Chapter 1 THE INVITATION
Rain fell relentlessly over the city, blurring lights into streaks of silver across the empty streets. The sound of thunder echoed through the night, as if the sky itself carried a warning.
Somewhere...
A story that had been buried for a year was about to begin again.
--------------------
In a modern office overlooking the city skyline, Arjun Mehra stood by the window, absentmindedly tapping a pen against the glass. His workday had long ended, yet he hadn't moved.
A soft knock interrupted his thoughts.
"Sir, a courier just arrived."
He turned.
A black envelope rested on his desk.
No sender.
No return address.
Only his name, written in elegant silver ink.
He slowly broke the black wax seal.
Inside was a cream-colored invitation.
«~Blackwood Manor requests your presence.
One year has passed.
It's time the truth was remembered.
Saturday. 7:00 PM.»
Arjun stared at the card.
"...Blackwood?"
His heartbeat quickened.
He hadn't heard that name in a year.
--------------------
Across the city...
Inside the District Court, Naina Kapoor walked down the courtroom steps after winning her first independent case.
Her phone buzzed continuously with congratulatory messages.
She ignored them all.
A receptionist approached.
"Ma'am, this was delivered for you."
Another black envelope.
She frowned.
Moments later, after reading the invitation, the confident smile on her face disappeared.
Without saying a word...
She folded the card and slipped it into her handbag.
--------------------
Laughter filled an art studio.
Paint-covered canvases leaned against every wall as Kabir Sethi entertained his friends with another ridiculous story.
"You seriously expect us to believe that?"
"Believe? I lived it!" Kabir laughed.
The room erupted with laughter.
A courier entered awkwardly.
"Package for Mr. Kabir Sethi."
Still smiling, Kabir opened the envelope.
The smile slowly faded.
For the first time that evening...
He said nothing.
--------------------
In a luxurious boardroom...
Myra Oberoi stood confidently before a group of executives.
Her presentation came to an abrupt stop when her assistant whispered,
"Ma'am... this arrived marked 'Personal.'"
She opened the envelope.
Read it once.
Then again.
The room waited for her to continue.
Instead...
She quietly closed the folder.
"We'll continue this meeting tomorrow."
Everyone exchanged confused glances.
--------------------
Late into the evening...
Inside a silent research laboratory, Reyansh Malhotra adjusted his glasses while reviewing data.
Among stacks of research papers sat a single black envelope.
He picked it up.
Read every word carefully.
Then looked toward the rain outside.
Almost as if he had been expecting this day.
--------------------
City General Hospital.
After a sixteen-hour shift, Dr. Anika Roy finally removed her gloves.
She looked exhausted.
A nurse smiled.
"Someone left this for you."
Another black envelope.
She smiled faintly.
"Probably another medical seminar."
She opened it.
The smile disappeared instantly.
--------------------
Miles away...
Crime scene photographer Ishaan Khanna carefully packed away his camera equipment after finishing an assignment.
A black envelope rested silently on the passenger seat of his car.
He hadn't seen anyone place it there.
He picked it up.
His expression didn't change.
But he didn't open it immediately.
Instead...
He sat in complete silence for nearly a minute.
Then finally broke the seal.
--------------------
Inside the National Museum Archives...
Dust floated through rays of evening sunlight as Meher Ahuja restored an old historical document.
A security guard approached.
"Miss Ahuja... courier for you."
She thanked him politely.
Opened the envelope.
Read the invitation.
Then slowly looked toward the centuries-old family records surrounding her.
Something about the name...
Blackwood...
Felt strangely familiar.
--------------------
Across town...
Detective Aarya Sharma sat alone in her office, reviewing an old investigation.
A photograph lay on her desk.
A young man smiling confidently.
Adrian Blackwood.
Official Cause of Death:
Accidental Fall
Her phone rang.
"This is Detective Aarya Sharma."
She listened silently.
Then asked only one question.
"...Blackwood Manor?"
Another pause.
"I understand."
She ended the call.
Before leaving, she picked up Adrian's old case file.
For reasons she couldn't explain...
She had never believed it was an accident.
Meanwhile...
Her partner, Detective Vihaan Rathore, leaned back in his chair with a cup of coffee when his phone buzzed.
"Road trip?" he joked after hearing the assignment.
"This better not ruin my weekend."
He had no idea...
It was about to change his life.
---
That same night...
Eight strangers.
Two detectives.
One destination.
None of them knew the others had received the exact same invitation.
None of them knew why they had been called.
And none of them knew...
One of them would never leave Blackwood Manor alive.
---
Far beyond the city...
A black car slowly approached enormous iron gates hidden beneath thick fog.
The gates creaked open.
The vehicle disappeared into the darkness.
Above the entrance...
Weathered letters emerged through the mist.
BLACKWOOD MANOR
The elderly driver looked into the rear-view mirror.
His voice was barely above a whisper.
«"Some doors..."
He paused.
"...should never be opened twice."»
The gates closed behind the car.
The sound echoed into the night.
And somewhere inside the mansion...
Someone smiled.
