It Always Leads Back

PART 4

On her way home, Bella kept replaying Mrs. Williams’s words like a video clip in her head, each line sharper than the last.

“The last time we heard our son speak was when he sat in front of his bedroom mirror, in his wheelchair. Calmly, he said while staring at the glass: ‘I see her every day—in every mirror.’ Then he shook violently, laughing like he was possessed. That was the last time he ever spoke. I hope Barbie never finds peace wherever she is.”

The words echoed until Bella’s skin crawled.

She tried to shake it off, but the more she thought about it, the stranger it felt. If their son truly saw Barbie in every mirror, what did that mean? Was it guilt, trauma, or something far darker?

Bella sighed and tightened her grip on the steering wheel. Her body was on the road, but her mind was trapped back in that mansion, replaying Mrs. Williams’s trembling voice.

Her stomach twisted as she remembered the way every mirror in the Williams’ house had been covered with black cloth. Mrs. Williams had explained it was because their son had developed catoptrophobia—fear of mirrors—but Bella felt there was more to it. Covering mirrors was a common ritual in old traditions, often done to keep spirits from moving through them.

That thought alone made Bella’s hands go cold.

She almost missed the turn onto her street because she was too lost in her head. A loud honk from another car jolted her back, reminding her that she wasn’t safe in her own thoughts anymore.

At home, Bella spread the evidence out across her desk like puzzle pieces. Photos of the paralyzed son, copies of Barbie’s death certificate, and blurry screenshots of news headlines about the therapist’s sudden death.

Her eyes landed on the death certificate again. March 2, 2020. Time: 23:04.

But below that, in Barbie’s birth records, the exact same time was written—March 2, 2002 at 23:04.

Her breath caught in her throat. It can’t be a coincidence…

The more she stared at those numbers, the more her chest tightened.

“Was she born to die?” Bella whispered under her breath.

She leaned back in her chair and rubbed her eyes, but the unease stayed. For the first time, Bella felt like she was no longer the one chasing the story. The story was chasing her.

Just then, her phone vibrated. She reached for it quickly, hoping it was a new lead. Instead, it was her boss’s name flashing across the screen. With a deep breath, she answered.

“Bella,” his voice snapped coldly, “I know what you’ve been doing. I told you to leave that case alone. If you don’t drop it immediately, you’re fired.”

Her hand shook as she held the phone. She wanted to argue, to explain that she was closer than ever to uncovering something huge. But all she managed to say was, “Okay.”

The call ended, leaving her in heavy silence.

Bella looked around at the evidence pinned on her wall and muttered, “How can I stop now?”

A gust of wind rattled her window, and for a second, she swore she heard a faint whisper in the room.

"Bella.."

,

Her whole body froze. She didn’t know if it was her imagination or something else entirely.

Either way, she knew there was no turning back.

To be continued…

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