Episode 2: The Unknown Message

THE LAST NAME I WAS GIVEN

EPISODE 2 – THE UNKNOWN MESSAGE

📍Blackwood Manor ⏰ 2:17 AM

Ava couldn't sleep.

The child's laughter she had heard earlier kept echoing in her mind.

Every time she closed her eyes, she remembered that strange sound coming from upstairs.

The attic.

The forbidden place.

The place Ethan never wanted her to enter.

Suddenly—

📱 Message Received

Ava immediately grabbed her phone.

Unknown Number: "I know what is hidden inside the attic."

Ava sat upright.

Her heart started pounding.

Who was this?

How did they know about the attic?

With trembling fingers, she typed:

Ava: Who are you?

A few seconds later...

Unknown Number: Someone trying to save you.

Ava: Save me from what?

Unknown Number: Your husband.

A chill ran down Ava's spine.

Ava: What are you talking about?

Unknown Number: Ethan Blackwood is lying to you.

Ava: Stop it.

Unknown Number: Then ask him why he has been searching for you for years.

Ava froze.

Searching for her?

That didn't make any sense.

She had never met Ethan before yesterday.

Before she could reply, another message arrived.

Unknown Number: Leave Blackwood Manor before it's too late.

Then the number went offline.

━━━━━━━━━━━━

Ava stared at the screen.

Confusion.

Fear.

Curiosity.

Everything mixed together.

Then—

Knock... Knock...

Someone was outside her bedroom door.

Ava's breath caught.

At 2:17 in the morning?

Slowly, she walked toward the door.

Her hands were shaking.

She opened it.

No one was there.

The hallway was completely empty.

Silent.

Dark.

Cold.

Then she looked down.

Her blood turned cold.

Small muddy footprints.

Tiny footprints.

Like those of a child.

Leading toward the staircase.

Toward the third floor.

Toward the attic.

━━━━━━━━━━━━

Ava knew she should go back inside.

She knew it.

But curiosity was stronger.

Quietly, she followed the footprints.

Step.

Step.

Step.

The mansion seemed darker at night.

The old wooden floor creaked beneath her feet.

Every shadow looked alive.

Every corner felt like it was hiding something.

Finally, she reached the third floor.

The attic door stood at the end of the corridor.

Locked.

Silent.

Yet terrifying.

The muddy footprints stopped right in front of it.

Ava swallowed nervously.

Then she heard something.

A soft sound.

Like someone crying.

A child.

Very close.

Very real.

Tears.

Sobs.

Pain.

Ava's heart ached.

Ava (whispering): Hello?

The crying stopped.

Instantly.

The silence that followed was even more frightening.

━━━━━━━━━━━━

Suddenly—

A hand grabbed her wrist.

Ava screamed.

Ava: AAH!

Ethan: Ava.

She looked up.

It was Ethan.

His face was darker than usual.

His jaw was clenched.

His eyes were filled with anger.

Ethan: What are you doing here?

Ava: I-I heard someone crying.

Ethan: There's nobody here.

Ava: Then explain the footprints!

Ethan: Go back to your room.

Ava: No.

For the first time, Ava stood her ground.

Ava: You're hiding something from me.

Ethan: And you're breaking the only rule I gave you.

The tension between them became unbearable.

Ava looked directly into his eyes.

Ava: Why did you marry me?

For a second...

Ethan's expression changed.

Pain flashed across his face again.

The same sadness she had seen yesterday.

The same heartbreak.

Ethan: Because I had to.

Ava frowned.

Ava: That's not an answer.

Ethan: It's all I can give you right now.

━━━━━━━━━━━━

Without warning, thunder shook the mansion.

Ava flinched.

Instinctively, Ethan pulled her closer.

For a moment, neither of them moved.

Ava could hear his heartbeat.

Strong.

Fast.

Almost nervous.

Strange.

A man as calm as Ethan Blackwood shouldn't be nervous.

Not around her.

Yet he was.

When their eyes met, something changed.

Something neither of them understood.

Then Ethan stepped back.

Creating distance again.

Like he always did.

Ethan: Go to sleep, Ava.

Ava: And if I don't?

For the first time, Ethan actually smiled.

A small smile.

A dangerous smile.

Ethan: Then I'll stay outside your room all night to make sure you don't wander off again.

Ava blinked.

Was that concern?

Or a threat?

She couldn't tell.

━━━━━━━━━━━━

Later that night...

Ethan stood alone inside his office.

The room was dark.

His gaze fell on an old photograph hidden inside a drawer.

A photograph of a little girl.

A girl smiling brightly at the camera.

A girl who looked exactly like Ava.

Ethan gently touched the picture.

His eyes filled with emotions he never showed anyone.

Then he whispered,

"I finally found you..."

🔥 END OF EPISODE 2

📌 Episode 3 Preview:

The next morning, Ava secretly searches Ethan's office and discovers a locked box containing dozens of photographs of herself... taken years before she ever met him.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***