Chapter 63: Lara's Appearance

Late into the night, Angela found herself alone in her dimly lit room, the weight of recent events pressing upon her. The thoughts swirling in her mind formed a tangled web, causing her head to ache with confusion.
"Where could you be, Lara?" Angela's heart still bore the weight of Lara's mysterious disappearance. Despite hours spent lying in bed, sleep remained elusive. Seeking solace, she resolved to locate Leonardo. As she opened the door and ventured into the chilly corridor, the cold air sent shivers down her spine.
Approaching Leonardo's room, Angela's knocks echoed unanswered, pushing her to gently nudge the door ajar. A hollow emptiness greeted her – Leonardo's room stood devoid of his presence. "Where has he gone?" Angela's mind churned with questions.
An impulse led her to the bathroom, yet even there, emptiness lingered. She cast her gaze out of the window and discovered the faint glow emanating from the studio below. "What could he be doing at this hour?" Angela whispered to herself, shutting the window before hurrying towards the studio, a need to uncover Leonardo's current occupation driving her steps.
Navigating the rain-kissed orchards, Angela embraced the chill of the recently ceased downpour. Upon entering the studio, her eyes instantly fell upon two paintings, evoking a gasp of shock. "Oh no," Angela's voice quivered as she observed the Crying Lady paintings defaced by freshly applied crimson "X" marks.
Her hands trembled as Angela touched the still-wet red paint. Desperation tugged at her as she called out, "Leonardo?" Instead of an answer, she was met with a series of thuds emanating from the stockroom basement beneath her. Hastening her steps, she descended into the depths, hoping to find Leonardo needing her assistance. However, darkness shrouded her search, revealing nothing but an eerie void.
Suddenly, a new sound echoed – a rhythmic banging emerged from a towering cabinet that seemed to shift on its own accord. "Leonardo?" Angela's voice quivered as she gazed at the cabinet inching away from the wall. Fear etched her features as she ascended the stairs once more, her grip tight on the steel railing. At the base of the staircase, she called out, "Is that you, Leonardo?"
The cabinet's movement escalated, and from behind it emerged a spectral figure cloaked in white – the lady in white herself. In a harrowing instant, Lara lunged at Angela, a glint of steel in her hand. Angela's instincts surged as she grappled with Lara, desperately pleading, "Lara, please, stop!"
Despite Angela's efforts, Lara's determination was unyielding. The blade's cold edge inched perilously close to Angela's neck. Resigned to her grim fate, Angela shut her eyes, awaiting the impending strike. But then, an unexpected force intervened – Leonardo lunged forward, wrenching Lara away. His voice roared, "Enough, Lara!"
Lara's gaze locked onto Leonardo, her words laced with accusation, "Your father, he killed Esmeralda. I saw him – he pushed her from the veranda."
Leonardo's disbelief was palpable, his voice tinged with confusion, "What are you saying?"
Before further words could be exchanged, Mrs. Gale materialized, wielding a heavy object. In one swift, shocking motion, she struck Lara's head, causing her to crumple to the ground.
Perplexed, Leonardo questioned Mrs. Gale, "Why did you hit her?"
Mrs. Gale's response was swift, her eyes wide with alarm, "She held a knife, clad in a wedding gown. She's the murderer, isn't she?"

Frozen in shock, they all stared at Lara's motionless form. Angela's mind reeled, struggling to process the events that had just unfolded. Breaking the heavy silence, Leonardo's voice broke through, resolute, "We need to call the police."
The police swiftly arrived on the scene, escorting a distraught Lara from the studio. Her anguished sobs filled the air as she vehemently denied any involvement in Esmeralda's murder. "I didn't kill her!" Lara's desperate cries echoed as the police car pulled away, leaving a cloud of uncertainty hanging in the air. Leonardo, however, considered the case closed, convinced of Lara's guilt.
As the group gathered in the kitchen, they sought to make sense of the recent events. Leonardo's voice broke the silence, musing, "Lara had been hiding behind that cabinet for quite some time." His resolve seemed to grow as he abruptly stood up and retrieved a flashlight from the kitchen drawer.
Curiosity piqued, Mrs. Vera questioned, "Leonardo, where are you headed?"
"I need to investigate Lara's hiding spot," he responded with determination. Angela, rising from her seat, announced her intent to follow Leonardo, and together they retraced their steps to the studio's basement. With a forceful push, Leonardo shifted the cabinet, unveiling a tunnel entrance. "So, this is where Lara concealed herself," he murmured. Stepping into the tunnel, Leonardo beckoned Angela to follow.
"Be cautious, Angela," Leonardo cautioned, flashlight in hand. The two of them proceeded along the tunnel, their beams of light revealing its path. Eventually, they reached a door, which, when opened, released a pungent stench that threatened to overwhelm them both. Angela's hand instinctively covered her nose as she fought off nausea.
"What's that awful smell?" Angela managed to say through her discomfort. As Leonardo investigated the room, he stumbled upon a black bag containing a bottle of corrosive acid and a man's cap. Angela's eyes fixed on the cap, a chilling recognition sweeping over her. "I've seen this cap before," she declared, her voice quivering. "It's the same cap the man who attacked me with acid was wearing." A shiver ran down her spine as the pieces of the puzzle seemed to fall into place.
Leonardo's certainty grew as he affirmed, "And it was Lara disguised as that man."
Turning her gaze to Leonardo, Angela posed a question, her voice tinged with curiosity, "Did you have any knowledge of this tunnel?"
He shook his head. "No, I had no idea."
A moment of contemplative silence hung in the air, and then Leonardo spoke, breaking the spell, "We should return to the house. There's more to uncover." With that, they retraced their steps, leaving behind the ominous discovery in the hidden chamber.
Gathered in the kitchen, a cloud of speculation hung heavy in the air as each individual offered their thoughts on Lara's hidden tunnel. Mrs. Gale tended to the coffee machine, the aroma filling the room as she worked. Mrs. Vera's nerves still reverberated from the startling discovery, while Leonardo's gaze rested thoughtfully on his mother.
Seeking answers, Leonardo turned to his mother, his eyes filled with earnest inquiry. "Mom, do you have any knowledge of these tunnels beneath the mansion?"
Mrs. Vera's response was candid, her voice carrying a touch of nostalgia. "No, my dear. Only your father was privy to the history of this house. He acquired it before our marriage – it was his grand surprise to me back then. He's resided here ever since."
Amidst the exchange, Angela's thoughts were a tumultuous storm, still haunted by Lara's final, desperate proclamation: "Your father murdered Esmeralda." The phrase replayed in her mind, a puzzle piece she wasn't yet ready to reveal.
As the night waned and the dawn approached, the group dispersed to their respective rooms, seeking rest amid uncertainty. In the privacy of his bedroom, Leonardo drew Angela inside, closing the door behind them. "There's something we need to discuss," he stated firmly.
Angela nodded in agreement, her expression serious. "I also have something to share."
"Please, go ahead," Leonardo gestured, taking a seat on the edge of his bed. "Ladies first, as always."
Angela took a steadying breath before speaking. "Lara's final words trouble me," she admitted. "She accused your father of murdering Esmeralda."
Leonardo's brows knitted in thought, his response measured. "Do you find her claims credible?"
"I can't say for certain," Angela replied honestly. "But I believe you should talk to Lara, and try to get to the bottom of it."
Leaning back, Leonardo's gaze held a contemplative edge. "There's a way we can confirm this," he declared, a hint of determination in his voice.
The following day, Angela sat in the car outside the police station, waiting anxiously as Leonardo visited Lara before her impending transfer to another location. The passage of time felt agonizing, the uncertainty of the situation weighing heavily on her. The thought of seeking out an alternative suspect for Esmeralda's murder was both frustrating and disheartening. As she observed Leonardo's return, his expression etched with shock, Angela's heart quickened. He entered the car, and they drove away in silence.
Recognizing something was amiss from Leonardo's demeanor, Angela felt it best to await his explanation. The car eventually came to a stop atop a hill, affording them a panoramic view of the city below. Leonardo remained wordless, gazing out at the urban expanse. Angela approached, prompting him with a simple question, "What's troubling you?"
Turning to her, Leonardo revealed his inner turmoil, his voice heavy with conflict. "Lara accused my father of being Esmeralda's secret lover, and it's difficult to grapple with," he admitted, his sigh revealing the weight of his emotions. "I want her to be the murderer, but my father's name being linked to such a heinous act... I struggle to fathom it." He turned to Angela, his eyes searching for understanding. "What about you, Angela? Do you believe my father was involved with Esmeralda?"
Angela didn't answer immediately, her thoughts on the matter whirling. Lara's accusation was difficult to accept, and yet she had uncovered unsettling information about Esmeralda's perception of Leonardo's father. "Lara's words might hold some truth," she replied, her tone solemn.
Leonardo's frown deepened in response. "You think so?"
Angela continued, revealing her findings from Esmeralda's diary. "I found your father's name mentioned – a stalker and a monster in Esmeralda's eyes," she recounted. "But there's also the possibility that he was driven to kill Esmeralda to protect his reputation for the sake of you and your mother."
A moment of silence hung between them, each lost in thought. Eventually, Leonardo spoke, sharing a revelation from Lara. "She mentioned that a shadow of a man imprisoned her in the tunnel."
"We should discuss this with your mother and Mrs. Gale," Angela suggested, and they proceeded to the house and into the kitchen, where Mrs. Vera was enjoying her coffee.
"Did you know about Dad's connection to Esmeralda, Mom?" Leonardo's question was direct, leaving his mother taken aback. After a pause, Mrs. Vera's emotions surfaced, and she shared something she had long held within.
"I had no control over your father, Leonardo," tears streamed down her face. "He was the master of this house, and his voice alone held authority." She sobbed, "Yes, I resented him, even wanted to end his life. But when I looked at you, everything changed. I decided to let him bear the burden of being the monster in this house." She wiped her tears, her voice cracking, "However, I am certain of one thing – your father did not murder Esmeralda. In his final moments, when he lay gasping for breath, he swore he had no part in her death."