Belle needed a quiet place to paint. What she got... was The House. Described by her cousin as "quaint" and "full of character," the old mansion on the isolated farm is anything but. The house smells like something died in it in 1893 and never quite left. The lights don't work, the clocks don't agree, and the walls seem to whisper when the storm rolls in. Charming. Cut off from the outside world as the weather turns vicious, Belle is not alone. There's a man-warm, real, and very distracting... except for one small problem: She's not entirely sure he is real. Because this house doesn't behave. Doors don't always lead where they should. Time slips. Shadows remember. And sometimes, the past doesn't just echo-it replays. As old journals, strange dreams, and terrifying moments she can't explain bring together fragments of history, Belle begins to uncover tragedies that were never meant to be buried. But the house isn't just remembering. It's waiting... Funny, haunting, and quietly heartbreaking, The House is a story about love, loss, revenge, and the secrets that refuse to stay buried. This story contains themes of psychological horror, violence, and disturbing imagery. Reader discretion is advised. Genre: Mystery/Humour/Romance This is a work of fiction. Any names or characters, businesses or places, events or incidents are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. All rights are reserved by me as @MaggieOHighley. Please do not copy or use my work anywhere without my permission. Thank you.

Ryan Morgan has always lived by one promise: to protect his younger brother, Jacob. Years earlier, when a drunk driver stole their parents' lives, Ryan became Jacob's legal guardian. He was just eighteen. Jacob, only seven at the time, has lived with autism his entire life. Ryan raised him through grief, school challenges, and the growing pains of adolescence-all while chasing his own dream of becoming a lawyer. Now, at twenty-six, Ryan is a rising star at the prosecutor's office. His career is taking off, his life seems finally on track, and he is proud to have kept his promise to his parents. But everything shatters the night Jacob finds the lifeless body of his best friend, Izza Miller, near a river. Jacob insists he didn't hurt her. The police insist otherwise. Evidence points to Jacob. Fingerprints. Location. Suspicion. Within days, the boy Ryan swore to protect is in handcuffs, facing a murder charge that could ruin his life. If anyone who sees this story being plagiarized by someone else, please send me a quick message as soon as possible. I do not tolerate plagiarism at all, and I will sue whoever is responsible of stealing my work. ©️2024 Rebecca Clark. All Rights Reserved No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without the prior permission of the author, except for the brief description of the book in a book review. Winner of the 2025 Creative Slingers of Ink Awards Winner of the 2025 Regal Summit Book Awards