Chapter 20 - The Unopened PackageThat evening, after putting Sophia to sleep in her nursery, Clara walked down to the grand foyer.
The front door chimed softly. Clara opened it, expecting a late courier delivery, but the driveway was empty. Sitting on the welcome mat was a small, unmarked black velvet box tied with a red ribbon.
Curious, Clara brought the box inside and placed it under the soft light of her desk lamp. She cut the ribbon and opened the lid.
Inside lay an exact replica of the dark amber dropper bottle.
Beneath the bottle was a small handwritten note written in elegant silver ink:
May you like
"Julian was merely a pawn on the board, my dear Clara. He lacked the courage to finish the job. Welcome to the real game. See you soon."
Clara stared at the amber bottle as her breath caught in her throat. Her heart thundered against her ribs as she looked out into the pitch-black darkness beyond the window—realizing that the nightmare was far from over.
