Transferred to another life

*Chapter Forty-Two: A Web of Illusions*

**

Olivia stood in front of her alchemy set, hands trembling slightly as she held the small vial of the hallucinogenic mixture she had brewed. The pale liquid shimmered faintly in the firelight, almost innocent in appearance. But she knew the power it held—enough to blur the lines between reality and illusion.

She had to be careful.

Dosing herself was risky, but Olivia knew it was the only way to cast doubt. If the family saw her suffering from the same confusion, the same visions, it would throw off their suspicions. They already wanted to accuse her of something sinister, but if she appeared to be a victim too, it would complicate their narrative.

And then there was the physician. He was on his way to examine Matthew. Olivia needed him to leave the manor believing something far more dangerous was happening—something beyond mere illness.

She carefully measured a few drops of the potion into a glass of water, her heart pounding. The effects would take hold slowly, allowing her to control the situation. Hallucinations, confusion, paranoia—they were all symptoms she could manage, and she would ensure they unfolded exactly as planned.

*If Matthew can play the victim, so can I.*

With a deep breath, Olivia raised the glass to her lips and swallowed. The taste was sharp, metallic, and it lingered on her tongue as she set the glass down. She closed her eyes, steadying her breathing. There was no turning back now.

### **The Physician Arrives**

By the time the physician arrived at Darkwood Manor, Olivia was already beginning to feel the first ripples of the potion taking effect. Her vision blurred at the edges, and her thoughts felt slightly disjointed, but she focused on maintaining control. She couldn't afford to lose herself entirely.

She sat in the drawing room with the family, waiting for the examination to begin. Charles stood at the window, staring out into the dark, his face tight with worry. Aunt Beatrice sat beside Clara, both of them whispering anxiously. Matthew had been carried into a separate room for the physician to examine in private.

"Do you think it's serious?" Clara asked, her voice filled with poorly concealed fear.

Charles didn't answer, but his silence spoke volumes.

Olivia remained quiet, her hands folded in her lap as the hallucinations began to swirl gently at the corners of her vision. At first, it was subtle—a flicker of movement in the shadows, a slight distortion in the room's light. But soon, the figures in the room began to shift in ways that made her skin crawl. Aunt Beatrice's face seemed to stretch, her eyes hollow and blackened. Clara's lips moved, but no sound came out, as if she were speaking in silence.

*Perfect,* Olivia thought, suppressing a shudder.

The physician entered the room moments later, his leather bag in hand, his face drawn and serious. He introduced himself briefly, though Olivia didn't bother catching his name. He was just a pawn in her larger game.

"Lord Charles," the physician began, "I've examined your son, and while his symptoms are unusual, they do not appear to be caused by any common illness. He is physically unharmed, but mentally... something seems to have disturbed him deeply."

"Disturbed him how?" Charles asked sharply, crossing the room to stand in front of the physician.

"Delirium," the physician replied gravely. "He's experiencing vivid hallucinations, confusion. He believes he's being watched, even hunted. It's as if he's convinced there's a presence lurking in the manor."

At those words, Olivia's heart quickened. The potion was starting to take hold more forcefully now. The edges of her vision swirled with dark shapes—ghostly figures moving just out of reach. Shadows danced in the corners of the room, growing larger, more menacing.

"That's absurd!" Clara exclaimed. "Who could possibly be spying on him in his own home?"

The physician shook his head. "It's not uncommon for patients in his condition to develop irrational fears. But the intensity of Matthew's paranoia is... troubling. Has anything unusual happened recently that could have triggered this?"

Charles's eyes flickered toward Olivia for a moment before returning to the physician. "There's been tension in the family," he admitted, his voice tight. "But nothing that should have caused this level of madness."

"Are you sure about that?" Olivia whispered, her voice suddenly strained. The hallucinations were growing stronger, and she felt as if the air in the room was thickening, pressing down on her chest. "What if... what if Matthew's right? What if someone *is* watching us?"

Everyone turned toward her. Clara's eyes widened in shock, and Aunt Beatrice looked at her as though she had just spoken madness.

"Olivia, what are you saying?" Clara demanded, her voice trembling. "Don't be ridiculous!"

But Olivia's eyes darted around the room, the shadows growing darker, more twisted. She felt her pulse quicken as her mind surrendered to the illusions. "I—I've been seeing things too," she stammered, her voice rising. "I thought it was just stress, but what if it's real? What if there's something in the manor... watching us... following us?"

The physician's eyes narrowed, intrigued now. "What exactly have you been seeing, Lady Olivia?"

Olivia hesitated for a moment, but then let the hallucinations guide her. She pointed to the corner of the room, where the shadows writhed and twisted into unrecognizable forms. "There!" she shouted. "Don't you see it? The figure in the corner! It's been watching me for days!"

The family stared in shock, unsure whether to believe her. Charles, however, looked more suspicious than ever. His eyes darkened with mistrust, but he said nothing.

"I—I saw something too," Aunt Beatrice muttered nervously, her voice shaking. "A shadow, late at night. I thought it was just a trick of the light, but maybe..."

Olivia pressed her hand to her forehead, pretending to tremble. "Matthew wasn't imagining things. There's something wrong in this house. Something—"

"Enough!" Charles snapped, his voice loud and commanding. "This is madness. Both of you. There's no spy, no shadow lurking in the manor. We need answers, not ghost stories!"

But the physician looked intrigued, even disturbed. He glanced between Olivia and Charles, then said, "It's possible that this is not a simple illness. If both Lady Olivia and Lord Matthew are experiencing the same symptoms... there may be more at play here than we realize."

Charles's jaw clenched, his suspicion deepening, but Olivia could see that seed of doubt growing in the physician's mind.

*Let them think I'm suffering too,* Olivia thought, her heart racing with both fear and triumph. *Let them believe there's something sinister at work.*

The physician closed his bag and stood. "I recommend keeping a close watch on both Lord Matthew and Lady Olivia," he said gravely. "Whatever is affecting them... it's beyond simple medicine. If there truly is something more dangerous in this manor, we'll need to investigate further."

Olivia allowed herself a small, satisfied smile as the room fell into uneasy silence. The family's suspicions were now tainted with fear, not just of her but of the unknown.

*If they want to see shadows, I'll give them something to fear.*