I'm home alone in the middle of the winter and there's a snow storm outside. Feeling extremely thirsty, I head downstairs to get some water.

It's dark in the kitchen and for some reason I do not turn on any lights except the lights coming out from the refrigerator.

I soon drink up the water, turning around to make my way back upstairs. A shiver runs down my back and the hairs at the back of my neck stand on end but I dismiss it as an aftermath of the cold weather. I turn to the kitchen table to drop off my cup. An action which I soon would regret.

In front of me sitting, on the kitchen table is a black shape. Curiosity getting the better of me, I hurriedly switch on the lights to find that it's no one else but Aunt Fia.

Shock paralyzes me as I watch her slowly rising up from the table, VERY SLOWLY and then she starts walking towards me. It really isn't like a walk; more like floating but I just cannot explain how. All I know is that she is coming closer.

As soon as I feel back to myself again I turn around and make to leave. I have only one mission; to get out.

I start running towards the door which leads out of the house at incredible speed. I never thought I would be able to run this fast.

The only problem is that I am running and running, I can see the door in front of me but I can't get to it. Instead, it keeps getting farther and farther away from me.

Something grips me from behind and I just know it's her. She's got me now.

Cackling excitedly, she turns me briskly to face her. She snarls and pulls out the knife and somehow I know it's the same wickedly sharp blade she used on me before.

I don't plead for help, I just stand there frozen in shock as she draws it high above her head and with lightning speed, brings it crashing down.

I scream, sitting up in bed. My breath keeps coming out in short gasps and my body feels numb with fear as I take in my surrounding.

I am still in my room. There is no aunt Fia. It was just a dream.

I let out a breath at the realization but it comes out more like a shudder. I am still irked by the dream but at least I'm okay. She isn't here. She won't get me.

Forcing myself to lie down again, I try to go back to sleep.

After Edward brought me back home, we had managed to give my parents a quiet but befitting burial. I would have wanted to pay my respects in a bigger way, organize something nicer because they deserve it but I know better.

 I know that they wouldn't have wanted that. They would prefer what I had given them instead.

Sometimes I replay how Fia seemed incredulous to the fact that I look like my mun but I've chalked it up to her just being her bitter self.

Now, a week later, Edward and I plan to visit grandfather's main estate; the one where he lived which legally belongs to me now. Our goal is to find anything at all that can help my case. We also need to sort through the remaining documents concerning my properties.

***

When I wake up again, it's because of the sun's rays peeking at me through the slit in my curtains. It's mid-morning already so I hurry to get ready.

After rushing through breakfast, I attempt to give myself a break by watching some comedy. Nothing sounds funny anymore though, not after everything that has happened so far.

Edward should be here in a few minutes, I mutter under my breath, turning off the TV and the words are barely out of my mouth before I hear the gate opening and his car waltzing in.

Edward Sebastian Gyllenhaal. I spy on his tall, muscular frame, smiling to myself as he gets out of his car. He has a strong jawline, beautiful almond shaped grey eyes that look almost green and dark mousy hair.

We basically grew up together, Edward and I. His dad, Casper Gyllenhaal, used to be my grandfather's Lawyer and even though he's quite a few years older than me, we get along really well. 

When his dad died a few years ago, Edward was still in school. However, last year, when he graduated with top of his class from law school even though he was two years younger than the average graduate both granddad and my dad hired him. He has been working with my family ever since.

"Morning Em." He says, letting himself in. I'd given him a spare earlier since he is practically the only one I trust. He hugs me and his light stubble grazes my left cheek. I do not mind it but rather relish the warmth of trusted human contact.

"Morning." I reply. "Want some coffee?"

"No thanks. I'm good." He says.

"Okay then." I say, already heading upstairs. "I'll just go grab my bag."

He nods his head in agreement and I rush upstairs, getting my bag before joining him in his Camaro. It's a car I've always loved and I sigh contentedly as the smell of rose petals hits my nose. His car always smells fresh.

"Ready?" he asks, smiling at me.

"Ready." I reply as he puts the car in gear and punches in the code for the gate, zooming off once we're out.

It takes us almost two hours to get there and I'm thankful when Edward suggests lunch. We stop at a pretty low key restaurant, wolfing down our food without even bothering to act courteously.

"I didn't have breakfast. Plus, I drove us here." Edward says between bites. "What's your excuse for eating like a savage?"

"Uh, I slept during the drive?" I reply when I come up short for an answer.

Edward throws his head back, laughing garishly. It's a very nice laugh and I catch a glimpse of his dimples before joining in.

"Hey." I say, punching his shoulder lightly. "In my defense, sleeping takes effort."

"Sure it does." He laughs, his tone sounding as though he would have rolled his eyes if he was that sort of guy.

When we finally polish off our remaining food, we pay and Edward drives us the short distance to the Estate. Having been here so many times, we easily navigate through and pull into grandad's huge garage.

The house looks just like I remember it. Gigantic with numerous rooms filled with ornate furniture and decorations.

"Fit for a princess." Grandad had said the first time I had slept over here. I was five at the time and he was showing me to my room.

A smile tugs at my lips at the memory but I force it away, unlocking the door to his study and going in.

The study had been the most magical room for my grandfather. Rows and rows of books line several floor-to-ceiling shelves and sitting at his large dark wood desk he would genuinely get lost in them.

He's the one who introduced me to the delightful world of books and soon enough, I could see the magic in the study too. It was something for us to bond over, grandad and I. We would sit for hours on end just reading and then even more hours discussing what we'd read. I had loved it.

Running my hand over a few books, a lone tear escapes my eye and I subtly try to brush it away.

It doesn't feel the same, this room. It's just a room full of books now. Grandad was my magic and now he's gone.

Mum and dad are gone too and the only family I have left wants me dead. The thought makes my heart sink and I sink my teeth into my bottom lip. It's all I can do to keep from crying.

"Hey." Edward says softly, placing a hand on my shoulder. "You okay?"

I nod my head to show that I am and breathe in deeply to clear my head. Letting it out, I nod again.

"Let's get started." I say pulling away from him.

"Alright." He replies not even missing a beat.

Grandad's library is exquisitely arranged, just like a local library. Without firsthand knowledge of how it all fits together, we would have been totally lost and so we decide to split roles to make our job easier.

Edward gets working on grandad's old PC as I search the shelves for old documents like contracts and such. It's exhaustive work and after three hours, I opt for a break.

"I can't believe we're only halfway through." I sigh, crossing my legs as we sit on the portico.

"These things take time." He shrugs, sipping from his water bottle.

"Not every one of us went to law school, you know." I say, poking his shoulder lightly.

Edward smiles but doesn't say anything. We sit in silence for a while longer.

"Do you really think we'll find anything on my aunt?" I ask hopefully. Since we had begun, nothing had come up.

To be honest, I really don't know what I was expecting. It's not like she would have been here so I could capture her or anything.

"I really don't know Em." He says, getting up and giving me a hand. "Come on. Let's go finish up."

Inside, we work for a bit over an hour, figuring out where grandad has properties and sorting through all legalities. My arms ache from reaching up to get stuff from the shelves but I have to continue.

We have just one shelf left to cover and the prospect of rest sounds so welcoming that I double my efforts. Edward has instructed me to search for a file in the extreme right corner of the shelf but I'm too short to reach it. Of course he offers to get it himself but I adamantly refuse, just like I did all his earlier offers.

Pushing my ladder to the spot under the area he pointed out, I climb on it and start sorting through different books and files, searching. Accidently, my elbow knocks a few of them off the side where I've placed them and they clutter noisily to the ground.

"It's a really thin book." Edward says when I've been looking for a quite a while. "You sure you don't want me to help?"

I shake my head to show him I don't need it. I can do this myself.

Deciding on an easier way, I begin lifting all the documents and books off the shelf and passing them to Edward, instructing him to set them on the ground.

"What do you think you're doing?" he asks, quirking his eyebrow at me.

"I'm thinking it'll be easier to find the book if I just take everything down and search comfortably." I reply, getting off the stool.

I run my fingers softly over the spine of each book, reading the title before setting it down when it's not what I'm looking for.

I don't find the document at the end of the day but I do find something else that blows my mind.

It was after I had nearly gone through the pile of books dumped on the floor. A particular one caught my eye as it was especially dusty.

Thinking it could be the file, I had immediately picked it up, dusting its leather covering off with a damp towel which Edward handily passed to me.

However, it couldn't be the book we were searching for because it was all black with no title whatsoever.

"What do you think it is?" Edward asks, looking skeptically at it.

"Only one way to find to find out." I reply, turning it over gingerly.

Excitement slowly pumping through my veins, I reach for the cover and open it up, centralizing its position so Edward and I can both take a look at it.

It looks to be a journal of some sort but there's a major problem with it.

It's written in Italian and I mycommand of the Italian language is mediocre at best.

I mean, my parents had tried to teach me severally but I cannot learn another language to save my life.

 It's just my luck.

So...the journal has finally been found. What dark secrets do you think it holds? Fingers crossed.

Are any of you multilingual?

To be honest, I'm a lot like Emma in this chapter. I literally cannot learn another language to save my own life? Anyone else like me? No one? Okay 

Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Don't forget to Vote, comment and stay awesome loves!