Introduction : The Inheritance

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The letter arrived on an otherwise unremarkable Tuesday, tucked into a thick envelope sealed with red wax. Aria stared at it, her morning coffee growing cold on the counter. She hadn’t spoken to her Aunt Cecilia in years—why would she send her anything?

Tearing open the envelope, Aria pulled out a single sheet of parchment. The words written in a neat, flowing script made her hands tremble.

To my dearest niece, Aria,

I leave you the one thing I held dearest in life: Ever have no Manor. It is yours now. Though I must warn you, its halls hold secrets and burdens you may not be prepared to face. But I trust you will.

With love,

Cecilia

Beneath the letter was a deed, signed and notarized, confirming that the sprawling manor was now hers. She could barely process it. Ever haven Manor. She’d heard of it, of course. A sprawling estate far from the city, tucked away in the countryside, shrouded in mystery and local legends.

Aunt Cecilia had always been eccentric, her life a tapestry of strange stories and enigmatic behavior. Aria remembered family gatherings where Cecilia would sit at the edge of the room, staring out of the window as though she were looking for someone who wasn’t there.

For years, the family whispered about her isolation and obsession with the manor. Some said it was cursed; others said she was merely mad. Aria had never believed the rumors, but now, holding the letter in her hands, she couldn’t shake the sense of unease that crept over her.

It came at the perfect time. Her life in the city had been unraveling. A dead-end job, a failed relationship, and the crushing weight of endless responsibilities had left her desperate for change. Perhaps this was her chance—a fresh start in a place no one could find her.

Two weeks later, Aria stood at the gates of Ever haven Manor, suitcase in hand. The cab driver had barely stopped long enough for her to get out, muttering something about bad omens and cursed houses before speeding off down the empty road.

The manor loomed before her, more imposing than she had imagined. It was massive, with ivy crawling up its dark stone walls and windows that gleamed faintly even in the gray light of the overcast sky. The wrought-iron gates creaked as she pushed them open, the sound echoing into the stillness.

As she approached the front doors, the air seemed to grow heavier. A strange sensation prickled at the back of her neck, like she was being watched. She shook off the feeling and stepped inside.

The interior was breathtaking—both beautiful and eerie. A grand staircase spiraled upward, its bannister intricately carved. The walls were adorned with portraits of unfamiliar faces, their painted eyes following her as she moved.

The mirror caught her attention immediately. It stood in the center of the foyer, massive and ornate, its golden frame carved with strange symbols that seemed to shift in the flickering light. Aria felt an inexplicable pull toward it, but as she stepped closer, a cold shiver ran down her spine.

Her reflection seemed... off. It moved as she moved, yet there was a flicker—something in the corner of the mirror, just for a moment. She turned around, but the foyer was empty.

“Get it together, Aria,” she muttered to herself, dragging her suitcase toward the staircase.

She chose the room closest to the main hall, its windows overlooking the overgrown gardens in the back. The furniture was old but elegant, and the bed looked inviting despite the thick layer of dust covering everything.

As she began unpacking, she felt the sensation again—that was prickling at the back of her neck, as though someone was standing just behind her.

Spinning around, she found nothing but the empty room. But the shadows seemed darker than they should have been.

That night, as Aria lay in bed staring at the ceiling, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she wasn’t alone in the house. The wind howled outside, rattling the windows, but inside, the silence was oppressive. It was as though the manor itself was holding its breath, waiting for something.

For the first time, Aria wondered if the stories about Everyone might hold some truth. And deep down, she felt certain that her aunt’s warning had been more than just words.

This was no ordinary inheritance

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