Chapter 172

Silvia The second the lights flickered on, my entire world tilted sideways. "Oh my God," I whispered, the words barely escaping my throat. This wasn't just a hidden room—it was a freaking shrine to murder. Every wall was plastered with photographs arranged with the obsessive precision of a serial killer's fantasy board. My knees weakened as recognition slammed into me like a physical blow. Women's faces. Missing women. Dead women. Everywhere. "What the actual hell?" I breathed, forcing myself to step deeper into the nightmare. One face jumped out immediately—a woman with flowing chestnut hair and that signature bright smile that used to greet me every morning shift. Three photos of her decorated one section of wall, each with bright red darts stabbed through different parts of her face. The largest photo had been defaced with thick black marker—a vicious X slashed across her features. "Rachel," I whispered, my voice breaking. "Rachel Thompson." My coworker from the coffee shop. *This c