Whispers of the Victorian House

Chapter 38- Shadows of Suspicion

"Damon?" Tabitha asked in shock as she reached the mansion's entrance.

The night air is filled with a sense of anticipation as if something extraordinary is about to unfold. The moon's silver beams illuminate the path ahead, leading the way through the winding streets of the sleeping town. Tabitha's heart raced as she caught sight of Damon standing there, his silhouette framed against the opulent doors that led into the lavish interior of the estate.

Brian arrived a little while later, his footsteps echoing on the cobblestone path as he approached Tabitha and Damon. His heart clenched at the sight of the two of them together, a mix of emotions swirling within him – surprise, jealousy, and a hint of fear. He knew he had to maintain his composure and greet Damon, Tabitha's boyfriend, with civility, despite the storm of emotions raging within him.

"Hey, dude! Long time no see," Brian forced a smile as he shook Damon's hand firmly, trying to push down the bitterness that threatened to rise within him.

Damon returned the handshake with a firm grip, his deep voice resonating through the evening air. The tension between the three of them hung palpably, like a thick fog that threatened to obscure the truth that lay hidden beneath the surface.

"I couldn't bear to be apart from Tabitha any longer. I missed her terribly," Damon's words were earnest, his eyes locked with Tabitha's, his expression one of deep longing and affection.

Though Tabitha seemed to trust Damon's words, Brian's gut twisted with doubt. He couldn't forget the whispers, the secret meetings between Damon and Brianne, the cunning glances and shared smiles that spoke of a different kind of bond – one that betrayed the trust Tabitha and Brian had placed in them.

Diya was busy making herself a cup of hot coffee in the kitchen when the sound of hurried footsteps echoed through her apartment. She turned around to see what the chaos was about, only to be shocked to her core by the sight of Damon walking through the entrance door.

"Damon, how nice to see you! How did you get here?" Diya's voice wavered with surprise as she welcomed him with a hesitant smile.

"Tabitha texted me the address and told me to come over," Damon's reply was casual, but Diya detected a hint of unease in his eyes.

"I guess you two love birds can't stay away from each other," Brian's chuckle filled the room, but his eyes lingered on Damon with suspicion.

As the night progressed, Diya couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Damon seemed on edge, Tabitha's absence unexplained. Brian's jovial demeanor felt forced, his jokes a mere facade. And then, a scream pierced the air, shattering the fragile semblance of normalcy they had tried to maintain. As they raced to the source of the sound, they stumbled upon a chilling discovery.

Damon glanced at Brianne who was lying on the bed, unmoving, "What happened to her?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

"I'm afraid she's been like this since I arrived," Brian responded casually, approaching her bedside.

Damon's eyes widened in disbelief, "How can you remain so composed, Brian? Is she not your girlfriend?" he exclaimed, shocked by Brian's casualness.

Damon's question seemed to have deeply angered Brian, but he chose not to show it. He remained composed and urged everyone to focus on finding the origin of the blood-curdling scream they had heard a few moments ago.

As Damon held Tabitha's hand, they turned away from the room, casting a final glance at Brianne lying on the bed. Brian, who had been watching them, noticed the way Damon looked at her and felt a surge of anger rising within him. He balled his fists, ready to confront Damon about what he had just witnessed.

Diya acted quickly and grabbed Brian's wrist to calm him down, saying "Not now, Brian."

Diya understood that Brian felt hurt when he realized that she had known about the situation between Brianne and Damon all along. He was upset that Diya had kept it a secret from him, but he also realized that he was keeping a secret from Tabitha. Despite feeling hurt, Brian didn't blame Diya for keeping it a secret, as he believed that she had done so to spare his feelings, just like he wanted to spare Tabitha's feelings.

Brian turned to Diya, his face contorted in fear, and whispered if she heard that chilling scream piercing through the darkness.

"I didn't hear anything," Diya made a quick exit after giving a false statement.

As Brian walked down the stairs, his mind was racing with confusion and fury. He couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off with Diya's behavior. He tried to push the thought away, but it kept nagging at him like a persistent itch. Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Diya had invited Tabitha and Damon for dinner. 

However, what unfolded next was a gathering that left Brian feeling more mystified than ever before. He left Brianne in her room and walked downstairs to join the group, unsure of what he was about to face.

Diya eagerly took a seat at the kitchen counter, her stomach growling in anticipation as she prepared to indulge in her dinner. She felt grateful to Tabitha for packing her meal quickly, allowing her to enjoy it without any further delay. Brian sat beside Tabitha, carefully unwrapping his own dinner from a paper bag.

As Damon's thoughts wandered back to Brianne's vegetative state, he couldn't help but feel a growing sense of curiosity and unease. What could have caused such a drastic change in her condition? The more he thought about it, the more questions he had, and he couldn't shake the feeling that there was something important he was missing.

Tabitha took a big bite of her pizza before replying, "Babe, it's a long story. Let's wait until after dinner, and I'll tell you all about it."

Diya was sitting with Brian and Damon at the dinner table. Brian seemed to be emitting a lot of tension as they ate. Diya took a deep breath in an attempt to contain the tension. Suddenly, Damon suggested that Tabitha should come back home with him the next day. He explained that he was worried about her missing a lot of classes lately. The suggestion hung in the air, and Diya wondered how it would be received by everyone at the table.

"Tabitha, I think it would be best for you to return with Damon tomorrow," said Diya, smirking and letting out a sigh.

Tabitha looked at Diya with a raised eyebrow and said, "Hold your horses, Diya. We can't leave until we solve the mystery of this mansion.

Diya rolled her eyes and replied, "Yeah, and I might turn into a unicorn tomorrow."

Damon appeared taken aback and inquired, "Are you telling me that you haven't cracked the case yet?"

"Well, we could always sacrifice someone to the devil. That's the only solution, right?" Brian purposely uttered as he swallowed his food.

"What? That's not a solution! That's just crazy talk!" Damon was taken aback by Brian's words.

Diya immediately stepped in to defuse the tension, "Damon, Brian was just teasing. He has a great sense of humor."

Diya was deeply concerned about the potential danger that could arise from involving too many people in her investigation of the mansion. She knew that secrets were lurking around every corner, and she feared that anyone who got too close could be putting themselves in harm's way. Despite her desire for help, she couldn't shake the feeling that it would be safer for her to work alone.

"Fingers crossed, Diya Isabella Brown," she murmured to herself, her hopes high for a positive outcome. 

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💕Exciting news! Tabitha is with her boyfriend, but the real question is, will they return home together? And what about Brian? He has a message he's dying to express to Tabitha. Will he get the chance? Let's keep our fingers crossed and find out!