Chapter 22. Whispers in the Garden

Leila’s POV

The haunted mansion still echoed with the soundless echo of my footsteps as my mind ran a marathon through the whirlwind of what almost happened with Luca. Something went wrong between us, though I couldn’t put my finger over it. The cause was enough for an alarm. I hoped hopelessly to shove it out of my mind, but maybe Mia could take me out of this.

First, I visited her room, but she was not there. Logically, after that was the kitchen, but she wasn’t there either. I asked one that passed me, “Have you seen Mia?”

“Yeah, I’ve just seen her go to your room a few minutes ago. Haven’t you seen her?” the maid replied, puzzled.

“Mia was in my room?” I repeated, half to myself now, because something didn’t quite hit well in my head. Just that had realized it way too late, my eyes flew open wide this time to start scanning the room for her.

Not finding her either in the living room or the study room, I wound up in the library. She wouldn’t s