The road changed slowly.
At first, it still felt normal.
Streetlights.
Signs.
The last pieces of Washington fading behind them.
Then less light.
Less sound.
More trees.
Lillian didn't stop looking at her phone.
The map stayed open in her hand.
Alder Ridge Route.
Pinned like a lifeline.
Chloe watched her from the passenger seat.
"…We're definitely out of the city now," she said quietly.
Lillian didn't look up.
"…Good."
Chloe gave her a look.
"…That was not a normal 'good'."
Lillian's grip tightened slightly.
"…It means we're closer."
Silence.
The car kept moving.
The further they went, the quieter everything became.
No traffic.
No people.
Just road and trees.
And distance.
Chloe leaned forward slightly.
"…You're still calling him, aren't you."
Lillian didn't answer.
Because she already was.
Her thumb pressed call.
Ring.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Voicemail.
She ended it immediately.
Chloe exhaled.
"…Still nothing."
Lillian stared at her screen.
"…He always answers."
Her voice was quieter now.
Not as firm as before.
Chloe didn't respond to that.
Just watched the road.
The road narrowed.
Then narrowed again.
The trees came closer on both sides.
Like the world was closing in.
The headlights barely reached ahead anymore.
Lillian leaned forward slightly.
"…We're close."
Chloe glanced out.
"…Yeah. I can tell."
The air in the car felt different now.
Heavier.
Like something was waiting.
Lillian checked the map again.
Same pin.
Same location.
No mistake.
She didn't blink for a while.
Chloe noticed.
"…You're going to burn a hole through that screen," she said.
Lillian didn't look away.
"…It's fine."
Chloe sighed quietly.
"…No, it's not."
Silence.
Then Lillian spoke again.
"…Call him again."
Chloe looked at her.
Lillian already was.
Ring.
Once.
Twice.
Voicemail again.
She ended it faster this time.
Harder.
Chloe watched her carefully.
"…Lillian."
"I know," she said immediately.
But her voice wasn't steady anymore.
Not fully.
The trees finally opened slightly.
The car slowed.
Chloe straightened.
"…Okay…"
Lillian looked up.
And stopped.
There it was.
The Wolfe estate.
Even from a distance, it didn't feel like a home.
It felt like a wall.
Massive gates.
Black iron.
Hidden behind trees like it didn't want to be seen.
Chloe stared at it.
"…That's… not a house."
Lillian's voice was flat.
"…Stop the car."
The driver hesitated.
Chloe turned slightly.
"…Lillian, we should—."
"Stop the car."
This time sharper.
The car slowed to a stop.
Dust settled outside the headlights.
Silence.
Lillian opened the door.
Stepped out immediately.
Chloe followed.
"…Okay. We need a plan," Chloe said quickly.
Lillian didn't slow down.
"…I have a plan."
Chloe blinked.
"…You don't even know how we're getting in."
Lillian didn't look at her.
"…We get in."
That was it.
Simple.
Final.
They walked to the gate.
It loomed above them.
Cold metal.
Locked.
Still.
Chloe looked up at it.
"…That's not just going to open."
Lillian stepped forward anyway.
Found the intercom.
Pressed it.
Static.
Nothing.
She pressed again.
Longer this time.
Still nothing.
Chloe exhaled.
"…They're ignoring us."
Lillian didn't respond.
She pressed it again.
Harder.
"…Sebastian Wolfe is inside that house," she said suddenly.
Chloe looked at her.
Lillian leaned closer.
"…I'm not leaving."
Silence.
Then she pressed again.
And again.
Chloe stepped in slightly.
"…Lillian, if they don't answer—."
"They will."
Another press.
Longer.
Then—
Static.
A voice.
Cold.
Controlled.
"…This is private property. State your business."
Chloe looked relieved for half a second.
Lillian didn't.
She leaned in immediately.
"…We're here for Sebastian Wolfe."
Silence.
Long.
Then—
"…No visitors are permitted."
Chloe stepped forward.
"…Something is wrong. We just need to see if he's okay."
Another pause.
Longer this time.
Then the voice again.
"…Leave."
Lillian's jaw tightened.
"…No."
Chloe glanced at her quickly.
Lillian didn't move.
"…Open the gate."
Silence.
The forest around them felt too still.
Even the wind seemed to stop.
Then Lillian leaned in again.
"…Sebastian Wolfe is inside that house. I am not leaving without him."
Chloe didn't stop her.
Just watched.
Another pause.
Longer than before.
Then—
Nothing.
No voice.
No denial.
Just a low mechanical sound.
Somewhere deep in the gate system.
Chloe stiffened slightly.
"…Did they just—."
The gate shifted.
A heavy metal sound.
Slow.
Deep.
Unfolding.
Chloe stared.
"…Lillian…"
The gates began to open.
Wide.
Slow.
Like the estate itself was deciding.
The space between them widened.
Cold air spilled through.
Lillian stepped forward instantly.
Chloe followed.
"…Okay," Chloe said quietly.
"…We're really doing this."
Lillian didn't answer.
Her eyes stayed forward.
"…Sebastian," she whispered.
And they walked in.
The gates moved slowly.
Metal scraped against silence.
A deep mechanical groan that didn't belong in a place like this.
Chloe watched it carefully, arms slightly tense at her sides.
"…Okay," she muttered.
"…That's actually worse than being refused."
Lillian didn't blink.
She just stared at the opening gap.
Cold air pushed through first.
Then darkness.
A long private road stretched ahead, swallowed by trees on both sides.
No lights.
No signs.
Just distance.
Lillian exhaled once.
"…We go."
Chloe frowned slightly.
"…On foot?"
Lillian was already stepping back toward the car.
"…Car."
Chloe gave her a look.
"…Right. Because walking into billionaire horror territory is where you draw the line."
Lillian didn't respond.
She was already moving.
The driver looked uneasy when they got back in.
He didn't ask questions.
Just watched them through the mirror like he already regretted agreeing to this job.
Chloe leaned forward slightly.
"…Follow the road through the gate."
The driver hesitated.
"…That property is private."
Lillian's voice cut in immediately.
"…I don't care."
That ended the conversation.
The car moved.
Slowly at first.
Then forward through the gate.
The sound of metal shifting behind them echoed longer than it should have.
Like it didn't want them inside.
The gate shut behind them with a heavy final click.
Chloe looked back once.
"…Yeah," she muttered.
"…That's definitely not welcoming."
Lillian didn't look back at all.
The road inside was worse.
Long.
Winding.
Too quiet.
Trees pressed in on both sides now, thick enough to block out everything beyond them.
No houses.
No lights.
No sound except the tyres on gravel.
Chloe broke the silence first.
"…So this is where billionaire trauma lives."
Lillian didn't react.
Chloe glanced at her.
"…You're really not going to talk?"
"…I am talking," Lillian said flatly.
"…Just not wasting words."
Chloe sighed.
"…Right."
A pause.
"…You're tense."
"I'm fine."
Chloe gave her a look.
"…You haven't blinked in like a minute."
Lillian didn't answer.
Just kept staring forward.
Phone still in her hand.
Map still open.
Alder Ridge Route.
Pinned.
Fixed.
Unmoving.
Like it was the only thing holding her thoughts together.
The trees finally started to thin.
The road widened slightly.
Chloe straightened.
"…Okay…"
Lillian looked up.
And stopped.
There it was.
The Wolfe estate.
Even from a distance, it didn't feel like a home.
It felt like something built to stay untouched.
Massive gates behind them now closed.
Long driveway ahead.
Dark stone structure rising in the distance like it had been waiting far too long for no one to come.
Chloe stared.
"…That's not a house," she said quietly.
"…That's a warning."
Lillian didn't respond.
Her grip tightened slightly around her phone.
No signal.
Of course.
The car slowed.
Then stopped at the front drive.
Gravel crunching under the tyres.
The silence that followed felt too big.
Too heavy.
The driver turned slightly.
"…This is as far as I go."
Chloe nodded once.
"…Fair."
Lillian was already opening her door.
Cold air hit immediately.
Different from the city.
Heavier.
Colder.
Like it had been waiting for them.
Chloe followed her out quickly.
"…Okay," she said.
"…Now what."
Lillian didn't hesitate.
"…We find him."
Chloe stepped beside her.
"…You say that like he's just misplaced luggage."
Lillian started walking.
Chloe followed immediately.
"…Lillian, we don't even know where inside he is."
"I do."
That made Chloe pause slightly.
"…You do?"
Lillian didn't slow.
"…He's here."
Chloe exhaled.
"…That's not an answer."
Lillian stopped at the bottom of the stairs.
Looked up.
The doors were massive.
Dark wood.
Heavy.
Still.
Everything about them said do not enter.
Lillian didn't care.
She started walking up.
Chloe followed quickly.
"…Just so we're clear," Chloe said, "…we're two women walking into a private estate at night with no clearance, no idea where he is, and no idea what we're walking into."
"He's not answering."
Chloe blinked.
"…That is not a plan."
Lillian reached the top step.
Stopped.
Chloe stood beside her.
"…Lillian…"
Lillian didn't look at her.
"…If he's here, I'll find him."
Chloe exhaled slowly.
"…And if they don't let us?"
Silence.
Then Lillian lifted her hand.
Knocked.
The sound echoed.
Sharp.
Final.
It disappeared quickly into the vast silence of the estate.
Nothing moved.
Not at first.
Just stillness.
Too much of it.
Chloe shifted slightly.
"…Okay," she muttered.
"…That's either going to end very well or very badly."
Lillian didn't move.
Her hand stayed near the door.
Waiting.
A second knock if needed.
Her eyes didn't leave the entrance.
Not even when the wind moved through the trees behind them.
Not even when the silence stretched too long.
And somewhere inside the Wolfe estate—
something finally shifted.