#Chapter 124: The Fire

Ella “At midnight, the esteemed Stormhollow Alpha manor went up in flames,” the newspaper article read. “Detectives are still investigating the cause of the unexpected fire, but current evidence suggests that it was a freak accident caused by a faulty chimney flue. Thankfully there were no casualties, although nothing remains of the house itself.” My breakfast sat in a heap in front of me, tea having spilled across the tray and soaking the bread when the cup had slipped from my fingers. Broken shards of porcelain littered the table, but I hardly noticed. My childhood home had been destroyed. Along with everything inside of it. Likely along with the trunk of my mother’s possessions in the basement. Everything I had of her was probably gone, burned up in a “freak” overnight fire that completely demolished the entire place I had once called home. My hands shook as I read the article over and over again, as if rereading the words countless times mi