As their relationship deepened, the "thrill" began to seep through the cracks. Adrian started noticing inconsistencies. Sienna would vanish for hours into the manor's basement. He found a burner phone in her bag with messages in a code he couldn't decipher.
One evening, while they were sharing a glass of wine by the fireplace, Adrian handed her a beautiful diamond necklace.
"To a future as solid as this house," he whispered.
Sienna smiled, but for a split second, Adrian saw a flash of pure, cold terror in her eyes.
The next morning, Adrian used his architectural expertise to do something he hadn't told Sienna about. He had installed thermal sensors throughout the house to monitor the "structural integrity." When he checked the playback, he saw Sienna's heat signature moving through a wall in the library—a wall that, according to his blueprints, was solid stone.