The Wedding Party

Part 33: A Nightmare

Back at the Manor, Amelia and Ash huddled together on the lawn, their faces illuminated by flickering sparks as they lit a handful of firecrackers. "Ready?" Amelia asked, her eyes wide with excitement.

"Let's do it," Ash replied, grinning mischievously as she struck a match against the box.

As the fuse hissed to life, a knot of anticipation tightened in Amelia's chest. She glanced at Ash, who winked before tossing the firecrackers onto the ground. The two girls bolted, laughter bubbling from their lips as the firecrackers exploded behind them, the sharp pops echoing through the air.

-----

Inside the Manor, Preston furrowed his brow, concern etched across his face as he tried to call Olive. He needed to make sure she was okay. Tess, appeared at his side, her clipboard clutched tightly in her hand. "Preston, I need your input on the floral arrangements," she said, her voice brisk and demanding.

"Can this wait, Tess? I'm trying to—" Preston started, only to be cut off by the sudden bang of firecrackers outside. His gaze snapped toward the window, where he saw Amelia and Ash sprinting away, their laughter barely audible over the chaos.

"Those two are going to drive me up the wall," Preston muttered under his breath, anger simmering beneath his worry for Olive. He sighed, knowing he couldn't ignore Tess any longer. "Alright, let's talk flowers."

-----

Meanwhile, upstairs in his room, Kyan thrashed in his sleep, haunted by the memory of Angela's recent death. Her lifeless body, sprawled on the ground, flashed through his mind—a nightmare that refused to release him. With a gasp, he jolted awake, sweat beading on his forehead.

"Damn it," he whispered, rubbing his eyes. He glanced around the room, trying to shake off the lingering dread that clung to him like a shroud. That's when he noticed the sound of running water. The shower?

Kyan frowned, slowly rising from the bed and tiptoeing toward the bathroom. As he pushed the door open, he discovered the shower was indeed running, but no one was inside. Confused and unnerved, Kyan reached out to shut off the water when Miguel Fisher burst into the room, making him jump.

"Hey, Kyan, have you seen Angela lately?" Miguel asked, his brow creased with concern. "I haven't been able to track her down."

"Uh, no, I haven't." Kyan's heart raced as he surreptitiously slid the money he owed Angela further under the bed. "Maybe she went for a walk or something?"

"Maybe," Miguel said, unconvinced. He pulled out his phone and dialed Angela's number, leaving a message as Kyan listened with bated breath. "Angela, it's Miguel. Just wanted to check in on you; give me a call when you get this, okay?"

As Miguel ended the call, Kyan tried to feign nonchalance, but the fear gnawing at his insides threatened to betray him. He couldn't let anyone know about the money—or the truth behind Angela's demise.