"Is Sis Sharlene there?" Tashia asked Vivianne over the phone, surprised.
"Yes," Vivianne answered plainly, followed by a sigh. "Go visit her there first; she might not be resting anymore," she suggested.
Tashia simply nodded, taking the advice to heart. She had woken up early, disturbed by troubling memories from her past. And besides, there was someone she was deeply worried about.
Let's go visit Sis Sharlene first, she told herself silently. Without wasting time, she quickly got dressed and left her companion behind.
The house she was heading to was conveniently located near their grandmother's mansion. In about ten minutes, she arrived. The early morning air was quiet, with no one else on the road. She needed to hurry—she might miss Sharlene at the mansion.
Standing in front of the gate, she let out a breath and noticed someone there. Her brow furrowed as she tried to make out the figure.
"Tashia, right?" a voice said behind her.
She jumped, startled, and quickly turned around. It was Lawrence.
"Sorry if I scared you... Are you okay?" he asked, concerned.
Tashia quickly composed herself, brushing off her reaction. "I'm okay. Sorry about that," she said apologetically.
Lawrence gave her a small, polite smile. He's a nice guy, she thought.
"D—Do you have a key?" she asked him.
"Ah, don't worry. Sharlene's probably awake already. I'll call her," he replied, pulling out his phone.
Tashia watched him silently, listening to the brief conversation.
Maybe he has a crush on Sis Sharlene, she thought to herself, a small smile creeping onto her lips.
A moment later, Sharlene appeared at the gate, wrapped in a jacket against the morning chill. "Ah, you're already here, Lawrence. Sorry about that," she said.
"No, it's fine. How did you sleep?" Lawrence asked.
"I just woke up. My head still hurts. If you hadn't called, I might still be asleep," she replied.
"Oh, I'm sorry about that."
Sharlene let out a soft chuckle. Tashia noticed how comfortable her sister was around Lawrence and smiled secretly.
"Come in, make yourselves comfortable," Sharlene said as she opened the gate.
Tashia stood quietly, observing the two. Then —
"Tashia, come in," Lawrence called.
"Tashia—?" Sharlene turned toward her, surprised. "Tashia? What are you doing here?"
Tashia smiled. "W—What are you doing here?" she teased.
She laughed at her sister's shocked expression, while Sharlene frowned at her.
"Wait, I thought you were busy studying! Why are you here in Mateo?" Sharlene asked, clearly confused.
"I am busy with school. I'm here... for educational purposes," Tashia replied with mock seriousness.
Sharlene narrowed her eyes at her, unconvinced. "Were you waiting long?" Tashia asked, changing the subject.
"No. Tashia got here first," Lawrence answered.
As they entered, something shifted in the air. A strange feeling settled over Tashia. Suddenly, her ability awakened.
The mansion transformed before her eyes. She saw a joyful family. A young girl—Leah. The memories came rushing in like a wave.
She gasped.
Then—blood. Screams. Chaos. She watched herself die. Blood sprayed across the walls. She couldn't understand what was happening. Arguing voices surrounded her. Her breathing quickened.
In the corner of her vision, a man grinned sinisterly, watching it all unfold.
"Tashia, Tashia." A voice pulled her back.
It was Sharlene, watching her intently. Tashia pushed her hair back, trying to ground herself.
"Go ahead and sit," Sharlene said gently.
Tashia's palms were cold, sweat gathering on her skin.
Who lived here before? She wondered, uneasy. She no longer sensed the presence that had been watching them.
"Sit down for a while," Sharlene repeated, concerned.
Tashia nodded and followed her into the room, still shaken. I can't bear to look at the past here. I'm not ready, she thought, recoiling inwardly.
"She's only entered Grandma Felicia's mansion now, right, Tashia?" Sharlene asked gently.
Tashia only nodded. Is this why Sis Vivianne didn't want to come here either? When did Sharlene even move in? she wondered.
"I'll prepare something to eat. Rest for now, Tashia," Sharlene offered, stepping away.
Tashia nodded in return, left alone with Lawrence, who was quietly scanning the room.
"Did you just arrive here too?" she asked him.
He looked at her and nodded faintly. "Yeah."
"W—Who owned this mansion before?" she asked hesitantly.
Lawrence stared at her for a moment before answering. "Leah was born here. This was where her mind grew... where everything began."
Tashia swallowed hard. Another thread connecting back to Leah.
"W—What happened?" she asked.
Lawrence sighed. "I don't know everything. But after Leah disappeared... armed men came. They killed the Martinez family staff and the true owners of this mansion."
"D—Dead?" she whispered.
He nodded. "After Leah vanished, it was chaos. Her parents were buried, and we fled Mateo. We feared we'd be next."
Suddenly, Sharlene returned, startled by what she overheard.
"H—How did Grandma get this mansion?" she asked, struggling to keep the tray of food steady.
Lawrence sighed deeply. "Sharlene, I don't know how your grandmother acquired the properties. There were no more relatives left. After the funeral, we left. We were too scared."
"Sharlene?" Tashia repeated, her voice confused.
Sharlene showed them photos of documents—deeds in Grandma Felicia's name.
No way. Tashia's mind raced.
Then her eyes caught something else—a bracelet.
"What's that, sis?" she asked curiously.
"I found it in Grandma's cabinet," Sharlene admitted.
Tashia froze. She recognized it from her visions... Geraldine's bracelet.
Does Big Sister already know? She wondered, eyes fixed on Sharlene.