Introduction
“Good morning, sweetheart. Your hot chocolate is ready.”
Isabella slowly opened her eyes, smiling at the sound of her grandmother’s gentle voice. “Morning, Granny,” she replied softly. Outside, the sky was grey with thick clouds, but a few rays of sunlight peeked through. It seemed like any other day. The calm moment was abruptly broken by a gruff demand.
“Indira, where’s the newspaper?”
The voice belonged to her grandfather, Harish. His spectacles, once again, had mysteriously vanished along with the morning paper. Isabella, always quick with a joke, leaned in close to her grandmother. “Oh, Mr. Handsome is getting old,” she whispered. “Handsome won’t be handsome much longer.”
“SHUT UP, YOU CHEEKY LITTLE GIRL!” Harish barked, irritated yet amused, though his eyes crinkled with a hint of affection. Isabella and Indira shared a mischievous laugh at his expense. It was a fleeting moment of lightness.
Suddenly, the laughter died in their throats.
Harish froze, his body jerking unnaturally before collapsing to the ground. His face twisted in pain, but his voice, though weak, was sharp and deliberate. “Indira... keep it to yourself. No one... must know. Or remove it... now... before it’s too late.”
The room plunged into eerie silence as Harish lay still. Isabella’s heart pounded, her wide eyes flicking to her grandmother. What secret had her grandfather just taken to his grave?
