamp flickered in the corner.
And behind a large armchair, a little girl was hiding.
She looked about seven years old.
Her hair was messy.
Her clothes were too large.
Her eyes were filled with fear.
“Who are you?”” I whispered.
The girl stared at me.
Then she said something that made my entire body freeze.
“I’m Lily Blackwood.””
I stared at her.
The missing daughter everyone in the city believed had died years ago.
Before I could ask another question, Lily grabbed my hand.
“You have to leave.””
“Why?””
“Because if they find you with me…”
Her voice cracked.
“They’ll say you kidnapped me.””
A noise came from the hallway.
Footsteps.
Someone was coming.
And then I saw the walls behind Lily.
Hundreds of photographs covered them.
Pictures of the Blackwood family.
Victor.
Victoria.
Their relatives.
Their business partners.
But one photograph made my breath stop.
May you like
It showed Lily standing beside Victor.
The date on the corner was only five days earlier.
