169: Hurting Emily

Mason Hargraves navigated the winding, overgrown path leading to the abandoned house, his footsteps crunching on the gravel. He pushed open the creaking door and stepped inside, greeted by the musty smell of decay.

Claudia was waiting for him in the living room, her arms crossed and a satisfied smirk playing on her lips.

"Mason," she greeted, her voice dripping with malice. "Everything's going according to plan."

"Good," Mason replied, a cruel glint in his eyes. "Let's get this over with."

Claudia led him to the basement door, her heels clicking on the wooden floor. She unlocked it and motioned for Mason to follow her down the narrow, dark stairs.

At the bottom, a single flickering bulb cast eerie shadows on the concrete walls. Emily was huddled in a corner, her wrists bound, her face streaked with tears.

Mason approached her slowly, his eyes narrowing as he took in her disheveled appearance. "Emily," he said softly, almost tenderly, though his words were laced with venom. "I never