Cecilia ’s pov
What was that sound ?
Maybe a cat ?
That was my first thought.
I’d heard sothing like that last night. It sounded like a cat crying in the dark.
I froze. My ears strained to catch it again.
The noise ca and went, thin as wind through a cracked window. Faint, but it tugged at sothing deep in my chest.
I didn’t go looking. I sank back into the couch, pressing my back hard against the cushions.
But after a minute, I shot to my feet and turned toward the hallway where Sebastian and Cassian had gone.
That wasn’t a cat. I could feel it.
I followed the sa path and spotted Cassian at the far end of the hall.
"I just heard crying from the sitting room," I whispered. "It sounded... off. I didn’t want to check it alone."
Cassian’s eyes sharpened. "I’ll go with you."
He turned on his heel and headed back, his steps fast and heavy. I had to jog to keep up.
As we walked, he called Sebastian.
A mont later, Sebastian turned the corner, saw out of breath, and picked up without a word.
"Rest if you’re tired," he said, holding close.
Then he gave Cassian a look.
Cassian raised both hands in mock guilt. "My bad. I’ll buy her ice cream when we get out of here."
My face heated. "Let’s just find them first..."
Cassian grinned. "You’re always so thoughtful, Cece."
The three of us moved toward the sitting room.
At the hallway entrance, I pointed ahead. "The sound ca from that direction. It gave chills."
Sebastian nodded. "You were smart not to go alone. "
Cassian led the way.
The hallway stretched far ahead, ending in a sharp turn toward the back of the house.
Right as we reached the corner, the crying ca again.
Low. Muffled. Gut-wrenching.
It sounded like grief caught on an endless loop.
My throat tightened. I leaned into Sebastian’s chest without thinking.
The sound pulled at sothing deep, like it wanted to drag us into soone else’s pain.
Cassian picked up his pace.
We rounded the corner and found the source.
A storage room sat next to the back door.
We approached slowly. Cassian turned the knob and pushed the door open.
The room was big and ssy, filled with crates, broken chairs, and furniture covered in sheets.
In the far corner, three figures sat cross-legged in front of a wooden crate.
Martha. Yulia. Fiona.
All three were crying. None of them looked up. None even flinched.
Sebastian stepped forward, still holding , until we could see their faces.
"It’s them," he said quietly.
I stared, unsettled. I nudged him.
"Are they... poisoned ?"
He nodded once. "Most likely."
Cassian crouched beside Martha, keeping his voice steady.
"Grandma, why are you sitting here crying ? It’s late. You should be in bed."
She didn’t answer. She cried harder, then whispered between sobs.
"Raymond... my Raymond..."
I blinked.
"Who’s Raymond ?" I mouthed the words.
Sebastian leaned down. His breath brushed my ear.
"Her eldest grandson. Died in a car crash."
My stomach dropped.
Zane’s son. I rembered hearing about it. The boy and his mother had died together. He’d been young. Too young.
The crying around felt sharp. Like it could cut skin. It was too much. I couldn’t breathe.
My eyes burned. I didn’t even know why I was this emotional.
These weren’t my mories. So why did it hurt so badly ?
Was pregnancy really making this sensitive ?
Cassian gently wrapped an arm around his grandmother’s shoulders.
"Grandma, Raymond’s in a better place now. He wouldn’t want to see you like this."
Martha looked up, eyes clouded with grief but softened when she saw him.
"Does it still hurt ?" she asked. "Let Grandma hold you again..."
Cassian nodded once. "Raymond doesn’t hurt anymore. He’s okay. When you hold him, the pain goes away."
"Yes," Martha whispered, pulling him close. "Let Grandma hold you. No more pain..."
Behind her, Yulia and Fiona cried even harder.
It felt like all three won were stuck in the sa dream, trapped inside a mory they couldn’t wake up from.
Sebastian winced at the sound and pulled a chair closer, sitting down with a sigh.
"Call a doctor," he said to Cassian, keeping his tone calm.
Cassian nodded and pulled out his phone.
Martha kept holding Cassian, but her eyes moved.
She looked past him and stared right at us.
For a second, sothing shifted in her face.
"Rebecca... you ca back..."
That na again.
I’d heard more than once that I looked like her, the woman Zane had loved and lost.
Martha stood up suddenly. Cassian steadied her by the arms.
She walked toward , her steps slow, like she was afraid I might disappear. Then she took my hand, her smile tender but shaky.
"You’re finally ho. Where did you go ? You’re pregnant now.You can’t run around like that..."
Her voice dropped to a whisper. "You’re the only one I have left. You must stay inside. I’ll keep you safe. Just don’t leave again..."
She kept repeating herself, like soone talking in her sleep.
I nodded stiffly, but my chest felt tight.
I didn’t want to play along. I just wanted to get out of this room full of ghosts.
Martha’s hand moved to my stomach. She smiled.
"Our little princess is almost here..."
Sebastian stepped forward instinctively, wanting to pull away.
Martha looked up at him.
"You worthless coward!" she snapped. "Get that scheming woman out of this house! She’s going to destroy you!"
Sebastian froze.She thought he was Zane.
Martha spun around toward Cassian.
"Raymond! Co sit between your father and mother. Families should stay together!"
Cassian had just ended his call. He crouched beside her again and said gently,
"I’m here, Grandma. Raymond’s right here."
Her voice softened. "Good boy. Sit in the middle so your father can hold you."
Cassian glanced up at Sebastian, completely at a loss.
Sebastian t his eyes with a crooked smile and said,
"Be a good son."
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