Chapter 66: Waiting Forever

Waiting forever
At 10 p.m., Mrs. Vera went to her room feeling unwell. Angela stayed up, waiting for Leonardo's call. However, the hours passed with no call from him. Angela had little patience, especially when it concerned Leonardo. Eventually, Mrs. Gale joined her.
"Leonardo is fortunate to have you as his partner," Mrs. Gale said with a smile. "Now that Lara is out of his life, you're free to marry. Lara only caused problems for Leonardo, so it's good she's in jail now."
Angela was surprised, "I thought you liked Lara for Leonardo."
"Since the day I met Lara, I disliked her for him," Mrs. Gale replied. "She was proud and manipulative. It's a relief she's no longer around."
Angela appreciated Mrs. Gale's sympathetic attitude. Mrs. Gale had a positive mindset and disliked negativity.
"I love this house," Mrs. Gale whispered as she walked around. "How about you, Angela? Do you like this house?"
"Yeah, but I never imagined having a house like this."
"You could have it when Leonardo marries you," Mrs. Gale suggested with a smile.
Angela felt disheartened, "That's not happening anytime soon. Leonardo has his challenges, and we might not be right for each other. I'm just his..."
"His casual partner?" Mrs. Gale's words surprised Angela. She didn't expect such harsh words from her.
"I apologize for my choice of words," Mrs. Gale shrugged. "Excuse me, I have some kitchen chores to finish."
Angela was taken aback by Mrs. Gale's sudden change in tone. She sighed, choosing to ignore her unpleasant behavior. Angela remained outside, waiting for Leonardo's call for an hour. As the night grew late and the sounds of nocturnal creatures filled the air, Angela heard Mrs. Vera scream. She hurried inside, finding Mrs. Vera huddled in fear, clutching her knee.
"What happened, Mrs. Vera?"
"She's here."
"Who's here?"
"The lady in white. She pulled my blanket and tried to stab me. I kicked her, and she fell before escaping through the door," Mrs. Vera explained, trembling with fear.
Angela sprang to her feet and hurriedly checked the lobby. Then, she rushed into the kitchen, grabbed a knife, and cautiously opened the back door. Yet, the darkness of the orchard revealed nothing.
"Mrs. Gale?" Angela called out, but no answer came. She secured the door for safety and headed to knock on Mrs. Gale's room. After a few knocks, Mrs. Gale opened the door, rubbing her eyes sleepily.
"What's going on?"
"Mrs. Gale, we need to search for her. She's in the house."
"Search for who?"
"The lady in white was in Mrs. Vera's room," Angela stammered, dialing her phone with trembling hands. "She tried to attack Mrs. Vera."
"I'll call the police," Mrs. Gale rushed to the living room and contacted the authorities. "Go back to your room and stay quiet," she instructed.
Angela retreated to her room, waiting anxiously for the police to arrive. However, after a few minutes, she heard Mrs. Vera's terrified scream echoing through the house. Angela dashed out, heading toward Mrs. Vera's room, only to find the door locked from the inside.
"Mrs. Vera, what's happening?" Angela's voice trembled. "Open the door!"
Another cry emerged from Mrs. Vera's room, followed by an eerie silence. Angela continued to pound on the door, but it remained shut. She hurried back to the kitchen, intending to call Mrs. Gale, yet she froze when she saw the elderly woman lying unconscious on the floor.
"Mrs. Gale?" Angela's voice quivered as she touched her. Mrs. Gale was breathing but unresponsive. Angela rushed to the living room to call the police, only to find the phone line dead, severed.
Her hands shaking, Angela dialed her cell phone, attempting to reach Leonardo, but he didn't pick up. With her battery dwindling, panic set in. She needed to locate Mrs. Vera and get Mrs. Gale medical help. Her last hope was the new guard stationed in the guard house.
Gasping for breath, Angela pounded on the wall of the guard house, her heart racing. Yet, there was no response. The guard seemed to have vanished, leaving no trace. Her stomach churned with unease, and a throbbing ache settled in her head. "What's going on?" she whispered, her panic mounting. "Leonardo, where are you?" Her voice trembled with frantic desperation.


***
Leonardo’s POV
The dark road Leonardo was navigating was poorly lit with mostly broken lampposts. Yet, his determination to meet the original owner of the house overshadowed his anxiety. The blueprint of the house held more significance to him than the risks of traveling through unfamiliar terrain. Even the possibility of encountering strange entities along the way didn't deter him. He journeyed across a mountainous path and through a vast forest. By the time his watch read eleven in the evening, he pressed on.

At twelve-thirty, Leonardo finally came to a stop in front of the old house marked with the name "Mantissa" on the mailbox. Fatigue and numbness had settled into his feet after the long trip. Two illuminated rooms in the house indicated that someone was still awake. After knocking three times, the door opened, revealing an elderly woman.

"Good evening," Leonardo apologized, his voice apologetic. "I'm sorry for disturbing you. I'm Leonardo Vera, the son of Florencio Vera."

The elderly woman squinted at Leonardo, her gaze contemplative. The name "Vera" triggered recognition in her, and she recalled Florencio Vera's connection to her sister-in-law. She granted Leonardo entry.

Listening to Leonardo's story, she left him in the living room to prepare some food.

"Thank you," Leonardo expressed his gratitude with a smile as he received a cup of coffee and a buttered sandwich. "Your kindness means a lot."

Curiosity got the better of her, and she inquired, "What brought you all the way here? By the way, I'm Camila Mantissa. I used to live here with my son. He's currently on vacation. After my younger brother passed away, I took care of this house." She sighed before continuing, "So, why have you come?"

Leonardo hesitated briefly before responding, "I have a request, Madam."

"Go on, then."

"I need the blueprint of the house your brother built," Leonardo revealed. "I am Florencio Vera's only son." He took care to present the information accurately, and she listened attentively, occasionally nodding. Finally, Leonardo made his request, asking her if she had the house's blueprint. After a short while, she returned with a long scroll holder in her hand.

Leonardo's heart raced with anticipation. He couldn't contain his excitement as she handed him the scroll. With a swift movement, he unrolled the blueprint on the center table, hoping to unveil the entire structure, including the tunnel. But his excitement turned to frustration when he saw that the blueprint only depicted a simple layout of the house, devoid of any tunnel structure.
Camila Mantissa remained silently in the corner as Leonardo scrutinized every angle of the blueprint over and over again, his frustration evident in his urgency. "I need to see it. Oh God, this is useless," he muttered to himself in exasperation.

Curiosity getting the better of her, Camila finally spoke up, asking, "What exactly are you searching for?"

"I'm trying to find... some sort of basement or tunnel beneath the structure of my house," Leonardo explained, his exhaustion and frustration causing his emotions to flare.

Camila's tone turned solemn. "I'm sorry that I can't be of more help," she said softly. "But there's someone who might have the information you're seeking. She was involved with the house's construction from the very beginning until it was finished." Her expression turned pensive. "She placed a curse on the house."

Leonardo's brow furrowed as Camila continued. The person she was referring to was Rosemarie Mantissa, the wife of Carlos Mantissa.

"She brutally murdered my younger brother," Camila's eyes glistened with tears as she recounted the painful past. "They were a happy couple initially. Rose was perfect for Carlos. But after a year of living in the house, she transformed into something monstrous. She falsely accused my brother of various wrongdoings he hadn't committed. I never anticipated Rose becoming such a nuisance."

Camila's voice quivered as she went on. "Then, one morning, Rose called me. She was laughing maniacally on the other end, telling me she had killed Carlos. At first, I thought it was some twisted prank. I tried to call Carlos, but he didn't answer. I rushed to their house up on the hill, and the scene that met my eyes was horrifying. Carlos lay on the floor, covered in his blood, while Rose cowered in a corner, holding a kitchen knife and an ice pick. 'I killed him,' she muttered through her tears." Camila's voice trembled with pain as she continued, "That's all I can share with you."

Leonardo's curiosity remained unabated. "What happened to Rose?" he inquired, wanting to know more about the fate of the woman who seemed to hold a connection to the mysteries surrounding his house.
"Of course, she was imprisoned for a long time," Camila Mantissa responded, her grief slowly turning into a more composed demeanor. "I do not know whether she was released or what happened to her afterward. I haven't given her much thought. I wanted her to be forgotten, her name erased from my memory. But your arrival has resurfaced those painful memories of the murderer."

Leonardo's expression softened with understanding. "I apologize for bringing up those painful memories," he said sincerely. "If you don't mind, I have one last question. Do you happen to know which prison she was held in?" He hoped this detail could lead him closer to uncovering the secrets hidden within his house.