Secrets in shadows

Secrets in the Shadows - Part 1 Chapter 1: Unwelcome Arrival

Vivian Caldwell gripped the steering wheel of her car, her knuckles turning white as she pulled up the long, winding driveway of the Blackwood Estate. She had been dreading this moment ever since she received the letter - the summons to this forsaken place.

As the imposing, Gothic-style mansion came into view, Vivian couldn't help but feel a sense of dread wash over her. This was the last place she wanted to be, but an unexpected inheritance had brought her back to the very shadows she had tried so hard to escape.

Parking her car, Vivian took a deep breath and stepped out, smoothing her hands over her crisp, navy suit. She couldn't afford to show any weakness, not in front of him.

Steeling herself, Vivian approached the grand, double oak doors and rang the bell, waiting anxiously for someone to answer. When the door finally creaked open, she was met with the stern, disapproving gaze of Liam Blackwood - the owner of this cursed estate and the bane of her existence.

"Well, well, if it isn't Vivian Caldwell," Liam drawled, his deep voice dripping with contempt. "I must say, I'm surprised you had the nerve to show your face here."

Vivian lifted her chin defiantly, refusing to back down. "Cut the theatrics, Liam. We both know I'm only here because I have no choice."

Liam's lips curled into a sardonic smile. "Ah, yes, the mysterious inheritance. How convenient for you."

"Just let me in so we can get this over with," Vivian snapped, pushing past him and stepping into the dimly lit foyer.

Liam's eyes narrowed as he followed her, the tension palpable. "Welcome back to Blackwood, darling. I have a feeling your stay is going to be...interesting."

Vivian suppressed a shudder at the way he emphasized the word 'darling.' This was going to be a living hell, she just knew it.

As she surveyed the grand, imposing space, Vivian couldn't shake the feeling that there were secrets lurking in the shadows of this place - secrets that somehow involved her and Liam Blackwood, the man she had sworn to never see again.