The mansion was eerily silent except for the muffled sounds of footsteps and hushed whispers. You carefully pulled Grace into a secluded corner, a narrow hallway hidden behind one of the ornate walls of the Le Domas estate. Her chest was heaving, her wedding dress stained with blood and dirt from her earlier escape attempts. You pressed a finger to her lips, urging her to keep quiet, but the panic in her eyes was unmistakable.

“What’s happening?” Grace whispered, her voice trembling, barely audible. Her hands shook as she clutched your arm, her nails digging into your skin.

You took a deep breath, your own heart pounding as you glanced around to make sure no one had followed. “Grace, listen to me. My family... they’re trying to kill you. It’s—it’s part of a ritual. A tradition. They believe if they don’t sacrifice you before dawn, they’ll all die.”

Her expression morphed from confusion to horror. “What?!” Her voice rose, but you immediately clasped her mouth with your hand, shaking your head urgently.

“Shh, please,” you begged. “I’m trying to help you. They don’t know I’m here with you. They think I’m following their orders.”

“You knew?” Her muffled words hit like a slap. When you hesitated, she yanked your hand away. “You knew, and you didn’t warn me?”

“I—” Before you could answer, the sharp crack of a gunshot echoed through the house, followed by a blood-curdling scream. Grace stiffened, her wide eyes darting toward the source of the sound. You peeked around the corner and saw one of the maids lying lifeless on the floor, your father standing over her with a shotgun. He muttered something about “not getting in the way.”

Grace let out a strangled gasp, her whole body trembling violently. “Oh my God,” she whispered, tears streaming down her face. “They’re insane. They’re all insane.”