Mr. Weiss’s grip on the pendant became increasingly firm, and his eyes widened in shock as he continued to hold it. My hands were shaking. There was a brief period when I didn’t even feel like I was working for the lovely and eccentric millionaire that I had been. I had never seen him before; he was intense and almost unrecognizable.
“I demand that you answer me!” he yelled, his voice reverberating off the walls of the study.
“I—I don’t know,” I stutteringly respond. It was my mother’s home. Before she passed away, she handed it up to me.
His hold became somewhat less firm, but he did not let go of anyone. “Your mother?” he inquired, his voice shaking slightly at this point. “What happened to her name?”
“Lillian,” I responded, appearing perplexed and terrified. To what extent does it matter?
Suddenly, his face turned pale, and he stumbled backward, letting go of the pendant. For a brief period of time, he did nothing but stare at me, his mouth moving back and forth as if he were attempting to communicate something but was unable to find the appropriate words.
Finally, he hushed with a whisper, “Lillian.” It’s not possible. “She’s… she’s taken off.”
I responded with a “Yeah,” while maintaining my cautious grip on the pendant. “She passed away many years ago. I don’t understand what she has to do with this?”
During his pacing about the room, Mr. Weiss ran his hand through his gray hair, giving the impression that he was attempting to solve a conundrum that was completely absurd. Subsequently, he came to a sudden halt, his eyes focusing exactly on mine.
“Your mother was the love of my life,” he added in a slow and deliberate manner.
To my surprise, I blinked. “What is it?”
He made a motion toward the conspiracy board that was located behind me and was stuffed with photograph and scribbled notes. “I have spent thirty years looking for her, or more accurately, for what she has taken away from me.”
Are you sure? I retorted, my voice being raised. “Why are you bringing up such a point? There was no theft committed by my mother!
The man gave a head shake. Not only did she not steal it. She safeguarded it all. What you wear around your neck is not merely a piece of jewelry; rather, it is the key to something much more significant. Something that pose a threat.”
A step backwards was taken by me, and I clenched the pendant tightly. “You are trying to make no sense at all.”
The weight of years seemed to have suddenly rested on his shoulders, as evidenced by the heavy sigh he let out. The location of a hidden treasure is contained within the pendant, and it is a treasure that people would do anything to find. Your mother was aware of that. This is the reason why she vanished, and why she never told you about it.
The beat of my heart was rapid. Is it possible that this is accurate? In spite of the fact that my mother had always been reserved and somewhat secretive, I always felt that it was just her personality.
I responded by saying, “You are lying,” but even I did not appear to be convinced.
‘I wish I were,’ he murmured, his tone becoming more compassionate. Nevertheless, you are in danger as well now that you have gone into this situation.
The sound of glass breaking from another section of the mansion caused both of us to jump before I had a chance to respond by saying anything.
“They’ve found us,” Mr. Weiss stated with a gloomy expression. I was pulled toward a secret door that was concealed behind a bookshelf by him as he grasped my arm. Because we don’t have a lot of time. You will have to put your faith in me if you wish to avoid death.
For a single second, I was hesitant, but the sense of urgency that emanated from his eyes conveyed all of the information that I required. Whoever “they” were, they were not present for the purpose of having tea and biscuits.
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My thoughts were racing as I followed him down the concealed passageway while firmly grasping the pendant for support. I was about to discover the truth about whatever it was that my mother had been concealing, and it was a lot more terrible than I could have ever imagined it would be.