Chapter 64: The Blueprint

Leonardo's father's study was a room shrouded in an air of avoidance, its eerie atmosphere making it the least frequented space in the house. Even previous assistants had steered clear of its unsettling aura. With Angela positioned behind him, Leonardo turned the doorknob and entered the dimly lit chamber.
"What's our objective here?" Angela's voice carried curiosity as she surveyed the room.
"We're searching for everything related to this house – property deeds, especially the blueprint," Leonardo commenced his mission, methodically opening one drawer after another. Angela joined him in the quest, sifting through documents that might shed light on the house's history. As the investigation unfolded, one drawer Leonardo pulled ajar caused Angela's eyes to widen – nestled inside was the very gun she had contemplated using to end Leonardo's life. Swiftly, Leonardo retrieved the firearm and discreetly secured it at his waist.
A note of wariness tinged Angela's words, "Why take that gun?"
"It's for our safety," Leonardo responded, extracting a handful of folders from the drawer along with Angela.
"There's an enigma about this house that gnaws at me," Leonardo muttered.
Perplexed, Angela inquired, "What is it?
"I'll share once we locate the house's blueprint," Leonardo pressed on, delving into one drawer after another alongside Angela. Yet, their search yielded no results. "It's baffling."
"What's eluding you?" Angela's concern was palpable.
"So many mysteries shroud this residence, yet my mother remained oblivious," Leonardo's frustration surfaced.
"And your father carried the answers to his grave," Angela concurred, her fingers discovering a worn brown envelope in the final drawer of the desk. She glanced at its label, "Property Deeds."
Taking the envelope, Leonardo tore it open. Inside were the deeds and a handful of photographs of the house, though the sought-after blueprint remained elusive.
"I need to explore the underground tunnel," Leonardo asserted with unwavering determination.
Angela met his gaze, her heart squeezed tight by trepidation. "I'm coming with you."
After a brief period, they descended the stairs and made their way to the basement of the studio. This was the sole location from which they could commence their quest for the truth hidden within the house's history. In one hand, Leonardo grasped a flashlight, while Angela clutched one in her own. Their focus was directed at the concealed entrance situated behind a cabinet in the studio's basement. Once again, Leonardo addressed Angela, his query laced with a final touch of caution, "Are you certain you want to accompany me? Waiting here is an option."
"I'm coming," Angela asserted, resolute. "Waiting is unbearable for me. I want to aid you in unraveling the enigma of this house. The existence of this tunnel carries purpose, a fact obscured from your mother."
"Assuming she's speaking the truth," Leonardo responded in an even tone.
"You doubt your mother?"
"She kept my father's dark secrets hidden from me. However, she has no reason to deceive me about this tunnel."
"I can discern the truth in her eyes," Angela remarked, taking the lead and stepping into the abyss of the tunnel's entrance.

After a brief duration of walking, their senses were jolted by the sight of a partially open door, accompanied by an acrid odor that filled the air. Before them lay a mysterious chamber, "This room was constructed for sinister purposes," Leonardo murmured as he entered, casting his flashlight's beam around.
"You're correct," Angela concurred, bending down to pick up a hair clip from the floor. "It's a hairclip."
"That's a pink hair clip, belonging to a woman," Leonardo observed, his gaze affixed to the object. "Esmeralda's favorite color," he uttered in a hushed voice.
As they thoroughly combed through the room, their search unearthed various items that seemingly belonged to a woman, including dusty undergarments and a black bra strewn upon the ground. Angela couldn't help but visualize it as a chamber that had confined female victims. A pang of empathy surged within her for those who might have endured captivity within these grim walls. Collecting a cache of pink-hued belongings, both Leonardo and Angela were inclined to link them to Esmeralda. Continuing along the tunnel's path, they encountered a terminus marked by a solid wall. "It's a dead end," Leonardo confirmed, prompting them to retrace their steps back to where their journey began.

In the living room, Mrs. Vera's gaze lingered on the scant pink possessions that belonged to Esmeralda, the woman they assumed was the previous owner. Deep sadness welled up in Mrs. Vera's teary eyes as she reflected on Esmeralda's ill-fated destiny. "Oh, no," her voice trembled with sorrow, a compassionate empathy for the unfortunate Esmeralda was evident in her expression.
"Please, Mother, reveal more about the tunnel," Leonardo implored, his focus unwavering on his mother.
"I've already shared all I know about this house," Mrs. Vera replied, her voice cracking with sobs. She persisted in shielding her husband's reputation even after his death, a truth that increasingly grated on Leonardo's nerves.
"Tell me the truth, Mom!" Leonardo's insistence grew stronger. "Expose all the secrets you've kept concealed. Please, unveil the history of this house."
"Benjamin Curtana," Mrs. Vera's voice was barely audible, her words a subdued murmur. "He was the previous proprietor of this house."
Anticipation hung in the air, but Mrs. Vera abruptly rose from her seat, turning away and leaving them behind. Without hesitation, Leonardo pursued his mother, his determination to uncover the house's history propelling him forward. Angela and Mrs. Gale exchanged puzzled glances, left to contemplate the unfolding situation.
It was Mrs. Gale who eventually voiced her conjectures to Angela while attending to the dishes. "I believe Leonardo's father was the true culprit, and Mrs. Vera was attempting to preserve her husband's facade of virtue and innocence." She paused, rinsing a cup. "I had thought his passing would bring peace, yet it seems to have triggered the opposite."
"What do you mean?" Angela's brow furrowed in confusion, struggling to grasp the implications of Mrs. Gale's viewpoint.
"Mrs. Vera was concealing the darkness within her husband. He was a vile manipulator and a brutal oppressor. His demise was a blessing for all of us. A weight lifted," Mrs. Gale explained matter-of-factly, walking into the kitchen, leaving Angela baffled.
The phone's ring broke the stillness, diverting Angela's attention. Swiftly, she picked up the receiver. "Hello, Vera's residence."
"Angela, please forgive me," Andrew's voice carried an earnest plea.
A mixture of emotions stirred within Angela as she heard Andrew's voice on the other end. Her anger toward him still smoldered. "What you did was unforgivable. If you seek tranquility, stay far from me. And stop calling, too."
With that, she hung up the phone, her heart heavy, and retreated to her room. Her mind wandered through the mysteries surrounding Vera's home, yet her thoughts converged on the enigmatic figure who had abducted Lara. The shadowy man remained an enigma, a puzzle she yearned to decipher.

At midnight, Angela stirred awake, her eyes searching for any sign of Leonardo in the pink room. Not finding him there, she ventured into his room, discovering him deep in slumber. Suddenly, the sharp sound of glass shattering and a distant door slamming echoed through the silence. Swiftly, Angela rushed towards the source of the commotion, where she stumbled upon fragments of shattered glass soup bowls on the kitchen floor. It was evident that someone had forcibly accessed Mrs. Vera's prized chinaware collection.
Without a second thought, Angela dashed to the back door of the kitchen, determined to confront the intruder. As she neared, she caught sight of ghostly movements leading toward the studio. Urgently, she sprinted, her gaze focused on the ethereal figure dressed in white. "Stop!" Her voice resounded, the urgency propelling her forward. She was driven by a desire to glimpse the face concealed beneath the enigmatic facade. "Reveal yourself!"
The lady in white evaded Angela's pursuit, disappearing into the shadows. As the chilling night air washed over Angela's skin, she came to an abrupt halt amidst the orchard. Her thin nightgown offered scant protection against the frigid night, and her body trembled uncontrollably. The revelation was almost too surreal to accept – there was another lady in white, distinct from the previously identified Lara. Angela was left grappling with the weight of this new revelation.
"Angela?" Leonardo's voice cut through the darkness, drawing nearer. "What's going on?" He enveloped her in his arms, instantly aware of her shivering form. "Why were you wandering outside in the middle of the night wearing so little? You're freezing."
"I saw her," Angela's voice wavered, her distress evident. "She was in the kitchen, tampering with the cabinets. She's still here, Leonardo, and she's up to something. Lara was just a distraction. She's not the true lady in white."
Leonardo soothed Angela, leading her back into the warmth of the house and the kitchen.
Examining the broken bowl, Angela pieced together the events. "The mystery woman opened this cabinet and dropped the bowl."
Mrs. Vera arrived, distraught over her broken collection. Amid her distress, she discovered her silver ice pick missing, a revelation that further heightened the tension in the room.
Leonardo proposed that they retire for the night and address the unfolding events in the morning. "I'll investigate possible secret entrances for this lady in white; I suspect she's a thief, using the white gown as a disguise."


The following morning, the group reconvened in the kitchen, still grappling with the events of the night. Suddenly, a memory resurfaced in Angela's mind. "I remember."
"What?" Mrs. Gale inquired, her expression tense.
"She was wearing Esmeralda's perfume," Angela affirmed with certainty.
"Are you certain?" Leonardo's brow furrowed skeptically.
Angela remained steadfast in her conviction – a ghost wouldn't select a scent, only a human would. The lady in white, she believed, was no apparition.
Leonardo concurred, "In that case, she's real, and whoever it is must be lurking in the dark corners of this house. We can apprehend them once we have the blueprint of the house." A determined sigh escaped him. "I've got an idea of how and where to obtain it."
Mrs. Vera disclosed the address of the previous owner of the house. With a farewell kiss to Angela, Leonardo set off on his mission to acquire the blueprint of the house.
"I'll remain here with your mother until you return," Angela pledged. And with that, Leonardo departed, leaving behind a sense of hope for uncovering the house's hidden tunnel.