**~Sam~**
I arrived at the hospital, my heart heavy with dread. Julie stood by the theatre door, her eyes fixed on someone inside. Even from a distance, I could tell it was Charles. Too much had happened during my absence.

When she saw me, she ran into my arms, her body trembling. I held her close, feeling the weight of her anguish in every sob. "Don’t cry," I whispered, trying to steady my voice. "I’m here now."

Through broken breaths, Julie told me everything—how it all unraveled from the moment I left. Guilt gnawed at me. This was my fault. How could I have ignored her warnings about the Hugghs Mansion? The consequences of my choices, the mistakes of the past, had all returned with a vengeance.

I spotted Mr. Erickson, Charles’ father, pacing anxiously nearby. His grief was palpable, and I walked over, my chest tight with sorrow. "It’s not her fault," I said gently, motioning to Julie. "She couldn’t have known things would end up like this. Look at her... she hasn’t slept, hasn’t eaten. She cares about Charles more than anything."

He didn’t respond, but I could see the war within him. His anger at Julie, his helplessness for his son. It was only natural. Sometimes grief has no room for reason. I gave him space.

Turning back to Julie, I took her hand. "Charles will pull through," I said, hoping she’d believe it more than I did. "With your love and prayers, he’ll bounce back."

But there was something I had to face. The real cause of all this pain. It was time to confront the Hugghs.

---

At the police station, I recounted every detail. The officers listened intently, more attentive than I had expected. "You did the right thing," one of them assured me. "We’ll make sure Mr. Hugghs never sees daylight again. This time, no bail."

They fitted me with a tracker and a recorder. "We’ll be with you the entire way," they promised. For the first time in what felt like years, I felt a flicker of hope. Maybe justice was within reach.

When I told Mr. Hugghs that I had arrived in California, his men came swiftly. At the mansion, I received an unexpected text—a video from Titus. My pulse quickened as I opened it.

There she was—Linda, tied up, a bomb strapped to her. Her eyes were hollow, drained from the weight of too many tears. "You have two more days," the message read. Panic surged through me. Why was all of this happening now? Was this some cruel test of my love for both Bliss and Linda? My head pounded, but I steeled myself. **I’ll deal with Titus after Hugghs.**

---

The familiar skulls leered at me as I walked through the mansion’s corridors. Mr. Hugghs, seated on his golden throne, welcomed me with that smug, chilling smile. "Welcome, Sam."

I wasted no time. "I’m not here to chat. I want to see Bliss. Now."

He stood slowly, leading me to a door. The moment it opened, my heart broke. Bliss, the vibrant woman I once knew, now a shadow of herself, lay motionless. "Bliss!" I called, rushing to her side.

She stirred at the sound of my voice, a weak smile gracing her pale face. "Sam... I didn’t think I’d see you again. Now... I can die in peace."

"No," I begged, gripping her hand. "Please, don’t say that. You’re not dying. Don’t let those nightmares come true."

Her voice was a whisper, fragile like glass. "I was supposed to be gone long ago, Sam. But destiny... it wanted me to see you one last time. I love you. Just... promise me you’ll be happy."

Tears streamed down my face. "I’m the one who sinned, Bliss. While you were suffering, I was with someone else—Linda. I thought you’d moved on. I thought you didn’t need me."

"It’s okay," she said, her breath shallow. "All I ever wanted was for you to be happy. And it looks like you found that."

Then, she said something that caught me off guard. "Sam, I need you to find my twin sister."

Confusion washed over me. "Your twin?"

She nodded weakly, drawing attention to a small birthmark on her neck. "She has this too."

My mind raced. **Linda**. Linda had that same mark. Could it be? The truth hit me like a punch to the gut. Linda was Bliss’s twin. The light Bliss had told me to follow in that dream—it had always been Linda.

Bliss saw the realization in my eyes. "It’s her, isn’t it?"

I nodded, unable to speak.

A smile crossed Bliss’s face. "That’s all I needed to know. She’ll take my place. In your life... in our mother’s life."

She closed her eyes, her breathing slowing. "Be happy, Sam."

Her hand went limp in mine. I shook her and screamed her name, but it was too late. She was gone.

---

Rage consumed me. I stormed out, finding Mr. Hugghs. "You’ve won! She’s dead. Are you happy now? You’ve destroyed her!"

I lunged at him, but his wife rushed in, pulling me back. Before I could react further, the police arrived, restraining us both. "Let the law take its course," they said, as Hugghs and his wife were dragged away.

I returned to Bliss’s body, lifting her gently. As I carried her out of the mansion, her mother, Madam Stella, arrived. The sight of her daughter’s lifeless body in my arms was too much—she collapsed, and the medics rushed her to the hospital.

As the police took Mr. Hugghs away, he laughed—a cold, maniacal sound. "Titus will make you pay. My son will kill you, just like he killed his aunt. It’s in our blood."

His words sent a chill down my spine. Titus. **I had to stop him. Linda’s life depended on it.**

---