Chapter 53 — The Past Returns
Kiera's knees trembled as she crouched near the hidden device, Leo clinging to her side. Her pulse pounded in her ears. Sparks flickered from exposed wires, lighting the corridor with eerie flashes, and every shadow seemed to breathe.
The stranger's voice was tense. "We don't have much time. The device is still active. And Vivienne… she's watching."
Kiera swallowed hard. "Another one? How many more does she have?"
"Enough to make this mansion a death trap," Kade muttered, voice low. "We need to disable it now."
Suddenly, a chilling sound echoed from behind them—low, deliberate footsteps. Kiera froze.
"Who's there?" she demanded.
The footsteps grew closer, and then… a familiar, ragged voice broke through the tension.
"Kiera…"
Her heart stopped. She turned slowly. Standing in the shadows was her father, disheveled, eyes wild, and hands shaking slightly. The man who had haunted her childhood, the source of so much fear, was here. Alive.
