Secrets

Chapter 1: The Crystal Tower

The city's sky hung over the night like a dark velvet mantle, interrupted only by the flickering lights of skyscrapers that rose defiantly towards the stars. Among these giants of glass and steel, one stood out for its majesty and mystery: the Tower of Mirrors. This colossus, with its reflective surface, seemed to absorb and distort the world around it, projecting a kaleidoscope of images that transformed with every change of perspective. It was a place where luxury and decadence intertwined in a disturbing ballet, and where secrets were hidden in plain sight, camouflaged among the infinite shiny surfaces.

Leire, a 30-year-old woman, walked with a determined step through the marble lobby of the Tower, her heels echoing in the vast empty space with a metallic reverberation that seemed to prolong indefinitely. Each step was closely followed by her reflection in the glass walls, a spectral duplicate that stalked her with unsettling precision. Dressed in a dark gray suit that highlighted her slender figure, her pale skin, and her jet-black hair tied in a flawless bun, Leire projected an image of control and professionalism. However, her green eyes, hidden behind thin-rimmed glasses, betrayed a melancholy and weariness that no façade could conceal.

The air in the lobby was charged with an expectant silence, broken only by the distant hum of the technology that kept the Tower running. Polished steel elevators ascended and descended ceaselessly, transporting residents to their hidden destinations behind the countless doors lining the corridors. Leire stopped in front of one of these elevators, observing her own reflection in the closed doors. Her eyes met those of her duplicate, and for a brief moment, she felt that this other Leire was returning a different, darker gaze full of secrets.

The elevator doors opened with a soft whisper, and Leire entered, feeling the void close around her. As she ascended, her mind wandered through memories of her arrival at the Tower a year ago. It had been an impulsive decision, a move that had surprised everyone around her. But for Leire, the Tower had represented a new opportunity, a place where she could reinvent herself and leave behind the shadows that had pursued her since her youth.

The elevator stopped on the 47th floor, and Leire stepped out into the carpeted hallway, adorned with abstract paintings that seemed to change shape when not looked at directly. The apartment doors were all identical, numbered in a pattern that defied logic. She headed to door 4713, where a small golden plaque announced "Leire González." She inserted the key, and the door opened with a click.

The interior of the apartment was a blend of modernity and nostalgia. Designer furniture mixed with antique objects, mementos of a past life that Leire could not leave behind. In the main room, a large window offered a panoramic view of the city, but Leire barely paid attention. Her eyes were fixed on an old mirror hanging on the wall, a relic from her childhood.

The mirror was an object of mystery and fascination. Its carved wooden frame was covered with strange figures, beings that seemed to move at the edge of vision. Leire approached it slowly, feeling a chill run down her spine. Her reflection in the mirror was different; each time she looked, it appeared younger, more innocent, as if the mirror captured a version of her that she had left behind long ago.

Suddenly, the reflection smiled, a smile that did not match Leire's expression. Her heart raced, and she backed away abruptly, stumbling over a table. The noise echoed in the silence, and for a moment, everything was calm. But then, a soft, almost imperceptible voice whispered from the mirror: "You cannot escape what you are, Leire."

Leire stood still, her breath quickened. The reflection in the mirror had returned to normal, but the feeling of unease persisted. She knew that the Tower of Mirrors held secrets, but until now, she had not understood how deeply those secrets were intertwined with her own past. Fear began to take root in her mind, a fear that she could not rationalize or fully understand.