I rushed into the mansion with Masha close behind, my heart pounding as I searched for the source of the scream. It had been Sasha's voice, sharp and panicked, cutting through the silence like a knife. I called out her name as soon as we crossed the threshold, my voice echoing off the high ceilings.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrZJALMRzMK
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"Sasha! SASHA!"343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo42j9ZCaD0
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No response. Just as my anxiety began to spike, her voice came again, faint but steady. "I'm over here."343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuFBNhpvhnr
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I followed the sound to the study, a room lined with towering bookshelves and heavy wooden furniture. The air felt heavier here, as if the walls themselves were pressing in. At first glance, the room seemed empty, but then Sasha's voice echoed from an unexpected direction. "Behind the bookshelf."343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEaS2TYeUV8
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I stepped closer, my pulse quickening as I peered behind the massive structure. Sasha stood on a narrow staircase that descended into darkness, her face pale in the dim light. A faint, cold draft wafted up from below, carrying with it a smell that made my stomach churn—mildew, yes, but something else too, something metallic and sharp.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsVsZjeFt5X
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"Can you believe it?" Sasha whispered, her voice trembling despite her attempt at excitement. "This place has an underground room."343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyupRU6i1rP
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡALtheCwFan
I stared into the abyss, my heart pounding. The darkness seemed to pulse, as if alive, and for a moment, I thought I heard something—a faint, rhythmic sound, like footsteps echoing from deep below.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMJdnoKJX5G
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHBE1yr8KK9
Before I could respond, the others filed into the study. Maya, Hendrick, and Martin must have noticed Masha standing by the bookshelf, or perhaps she had pointed them in our direction. Either way, they were suddenly crowding around me, their presence making the room feel even smaller.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTQN5adsdnz
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYYc8aGf5II
"Are you okay?" Maya asked, her voice tight with concern.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAF6nPACq81
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"Is that an underground room? Sick!" Martin said, his eyes lighting up.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6SHVwdOktY
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLZED0loJ4M
"I know, right?" Sasha replied, ignoring my glare. "I was checking out some of the books, and one of them triggered this mechanism. The shelf just slid open, and I freaked out."343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO1Mvz9IRtN
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"Which book?" Hendrick asked, his tone curious.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSLfs1ELTX3
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"I think it was Catch-22," Sasha said.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzdG2rhI1Ej
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"Where does it lead?" Martin pressed.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyZimcgQKi4
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"I haven't looked yet."343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7J2C0vEPOY
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"Can we explore?" Sasha asked, her eyes darting to Maya, who in turn looked to Hendrick. He exchanged a quick, almost imperceptible smile with Martin before nodding.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzG4oxtn1OL
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXS2CzKumlA
Before Maya could respond, I stepped in. "No! Absolutely not!" I said, my voice firm. "Are you guys insane? This isn't our house. We can't just go snooping around. How am I the voice of reason right now?"343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3SwW4so7Gr
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAdrDLayiKx
"Are you saying you're not curious about what the Whites are hiding down there?" Martin challenged.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt8v5rjfp8l
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I was. Of course I was. But I had the decency to keep that to myself.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPlwwEscdpN
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS5AtU4KoCW
"Not even a little," I lied. "And even if I were, it doesn't matter. We're here to clean, not play detective."343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6LsShWfNNm
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"Okay, spoilsport," Martin muttered.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9FhTnMgarW
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"Very mature," I shot back. "Did you forget why we're here in the first place?"343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7emrnVvmAt
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvuUZV5LOhH
I reached out to Sasha, helping her up from the staircase. Masha, ever the quiet observer, carefully replaced Catch-22 on the shelf. The mechanism whirred softly, the sound unnaturally smooth, as if the gears hadn't been used in years. The bookshelf slid back into place with a satisfying click that echoed through the room.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMJAV5GmfPJ
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Cool. But also terrifying.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZav0HL4Lfr
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The group drifted back to the living room, but I stayed behind for a moment, my nerves still on edge. I stepped outside, pulling a cigarette from my pocket and lighting it with trembling hands. The cool evening air helped steady me, but my thoughts were still racing.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYzN864Yp1y
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Sasha joined me a moment later, her presence quiet but unmistakable. She held out her hand, and I passed her the cigarette without a word. She took a drag, exhaling slowly before handing it back.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxVyqHJScA8
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"Since when do you smoke?" she asked, her tone casual but probing.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMT84Dum0ix
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"Since when do you smoke?" I countered, raising an eyebrow.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN8RLfl1OdF
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUk1K6ou2wc
She laughed softly, the sound almost lost in the evening breeze. "You know, this is the longest conversation we've had since you got back from rehab."343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSLR9RyyaSF
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"Is it?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnXUyg0ByC9
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"You've been distant," she said, her voice softening. "I miss having my best friend. And I know Maya misses her sister."343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6DYPk691mD
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I didn't respond immediately, my gaze fixed on the horizon as the sun dipped lower in the sky.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkKkHEsJId5
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"Do you hate me?" Sasha asked suddenly, her voice barely above a whisper.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjDZTJvj1xR
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I turned to look at her, surprised. "Why would I hate you?"343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvk5cDmfKkb
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"Because I was the one who told Maya and the principal about your addiction."343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs7Ytd4Lqrj
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I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I don't hate you for that."343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9USxqGbiSB
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"So you do hate me," she said, her tone half-joking but with an undercurrent of seriousness.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHaOvcg9ZAZ
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"I don't hate you," I said firmly. "But I've been avoiding the clubhouse for a reason."343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeB7j7khlNm
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGK88ztWHMY
"Is it because of me and Martin?" she asked, her voice tentative.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNg62F0VzqT
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"It's Hendrick," I said bluntly. "I can't stand his face."343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ16bURIhftK
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Sasha gave me a look, her eyes narrowing. "Why can't you be serious for once?"343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7i7z4SBvKq
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqbdsZ79h8q
"I am serious," I said, though my tone was lighter than I intended. "But fine. The school counselor thinks I blame him."343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzaK4YvEHY2
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4x5BEnFyJC
"Blame him for what?" Sasha asked, her brow furrowing. Then her eyes widened in realization. "He's the one who introduced you to drugs, isn't he?"343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTVFL9i74lG
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I hesitated, the words caught in my throat. "Isn't he?" she pressed, louder this time.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsM0Xrwqovr
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"Yes," I admitted, the word heavy with unspoken resentment.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuf1l2qdHrF
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Sasha's face darkened, and she turned on her heel, storming back toward the mansion. I grabbed her wrist, stopping her in her tracks.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRsbMG0mVNn
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"Let me go!" she snapped, her voice sharp.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeBhn99y2oU
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjtqqZqMqIO
"Why? So you can punch Hendrick? What good would that do?"343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqqayP531eM
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDfcvYtoV8F
"You have no idea the things he's said about you," Sasha said, her voice trembling with anger. "He acts like it was all your fault, like he had nothing to do with it. If only I'd known the truth."343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd5XtJ8s0xK
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I looked away, my chest tightening. "It doesn't matter what he says. I made my choices."343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbNohzWAjpY
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡudOr4ZxCuj
"But he made them easier," she shot back, her voice breaking. "He knew what he was doing. And now he acts like he's better than you, like he's some kind of saint."343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwcFTDVM8rF
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdwNO51znMK
I didn't respond, my gaze fixed on the horizon. The sun was sinking lower, casting long shadows across the lawn. "Maybe he is better than me," I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper. "But that doesn't change anything. I'm still here. And I'm still trying."343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFWUdYvTG76
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG8pCrfw3l3
Sasha stared at me for a long moment before nodding reluctantly. "Fine."343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2kQPq8O1oK
343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaEZNkeyYzA
"Thank you," I said, offering her a small smile. "Evelyn sure is taking her time with those groceries, huh?" I added, trying to lighten the mood.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQN4ukeLosU
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"Yeah," Sasha said, though her tone was still distant.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM8rZYLMTwL
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I sighed and sat down on the ground, the grass surprisingly soft beneath me. "Sit with me," I said, patting the spot beside me. Sasha hesitated before joining me, her shoulders still tense.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrnu4UgZtY6
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The sun was beginning to set, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink. The air was cool, and for a moment, everything felt almost peaceful.343Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbTbIhglkTs
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------8964 copyright protection339ＰＥＮＡＮＡByNOS3t7NN 維尼

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