III. THE SECRET ROOM

As I slowly opened my eyes, my vision was still a bit blurry. The first thing I saw when I regained consciousness was the chandelier above me. I slowly got up and felt a sharp pain in my head. I looked around and realized that I was in an unfamiliar room.

"Where am I?" was the first thought that crossed my mind. I approached the door and turned the knob, slowly opening it. When I stepped out, I was shocked by what I saw. Was this a palace? Or was this what they called paradise? I thought to myself.

I was stunned by the beautiful paintings on the walls, the numerous flower vases, and the breathtaking chandeliers. I walked around the room like a curious child, unable to believe what I was seeing.

As I reached the second floor, I heard footsteps coming from a distance. I quickly turned around and saw a man standing on the stairs, looking at me. He was handsome, but there was something mysterious about him.

"Are you awake now?" he asked me with a hint of a smile on his lips. I was taken aback by his question, and I couldn't help but wonder who this man was.

I didn't respond, and instead, I just stared at him as he walked down the stairs, carrying a cane in his right hand. I noticed that he had a limp in his right leg, but I quickly looked away.

As he approached me, I felt a sense of unease. Who was this man, and why did he bring me here? I remembered being chased by armed men and a stranger who helped me escape by driving me away in his car. I was sure that this man was the one who saved me.

"Are you okay? Do you need anything else?" he asked me again, and I slowly shook my head. He smiled and nodded.

Why can't I read his mind? Why can't I sense his true intentions? How is he able to block my visions? Who is this man, really? I thought to myself as I stared at him in confusion.

"Is there something wrong? Do you want to say something?" he asked me again, and I quickly looked away. After a few moments, an elderly man approached me, dressed in a formal tuxedo.

"Can you accompany her to the dining room? She might be hungry. By the way, I had dinner prepared for you, and my personal assistant will show you to the dining room so you can eat comfortably. If you need anything else, don't hesitate to ask him or me, okay?" he said. I didn't respond, instead nodding my head silently as I followed his assistant.

I didn't know why he was being so kind to me, especially since we barely knew each other. When we arrived at the dining room, I was shocked by the elaborate spread of food on the table, which looked like something you'd only see at festivals or special occasions.

"Please sit down and enjoy your meal. If you need anything else, I'll be right here beside you," the elderly man said, pulling out a chair for me to sit. I sat down silently, my eyes fixed on the food in front of me. I was starving, and my stomach had been growling for hours, probably due to the blood I lost earlier.

As I ate, I forgot my manners and devoured the food like a savage, not noticing that the maids and the personal assistant were watching me in shock. Suddenly, I choked on my food and couldn't breathe. The assistant quickly handed me a glass of cold water, which I drank quickly, and then I let out a loud belch that startled everyone.

It was only then that I realized I wasn't alone, and my eyes widened as I saw the man who had saved me earlier, trying to stifle a laugh. I was mortified by my behavior, and my face turned bright red with embarrassment.

"Would you like to eat some more, miss?" the man asked me, and I slowly looked up at him, my face still burning with shame. I saw that I had eaten almost all the food on the table, and I felt even more embarrassed.

I shook my head, trying to compose myself. "I'm okay, thank you." I replied weakly, standing up to leave, but then I heard the man's loud laughter behind me. It seemed like he had everyone's attention, and we all stared at him in confusion.

"What's wrong with him? Is he okay?" I asked the assistant. "What did you do to him?" he replied, looking at me with a mixture of surprise and amusement. "What do you mean? Is he crazy?" I asked, starting to feel alarmed.

"It's been a long time since we've seen him smile like that, and heard him laugh. At first, I was wondering why he brought you here, but now I understand," he said, leaving me with more questions than answers. What did he mean? What had happened in his past that made everyone around him so concerned?

As I walked back to my room, I felt restless and anxious. I needed to get out of there, but it seemed like it wouldn't be easy. I looked out the window and saw the guards standing outside the gate, and I realized that the mansion was heavily secured.

I didn't want to ask them for permission to leave because I wanted them to forget about me as soon as possible. I glanced at the wall clock and saw that it was almost midnight. I slowly opened the door and peeked outside, seeing that the hallway was empty and everyone seemed to be asleep.

The living room was dark, with all the lights turned off. I took slow and careful steps, trying not to make any noise that might attract attention. As I looked around, I spotted a window, and I slowly opened it, preparing to make my escape.

But then, I saw a light coming from the second floor, and my curiosity got the better of me. I cautiously made my way up the stairs and entered the room, which was filled with a strange, golden light. As I stepped inside, my eyes widened in amazement.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing - the light wasn't coming from a bulb, but from a pile of gold bars. "Is this real? Is all of this really happening?" I whispered to myself, approaching the gold bars slowly and picking one up. It was heavy, and it felt real.

I stood still as I sensed someone approaching my location. I quickly looked for a place to hide before the person arrived. Inside the room, I found another door hidden behind a red curtain. I was surprised and curious, but despite having no idea what was inside, I opened the door and stepped in. The room was dark, and I left the door slightly ajar so I could see the person entering.

After a few moments, the door opened, and I was taken aback by what I saw. The person's face was half-covered with a black mask, and his nose and mouth were covered with a black bandana. He also wore black gloves on his hands. He looked around the room before setting his backpack on the floor and placing some gold bars inside. Who was this person, and what did he think he were doing? Wait, were he stealing the gold?

After closing his bag, he opened the door again, seemingly about to leave, but then he froze. Unexpectedly, he turned around, looking straight at where I was hiding. My eyes widened in shock, and I felt like our gazes met. I quickly looked away, hiding and covering my mouth. I heard the sound of his bag hitting the floor, and then he took steps towards me.

As he approached, I looked for something to cover my face so they wouldn't remember my appearance. Just as he opened the door, I quickly pulled the red curtain and used it like a bandana to cover half my face, which clearly startled him. Our eyes met again, and their rifle was still pointed at my head. "Who are you?" He asked, but I didn't respond.

The man took another step closer, his eyes narrowing slightly as he tried to see past the curtain covering my face. I held my breath, hoping he wouldn't recognize me. The tension between us was palpable, and I could feel my heart racing.

Suddenly, he seemed to hesitate, and his gaze flickered away from mine. He looked around the room, as if checking to make sure we were alone. Then, without another word, he turned around and quickly exited the room, leaving me shaken and confused.

I didn't move until I heard the sound of his footsteps fading into the distance. Then, I slowly emerged from my hiding place, my heart still racing from the encounter. I looked around the room, wondering what had just happened.

The gold bars were still scattered on the floor, and the man's bag was still lying on the ground. I took a deep breath, trying to process what had just occurred. It was as if we had both been startled by each other's presence, and had chosen to retreat rather than confront each other.

I didn't know what to make of it, but I knew I had to get out of there, fast. I quickly grabbed a few gold bars and stuffed them into my pocket, then made my way back to the window. I climbed out into the night, dropping down onto the grass below.

As I looked back up at the mansion, I wondered if I would ever see the mysterious man again. But for now, I just needed to get as far away from there as possible. I took off into a sprint, disappearing into the darkness of the night.

I ran as fast as I could, my heart pounding in my chest. I didn't dare look back, fearing that the mysterious man or someone else might be following me. The gold bars in my pocket weighed me down, but I didn't care - I just wanted to get away.

After what felt like an eternity, I finally reached the edge of the estate. I slowed down to catch my breath and looked around, trying to get my bearings. The streets were dark and deserted, but I knew I had to keep moving.

I started walking, trying to put as much distance between myself and the mansion as possible. As I walked, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched. I kept looking over my shoulder, but there was never anyone there.

After a while, I saw a faint light in the distance. As I got closer, I realized it was a small convenience store. I quickened my pace, hoping to find some safety inside.

I burst through the door, gasping for breath. The clerk behind the counter looked up at me in surprise, but I didn't care. I just wanted to hide.

"Can I use your phone?" I asked, trying to compose myself.

The clerk nodded, handing me a phone. I dialed a number, hoping against hope that someone would answer.

As I waited for the call to connect, I couldn't help but think about the mysterious man. Who was he? What did he want? And why did I feel like our encounter was far from over?

The phone rang several times before a deep, familiar voice answered. "Hey, what's up?"

"Denver!" I exclaimed, feeling a wave of relief wash over me. "I need your help."

"What's going on?" Denver asked, his tone instantly serious.

"I'll tell you when you get here," I said, glancing around the convenience store nervously. "Can you pick me up?"

"Yeah, of course. Where are you?" Denver asked.

I gave him the address of the convenience store, and he promised to be there in 10 minutes. I hung up the phone and waited anxiously, watching the clock on the wall.

Exactly 10 minutes later, a sleek black sports car pulled up outside the store. Denver was behind the wheel, his eyes scanning the area until they landed on me. He smiled and nodded, and I quickly grabbed my things and ran out to the car.

As I slid into the passenger seat, Denver raised an eyebrow. "What's going on?" he asked again, his eyes sparkling with concern.

I took a deep breath and launched into the story of my encounter with the mysterious man at the mansion. Denver listened intently, his expression growing more and more serious.

When I finished, he nodded thoughtfully. "I think we should get out of here," he said. "Just in case."

I nodded in agreement, and Denver put the car in gear. As we sped away from the convenience store, I felt a sense of relief wash over me. I was safe now, with Denver by my side.

But as we drove, I couldn't shake the feeling that the mysterious man was still out there, watching me. Waiting for me.

Denver seemed to sense my unease, and he reached out to put a reassuring hand on my knee. "Hey, I've got you," he said, his voice low and soothing. "You're safe now."

I smiled, feeling a sense of gratitude towards him. "Thanks, Denver," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Denver smiled back, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Anytime," he said. I nodded, feeling a sense of determination rise up inside me. I was ready to face whatever was coming my way, as long as Denver was by my side.