Moonlight poured down upon the mansion, bathing the white marble in a soft, ethereal glow. The surface gleamed as if it had been carved from moonstone itself. One side of the towering wall was completely wrapped in red and rose-colored climbing orchid roses, their vines stretching upward until they brushed the vintage single window embedded in the circular curve of the structure. Hundreds of blossoms bloomed together, so dense that the green leaves beneath were barely visible.
A gentle wind passed through, stealing the intoxicating fragrance of the orchids. It carried the scent across the grounds, swirling lazily through the silence of the night.
Another section of the mansion was bordered by a dense growth of Bird of Paradise plants planted close to the walls. They had grown to the height of a man's shoulders, their thick stems crowned with clusters of vivid orange flowers that stood boldly against the darkness. Beyond that lay an expansive garden, vast and carefully curated, filled with rare, luxurious varieties of flowering and non-flowering plants, each one nurtured to perfection.
The atmosphere was unnervingly calm.
There was no chirping of crickets, no whisper of nocturnal life. Only silence.... deep, heavy, and absolute.....wrapped around the mansion like a held breath.
Then, suddenly, the silence broke.
Footsteps echoed softly against the stone.
Two men stood before the closed iron gate of the mansion. One of them wore a brown high-neck sweater beneath a full-length woolen coat, paired with beige Korean-style trousers. He lifted his gloved hand and slowly traced his fingers across the name engraved on the board.
Ebonhart Mansion.
The man beside him clapped his hands together sharply, then rubbed them vigorously, trying to fight the cold.
"Did you come all the way here just to admire the name board?" Finn snapped.
"Do you even know what time it is? and what the temperature is? It's minus two degrees. I'm freezing."
Despite the thick woolen coat wrapped tightly around him, Finn shivered.
"You're insane," he muttered bitterly.
"Absolutely insane… the fu*king friend of a so-called nice guy."
Aeron let out a soft chuckle and turned to face him.
"I missed him, Finn," he said, his voice low and almost playful.
His gaze softened, eyes melting into something dangerously tender as he put on the most exaggerated, fake-innocent expression he could manage. Finn rolled his eyes hard.
"Missed him?" he scoffed. "You snuck into his office this morning. You watched him eat, through that stupid hidden camera you installed in his highly secured cabin. You followed him when he left work and stalked his car all the way until it entered this damn devil's castle."The sneer in his voice was sharp.
Aeron only pouted
"Whatever," he said casually. "I want to see him. Right now."
Before Finn could respond, Aeron was already climbing the gate with practiced ease. Finn let out a long, tired sigh.
"What are you waiting for?" Aeron called back lightly. "Come with me, Finn babe… or you'll freeze to death."
Grinding his teeth, Finn bit his lower lip and climbed after him. Their booted feet landed almost simultaneously on the damp grass inside the grounds. Finn's eyes darted around nervously, fear creeping into his thoughts, while Aeron strode forward as if the place belonged to him.
Finn slapped his own forehead in frustration and followed.
Once again, Aeron scaled the vintage-style wall like an adventure enthusiast, while Finn had to force himself to climb after him, every nerve on edge.
They emerged onto the balcony of the mansion's second storey.Not a single lamp was lit. Yet the space wasn't entirely dark—the full moon flooded the balcony with silver light, casting long shadows across the floor. Aeron moved closer to the window and gently pulled the white curtains aside, peering into the room.
His expression darkened.
The room inside was pitch black.
There was no hint of light at all. so dark that even two people standing inches apart wouldn't be able to see one another.
He turned back toward Finn.
"Are you sure you want to see him… at an hour like this?" Finn whispered. "This place feels wrong. I feel something strange."
Aeron rolled his eyes.
"Don't be dramatic, you short moron," he replied dismissively. "I want to see him. Right now."
To be continued.....