Chapter 96: A Nightmare
Anna’s nightmares always began the same way—and they were always about the same thing.
She had been twelve at the time. Her father was away on yet another business trip, and the Hydes had graciously offered to let her stay with them so she wouldn’t be alone in her family’s empty house.
That night, Anna had trouble falling asleep. She tossed and turned beneath the heavy blankets, staring up at the ceiling until the shadows began to play tricks on her eyes.
Finally, giving up on rest, she slipped out of bed and decided to pass the time with something warm to drink and a bit of secret entertainment.
She crept into the kitchen, lit only by the dim glow of a single lamp, and made herself a cup of honey tea. Clutched in her hand was a romance novel she’d quietly borrowed—more like stolen—from Mrs. Hyde’s private library when the woman wasn’t looking.
The book was terrible. Predictable, overdramatic, and downright cheesy—but Anna appreciated that. It was so silly it almost made her laugh, which helped chase away the unease that had settled in her chest. By the time she reached Chapter eleven, her yawns came one after another, and her heavy eyelids signaled it was finally time to give sleep another try.
Switching off the lights, she padded silently out of the kitchen and tiptoed toward the stairwell. But just as her bare feet touched the first step, she froze.
A sound—soft but strange—echoed from the upper floor.
Startled but curious, Anna slowly made her way up the staircase, her fingers brushing the banister for balance. As she reached the landing, she realized the noise was coming from Mr. Hyde’s study.
That surprised her. She distinctly remembered Robert’s father leaving earlier that evening for his usual poker night with friends. She hadn’t expected him to return so soon, let alone lock himself away in his office.
A chill crept down her spine.