Chapter 7 - The Unbroken Padlock
Ethan walked slowly across the cream marble floor, his heavy leather boots making a deep, deliberate sound that echoed through the quiet hall. Beside the Christmas tree, Damon groaned in the leather armchair, clutching his swollen jaw, while Claire remained frozen among the scattered red-and-gold boxes, her hand covering her mouth in pure panic.
When Ethan reached the small archway beneath the grand staircase, he stood before the dark oak door. The heavy iron padlock hanging from the latch was covered in a thin layer of undisturbed dust, but the keyhole itself showed fresh, faint scratches in the metal—proof that someone had recently inserted a key.
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"Ethan, wait!" Claire called out, her voice high and desperate as she struggled to stand up in her evening gown. "She’s lying! The girl is confused, she doesn't know what she's talking about!"
Ethan didn't turn around. He reached out one hand and gripped the cold iron of the lock, his powerful arm muscles straining through the fabric of his tuxedo jacket as he inspected the mechanism.
