Bound by fire, Claimed by love

Unveiling the Past

Evelyn stood at the grand entrance of Ravenshire Manor, the place that had once been her haven—before it became a symbol of her family's downfall. The estate was quiet, the air thick with the scent of aged wood and fading nobility.

Her fingers trailed along the banister as she climbed the stairs, memories flickering through her mind. How many times had she run down these very steps, laughing with Cedric? How many nights had she sat by the fireplace, listening to her father's tales of their family's once-great legacy?

Now, she wasn't here for nostalgia. She was here for answers.

She searched her father's study first, the heavy oak desk untouched since his business and everything else had collapsed.Papers lay scattered, books stood neatly in their place—nothing seemed amiss. But as she reached for an old ledger, a faint indentation in the wood caught her eye.

A groove. No, a scratch—just beneath the drawer.

Frowning, she knelt and ran her fingers over it. The wood had been tampered with.

Her heart pounded as she tried pulling the drawer open, but it wouldn't budge. It wasn't locked—it was stuck, as if something had been jammed behind it on purpose.

For years, no one had thought to look closer.

Digging her nails into the edge, she gave it a sharp tug. With a crack, the bottom panel loosened, and something slid free—a small, folded letter, yellowed with age.

Evelyn unfolded it with trembling hands.

My dearest Edmund,

This is my final warning. Do not defy me again. You know what is at stake. If you refuse to cooperate, House Ravenshire will not survive what comes next.

There was no signature. No seal. Only those chilling words.

Evelyn's breath caught.

Her father had been threatened.

And whatever he had refused to do… had cost them everything.