Chapter 55: The Search

One week had passed since Angela's unsettling encounter with the unknown assailant. Despite the time that had elapsed, Lara's whereabouts remained a mystery, leaving her relatives deeply concerned and in an unrelenting search for her.
Mrs. Vera looked visibly anxious as she addressed the rest of the family. "Lara's Aunt called me this afternoon," she said nervously, her voice trembling slightly. All eyes turned to her, eager to hear any shred of information that might lead them to Lara. Mrs. Vera recounted the conversation with Lara's aunt, who was desperate for any clues about her missing niece. Despite the ongoing efforts of the police, Lara had not been found, and the tension weighed heavily on everyone.
Leonardo, trying to ease his mother's fears, spoke with reassurance. "We genuinely have no idea where Lara is, not even Fredrick. We are not responsible for her disappearance," he emphasized, his tone unwavering. The entire family was grappling with the uncertainty and frustration of not being able to locate her.
Mrs. Gale chimed in with a suggestion, her voice also tinged with nervousness. "Perhaps we should allow the police to thoroughly search every corner of the house, Mr. Vera. It might help to clear us from any suspicions," she proposed. Leonardo nodded in agreement, seeing the logic in the idea.

The following day, a team of policemen arrived at the mansion to conduct a meticulous search. They combed through every room, leaving no corner unchecked, including the studio's basement. The three officers worked diligently, determined to find any trace of Lara or any potential intruder. By three o'clock in the afternoon, they had completed their thorough examination but found nothing of significance. According to their analysis, there was no evidence to suggest an intruder had entered the house.
In addition to providing all relevant information, Leonardo informed the police about the stolen painting, which might be a possible motive behind the incident. Despite their best efforts to make sense of the situation, the motive appeared to be a simple burglary.
The evening descended upon the Vera mansion, shrouding its lawn in darkness as heavy rain clouds loomed overhead, promising a downpour that would flood the city below. Leonardo, worried about Angela's well-being after the attack, decided to dismiss her for the night, encouraging her to recover from her injury. However, Angela couldn't help but feel hurt by Leonardo's silence towards her ever since the incident. She lay on her bed with wide-open eyes, unable to find a satisfying reason for his distance. The rain began to pour outside, adding to the chill in the room. Angela, feeling restless, covered herself with a thick blanket and turned off the lampshade, hoping sleep would soon come to her aid.

Leonardo's last interaction with Angela echoed in her mind as she recalled his suggestion to keep a knife under her bed for protection. Everyone in the kitchen had agreed, and Mrs. Gale had picked a knife for Angela to hold onto. Angela reached under her mattress and felt the comforting presence of the knife, reassuring herself that she was safe.
As she drifted into slumber, Angela found herself in a dreamland where her sister Esper stood on a cliff's edge. Frightened, Angela cried out to her sister, urging her to step away from the dangerous precipice. But Esper's words were haunting, warning Angela of a pursuing demon. Suddenly, Lara appeared in a long red gown, trying to choke Angela, and Fredrick, with a sinister laugh, stood behind her. Gasping for breath in the nightmarish vision, Angela struggled to break free from the grip of her dream and screamed with all her might. The terror of being choked overwhelmed her, and she was jolted awake.
"No!" Angela whispered, still gasping for breath, her heart racing. The sensations from the dream lingered, leaving her shaken. Determined to shake off the haunting images, she hurriedly put on her robe and rushed to the kitchen, seeking water to calm herself. As she opened the fridge, she noticed it was 3 a.m. – the hour of eerie stillness. The nightmares and fears had stolen her rest, leaving her restless and troubled in the darkness of the night.

The sound of water pouring into the glass broke the silence of the night, resonating through the kitchen into the living room. Angela, still trembling from her nightmare, drank the cold water from the fridge, seeking solace in its chill. The lights from the outside lawn illuminated the kitchen, casting a dim glow over Angela as she stood alone by the dining table. She opted not to turn on the lobby light from the pink room; she knew the mansion like the back of her hand, just like Leonardo did. Her thoughts were haunted by Lara and Fredrick's disappearance, and the dream only added to her unease. Guilt gnawed at her soul, knowing she was the last person to see them before they vanished. She couldn't help but wonder if this was the reason for Leonardo's sudden avoidance of her.
"Please, let me forget them," Angela murmured to herself, about to retreat to the pink room when she caught sight of a movement outside the glass window. A shadow passed by, causing her heart to race with fear and curiosity. Clutching a knife tightly, she moved towards the door, hoping it might be the guard, yet her trauma urged her to be cautious. Wrapping her robe around her neck and chin, she stepped outside to confront her fear, as her mother had always advised her.
The cold wind brushed against her face, making her shiver, but Angela was determined to find out who was outside. She took a slow step, and to her relief, she recognized the silhouette of a man standing under the dark curry tree. It was Andrew, a familiar face.
"Andrew?" Angela called out, her voice filled with a mix of surprise and relief.
"You almost scared me half to death," Angela chuckled nervously, relieved to see a familiar face. "What are you doing here at this hour?"
"I heard something… outside the tool cottage, but when I checked, there was… nothing. I couldn't sleep after that, so I came to check with the guard at the back gate," Andrew explained, stammering slightly.
"I had a nightmare, so I couldn't sleep either," Angela admitted honestly.
Andrew, always gentle and caring, suggested, "Take a… glass of water… to calm yourself."
Angela smiled, "I already had one in the kitchen. By the way, I never properly thanked you for helping me out of the basement. We haven't talked about it."
"It was… nothing. You're… welcome," Andrew replied, blushing a little.
"Well, I appreciate your concern and the flowers you left on my doorstep," Angela said, sighing. The conversation was interrupted by a horrifying scream from inside the house.
"It's Mrs. Vera!" Angela exclaimed, her instincts kicking in as she ran back into the house as fast as she could, with Andrew following close behind.
Angela's heart pounded with fear as she listened to Mrs. Vera's terrifying account of the intruder in her room. She gently held Mrs. Vera's trembling hands in an attempt to comfort her. "It's okay, Mrs. Vera. You're safe now. Andrew will be back soon with warm water," Angela assured her, trying to soothe the elderly woman's nerves.
"Tell me more about the lady you saw," Angela gently urged, wanting to understand the details of the unsettling encounter. "What did she look like?"
Mrs. Vera's face was pale as she continued to recount the distressing experience. "She was wearing a wedding gown, and her face was hidden by a veil," she said, her voice shaky. "I couldn't see her clearly, but I felt like she was staring right at me. And she was holding something sharp in her hand."
Angela's mind raced, trying to make sense of the situation. "Did she say or do anything before she disappeared?" she asked, hoping for any additional information that might help identify the mysterious intruder.
Mrs. Vera took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "I screamed and covered my face in fear. When I finally mustered the courage to look again, she was gone," she replied, her eyes still filled with fear.