Chapter 5 - The Boy in the Walls
"Don't tell him," the boy whispered, his voice cracking with panic as he scrambled backward against a stack of cardboard boxes. "Please, don't tell Uncle Julian. He'll move me again. He always moves me when someone finds out."
I lowered my phone, letting the beam drop to the floor so the blinding light wasn't shining directly in his eyes. My chest ached with a sudden, overwhelming wave of maternal instinct and shock. "I won't tell him," I said softly, taking a slow step forward, keeping my hands open and empty. "I promise. What's your name?"
"Leo," the boy answered, his breathing ragged. He clutched a small, worn toy train in his hand—the exact kind of vintage item that had been disappearing from around the estate. "Are you the new helper? The one who dances when she thinks nobody is watching?"
I blinked, a faint blush warming my cheeks despite the gravity of the situation. "You saw that?"
Leo gave a small, hesitant nod. "From the balcony vent in the drawing room. You looked happy. Nobody in this house looks happy."
The pieces of the puzzle suddenly slammed together in my mind with terrifying clarity. The missing objects weren't stolen by an outside threat or an enemy looking for leverage. They were taken by a frightened child living a ghost's life in the attic, collecting small pieces of a family history he was barred from sharing. But the most chilling realization wasn't the boy himself—it was why Julian was hiding him.
"Does your uncle know you're up here?" I asked carefully, kneeling down so I was at eye level with him.
"He visits every night after everyone goes to sleep," Leo said, his voice dropping to a defensive whisper. "He brings me food and books. But he says I can't leave. He says if the men who killed my parents find out I survived the crash, they'll finish the job. That's why he keeps me locked away. To keep me safe."
The silence in the attic grew heavy. The cold truth settled over my shoulders like a weighted blanket. Julian Corsini wasn't a ruthless tyrant hiding a dark secret for malice; he was a terrified guardian, playing a high-stakes, deadly game to protect the last remaining piece of his bloodline from a shadow war I knew nothing about.
Before I could ask another question, a heavy thump echoed from the bottom of the attic stairs.
"Sadie?"
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Julian’s voice rang up through the open doorway, carrying a cold, razor-sharp edge that made my blood run ice-cold. He had come home early, and he had found the attic door wide open.
"Stay here," I whispered frantically to Leo, standing up and stepping out from the alcove just as heavy, rapid footsteps began marching up the wooden stairs.
