#Chapter 145: he Lion’s Den

Olivia The cold night air nipped at my cheeks as I neared Colin’s grand estate. The looming mansion was a stark contrast to the modest houses surrounding it. The sole light filtering from the slightly ajar curtains of the mansion beckoned me. The choice to sneak into Colin's house was no impulse. It was something that had been gnawing at the back of my mind for days. Secrets, lies, and the odd relationship between Colin and Jen had festered, creating an itch I just had to scratch. And the letter from Nathan’s mother, the haggard appearance of my childhood friend as he stumbled into our house after disappearing for a full day, were the final straw. My father’s voice echoed in my mind… “Olivia, your curiosity will be the death of you.” “I know,” I had said. I was thirteen. My father had just caught me trying to sneak into the neighbor’s house, not for the first time, but for the third time. “But I swear they’re keeping him in there!” “Honey…” My father passed