Chapter 20
**Chapter 20: The Study p>
The Study.
Serena pressed her hand against her chest, her heart racing as if it might burst free. “God, no,” she whispered, her voice barely audible, a fragile plea echoing in the silence.
Unbeknownst to her, she had already spent a disorienting fifteen minutes in the basement, trapped in the clutches of her own memories. The weight of that past trauma anchored her in place, her limbs growing heavy and unresponsive, as if the very air around her conspired to keep her rooted to the ground.
Images flooded her mind-vivid snapshots of a time when she was far too young to comprehend the pain she endured. She felt a familiar sting of indignation; she didn’t deserve such cruelty. Had it not been for the relentless therapy sessions mandated by the social service worker, Serena doubted she would have emerged from the emotional fog that had enveloped her for so long.
In her heart, she carried the burden of her childhood experience like a hidden scar, a mark of shame that she rarely shared with anyone. Nathaniel was oblivious to her past, and most others were too. Only Alice had been granted access to that part of her soul. It was during a college retreat, amidst the laughter and camaraderie, that she had finally bared her heart to her best friend, revealing the dark shadows of her upbringing. A part of her had learned to carry it like a stain-something to be hidden, something that rendered her feeling small and alien in a world that seemed to embrace everyone but her.
“Serena, calm down,” she murmured to herself, forcing her mind to disentangle from the past and return to the present moment.
She closed her eyes and whispered a silent prayer, her fingers brushing over her belly, a gentle reminder of the life she carried within her. This was her motivation, her reason to escape the basement’s grasp.
With newfound determination, she slowly ascended the stairs, her heart pounding with each step. When she reached the basement door, she turned the knob, relief washing over her when she found it unlocked.
Emerging cautiously, Serena scanned her surroundings, her instincts on high alert as she checked for any signs of authority nearby. Once she was satisfied that the coast was clear, she darted into a shadowy corner of the house, enveloped in darkness.
Here, she allowed herself a moment to breathe deeply, inhaling the cool air as she steadied her racing heart.
After several agonizing minutes, Serena finally gathered the courage to move again. She had deliberately chosen to wear rubber-soled shoes, knowing they would help her tread silently through the house.
Before making her way up the staircase, she peered into the main hallway leading to the living room. The dim lighting cast eerie shadows, and she caught glimpses of lights flickering outside the windows-police officers patrolling the perimeter of the mansion.
Once she was certain that no authorities lurked within the house, Serena hastened toward her parents’ room. The absence of light forced her to rely on the glow of her phone as she searched for any remnants that might connect her to her parents.
Her heart sank when she discovered that the toothbrushes were gone, and not a single comb remained. The room appeared unnervingly tidy, with fresh sheets on the bed but no curtains hanging in the windows, leaving the space feeling stark and empty.
“They must have thrown it all out,” she muttered bitterly, a sense of loss washing over her.
Checking her phone, she noted the silence from Alice-no messages, no calls. That meant it was still safe, for now.
“The study,” she whispered to herself. “There has to be something in the study that I can find p>
With renewed purpose, she carefully retraced her steps down to the first floor and made her way to her father’s study.
Inside, she took in the familiar surroundings, her heart swelling with nostalgia as she spotted a few items that belonged to her father. Each object sparked a flood of memories, transporting her back to moments long past.
A fountain pen lay elegantly on the wooden table, its polished surface gleaming in the dim light. She remembered how her father would absently chew on the cap while contemplating his next signature, a nervous habit that had always fascinated her.
With gloved hands, she picked up the pen, cradling it gently before placing it in a ziplock container, a small token of her father’s presence amidst the chaos.
As she rummaged through the
drawers, her heart raced when she discovered a stress ball-Victor’s stress ball. She recalled how he would grip it tightly when frustration took hold of him. The chances of
obtaining DNA were slim, but she was willing to take that risk.
Suddenly, a thought struck her. “Wait, maybe Victor kept documents about me. If I’m
adopted, there could be adoption papers p>
She rifled through the drawers once
more, her hopes rising and falling with each empty space. Turning her attention to the built-in bookshelves, she noticed signs of a recent search-the disarray of books strewn haphazardly on the floor suggested the police had been there.
But there was still hope; they hadn’t uncovered everything.
Approaching one of the built-in shelves, Serena observed how the absence of books left the woodwork looking skeletal. To the untrained eye, it appeared unremarkable. But she had a keen sense of what lay beneath the surface.
As a teenager, she had once bumped her shoulder against this very section while helping the maids clean. The dull thud it produced had sounded different, echoing in a way that piqued her curiosity.
She recalled that moment vividly-Victor had yanked her away, his voice sharp and accusatory as he warned her never to touch anything in the study again. His overreaction had only fueled her determination to uncover its secrets.
Her fingertips grazed the edges of the vertical panel on the far left side of the shelf, tracing the grain of the wood until she felt a thin indentation that appeared decorative.
With a cautious press of her thumb, a faint click resonated within the frame, sending
a thrill of anticipation coursing through her.
Serena froze, her breath hitching in her throat.
Gently, she pushed against the narrow vertical panel, barely ten inches wide, and watched in awe as it slid sideways, revealing a hidden safe nestled within the wall cavity-a secret the police had overlooked.
Her heart raced as she
contemplated the combination lock. Just as she was about to attempt to unlock it, her phone vibrated insistently in her pocket. She
answered the call, Alicepto
voice
crackling through the line Serena two cars just pulled up; and another police vehicle. I can’t see from where I’m hiding, but they’re heading inside the house. You need to get out-now p>
But the thought of leaving felt unbearable. She was so close!
“Combination,” she murmured, her mind racing. “What combination would Victor
use p>
She tried her mother’s birthday first, but the lock remained stubbornly closed.
By the time she attempted her father’s birthday, she could hear footsteps and voices approaching in the hallway.
“Oh no!” Panic surged through her as she quickly concealed the safe, her eyes darting around the room in desperation. They were coming closer!
Her gaze landed on the closet that once held her father’s business suits. Without thinking, she rushed toward it, brushing against a pen holder on the table, sending it clattering to the floor.
“What was that?” a voice called out, sharp and inquisitive.
“It’s in the study!” another voice responded.
With no time to spare, Serena dove into the closet, her heart pounding in her chest. She could only pray that the police wouldn’t think to look there; the thought of being caught for trespassing sent chills down her spine.
But her worst fears materialized moments later when the closet door swung open, and a figure stood frozen in the doorway, his blue-gray eyes widening in shock at the sight of her.
Serena swallowed hard, her heart racing against the tide of dread that enveloped
her.