Emma leaned forward in her seat, eyes fixed on Evelyn. "I can see that," she murmured, taking in Evelyn's calm expression, the faint smile that masked something deeper. "So… what happened then?"
Evelyn's gaze drifted. She exhaled slowly and adjusted in her chair, as if bracing herself. "Alright," she said, fingers lacing together in her lap. "I'll give you the short version. But don't interrupt me, okay?"
Emma nodded, sensing the shift in atmosphere.
"I was seven when I started noticing things. My family was… close. Maybe too close, if that makes sense. We all lived together in a massive home my grandfather bought, me, my parents, my grandfather, and his wife, unlike this place that he built, which was gaining attention ."
Her voice had a quiet rhythm now, distant but careful.
