Chapter 42 : Don’t Open It

Days passed, stretching into an anxious abyss, yet there was still no sign of Frederick. Television networks and radio stations remained silent, his name unspoken in the tabloids.
One afternoon, Angela found herself engrossed in the tasks of cleaning Leonardo's room, seeking solace in the routine. As she made her way back to the broom closet on the second floor, voices, faint but distinct, drifted into her awareness. She glanced up at the ceiling, entranced by the inaudible conversations that seemed to echo from the above ceiling.
Determined to uncover the source, Angela followed the dimly lit corridor, each step bringing the voices into sharper focus. To her surprise, it was Lara and Mrs. Vera engaged in a hushed discussion, their words shrouded in secrecy. Her curiosity piqued, Angela's gaze fell upon a slightly ajar door at the top of a set of stairs. With a mix of trepidation and determination, she ascended.
Climbing the stairs cautiously, Angela reached the upper landing, where the voices emanated more distinctly from the partially open door. Mrs. Vera's words echoed in the air, "The diary must be somewhere here, or perhaps hidden within those boxes."
"We must find it, Mrs. Vera," Lara responded eagerly, her tone projecting a sense of urgency.
Angela was shocked by the revelation. She hadn't expected others to be interested in Esmeralda's diary. She heard footsteps approaching and quickly made her way downstairs, heading toward the safety of the pink room. To her surprise, she found Leonardo sitting on Esmeralda's bed, his face grave.
"Why are you here, Leonardo?" Angela asked, a mix of confusion and concern in her voice.
Leonardo's response was serious and urgent. "Lock the door," he instructed, sending a shiver down Angela's spine.
Angela locked the door and stood in front of Leonardo, sensing his tension.
"Forget about Fredrick and focus on finding Esmeralda's diary," he said. "We have to find it first."
Angela then told him about Lara and Mrs. Vera searching for the diary in the attic. Leonardo fell silent for a moment and said, "That's what I suspected."
Suddenly, Angela remembered something she had found on the ground that night when Fredrick had attacked her. She had forgotten about it in the chaos of that night. "I found something on the cliff," Angela panicked.
"What is it?" Leonardo asked, frowning.
"It looks like a small book covered in mud," Angela replied, growing more anxious.
"A book?" Leonardo said with interest.
"Maybe," Angela said quickly, searching for the book in the pink room. She looked everywhere and was startled when she found it under the bed. "I found it," Angela exclaimed, feeling excited to have the book in her hands. "I don't remember putting it under the bed that night."
"Let me see it," Leonardo said, reaching out his hand. Angela placed the muddy book in his hand. He examined it with both hands, feeling its rough texture. "It's rough."
"Because it's covered in dry mud," Angela explained.
"Clean the cover carefully," Leonardo instructed. "Make sure you don't damage it with water."
Angela was fixated on the muddy book, trying to figure out how to clean it. Her curiosity burned inside her, urging her to unveil the truth no matter what. Finally, she decided to soak the book in a basin of water, hoping to soften the mud. As the mud dissolved, the book revealed its true color—a delicate shade of pink. Trembling, Angela used a stick to carefully retrieve the book from the water and let it dry in the breeze, ensuring not to damage the pages. It was Esmeralda's long-lost diary.
"It's a pink book," Angela whispered, holding the now dry diary before Leonardo.
Leonardo couldn't believe what Angela had discovered. "Let me touch it again," he said softly, refraining from opening the book. With closed eyes, he gently felt the cover before returning it to Angela. "Please be cautious with the pages. Use a sharp puller to open each page," Leonardo advised, emphasizing the need for hand gloves. He left Angela alone in the room, fixated on the small pink book resting on the dresser.
Angela hurried to the kitchen to ask Mrs. Gale for a sharpened puller and clean gloves. She was determined not to lose even a tiny fragment of the precious diary. She knew that the diary's contents had the potential to change everything within the Vera mansion, especially the lives of its inhabitants.
After several minutes of carefully flipping through the pages, Angela placed the diary on a white cloth on the pink dresser. She meticulously separated each page, taking hours to complete the task. Though she was sweating, she felt a sense of accomplishment and lay on her back, smiling and gazing at the ceiling. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.
Angela opened the door to find Mrs. Gale standing there, looking puzzled. "Someone is on the phone, looking for you, Angela," she informed. Curious, Angela hurried into the living room and picked up the phone.
"Hello?" Angela wondered who could be calling. She hadn't mentioned her work at the mansion to anyone. "Hello? Who is this? Please answer!" The silence on the other end irritated her. She sensed that someone was listening but not speaking. "I'm busy here," Angela raised her voice. "Don't you have anything better to do?" Just as she was about to hang up, a harsh voice cut her off.
"Killer!" The words shocked Angela, leaving her astounded. Someone knew about what she had done to Fredrick. She forcefully slammed the phone down, freezing in place as her hands trembled, staring at the phone in its cradle.
"Are you all right, Angela?" Mrs. Gale inquired, her face displaying a puzzled expression. She fixed her gaze on Angela, searching for answers.
"Wrong number," Angela lied, her voice barely concealing her unease, as she quickly made her way back to her room. Mrs. Gale's suspicion lingered in the air, casting doubt on Angela's words.
Alone in her room, Angela's heart pounds in her chest as she lies down for a moment, contemplating her next move. Her curiosity burns within her, compelling her to unlock the secrets hidden within the pink book. With trembling hands, she cautiously turns to the first page, a mixture of anticipation and fears coursing through her veins.
She holds her breath, afraid that her eagerness might lead to the tearing of the delicate second page. Angela knows that the first page of a diary carries immense significance, encapsulating the purpose and setting the tone for everything that follows.
Summoning her courage, Angela delicately detaches the first page from the second, her hands shaking with anticipation, as the page unfolds, a wave of astonishment washes over her, rendering her speechless. The sight before her eyes leaves her utterly captivated, her trembling hands a testament to the profound impact it has on her.
A half-damaged handwritten text appears on the first opened page, readable enough for Angela to be pretty sure of what is written. She whispers as she reads it, "Esmeralda."
A bang of feeling surged in Angela's heart. It's amazing to have held Esmeralda's diary. Finally, it's unearthed, and she was the keeper.
"At last, I find you," Angela hushes, tears sprouting in her eyes. Her heart raced, a sense of urgency consuming her as she stared at the written name "Esmeralda" on the first page of the diary. Her curiosity burned, fueling her desire to uncover the hidden depths behind another page. She yearned to understand how Esmeralda had managed to articulate her deepest emotions within the confines of those fragile lines.
The room fell silent, as if time itself held its breath, anticipating the revelation that awaited Angela.
With trembling hands and a heart that threatened to escape her chest, Angela gingerly turned to the next page in Esmeralda's diary.
As the page unfolded before her, Angela's eyes scanned the faded ink, and she felt an electric current surge through her veins, a mix of anticipation and fear intertwining within her. Her fingers traced the lines of ink, and her mind prepared to delve into the labyrinth of Esmeralda's innermost thoughts. The journey had just begun, and she was determined to uncover the truth hidden within these haunting pages.
But the words on the page danced before her eyes. Every capitalized word expresses how sacred the diary is for the owner, revealing the depths of Esmeralda's emotions. That says, "SECRET and DO NOT OPEN."