EPHEMERAL CHAINS

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Midnight Secrets

The quiet hum of the laptop ceased as Ruby clicked the final key, her fingers lingering on the keyboard before she shut the device. A satisfied smile played on her lips—another chapter of The Dandy Empress and the Sickly Emperor was complete.

She stretched her arms, rolling her stiff shoulders. Writing was both exhilarating and exhausting, a constant dance between inspiration and mental fatigue. Pushing back her chair, she stood and made her way to the kitchen, her mind still drifting in the world of her novel.

Reaching for the fridge, she poured herself a tall glass of orange juice and took a sip, the tangy citrus jolting her senses. Just as she set the glass down, the distinct creak of the front door echoed through the dimly lit apartment.

Her brows knitted together.

"Who could that be at this hour?"

Curiosity sparked, she stepped out of the kitchen, her bare feet making no sound against the wooden floor.

Then, her eyes widened.

Rose.

Her sister stood in the doorway, drenched from head to toe. Strands of her damp hair clung to her forehead, her soaked black outfit molding to her slender frame. She looked as though she had walked straight out of a crime scene.

Ruby's writer's imagination flared to life.

"Did she… commit a murder?"

The thought was ridiculous, yet her sister's appearance screamed suspicion.

Rose, however, seemed unfazed by her disheveled state. She blinked in mild surprise upon seeing Ruby awake, then let out a soft chuckle.

"Ah, right. She's a writer. Nocturnal, of course."

"You're still up," Rose noted, her voice smooth and unreadable.

Ruby quickly shook off her wild theories and straightened her posture. "Yes, I just came out for some orange juice."

Rose merely nodded and strolled past her toward her room, her movements deliberate yet unhurried. "Good night," she murmured.

Ruby watched her go, her gaze narrowing.

"No scolding? No sarcastic remarks? She even smiled at me? How odd."

Something felt off.

A nagging suspicion settled in Ruby's chest as she observed Rose disappear behind her bedroom door. But after a moment, she shrugged.

"Maybe I'm overthinking things. I do that a lot."

Letting out a loud yawn, she stretched once more and turned on her heel. "Early to bed," she murmured, though the clock on the wall read midnight.

Meanwhile, behind closed doors, Rose peeled off her wet clothes, her movements precise and practiced. She tossed the garments into a laundry basket, then slipped into her soft cotton pajamas.

Climbing into bed, she exhaled, her body sinking into the mattress.

The night had been long.

And whatever Ruby had seen—whatever suspicions she harbored—didn't matter.

Sleep came easily.

But on the floor, next to the discarded trousers, a black nylon bag peeked out of the pocket.

---

A Morning of Unanswered Questions

The first thing Nora felt was warmth.

Nestled under her thick duvet, she stretched her arms lazily, letting out a deep yawn. Blinking against the dimness, she took in the darkened room, the curtains drawn so tightly that no trace of sunlight could break through.

She had slept well—so well that an eerie sense of calm lingered in the air.

Then, she glanced at the time.

Her heart nearly stopped.

"Oh my goodness, I'm late for work!"

A frantic rush overtook her as she bolted upright, shoving the covers aside. Today was the day. The day she had been counting down to for three months.

Her role model—a celebrated artist—was giving a TED talk at her workplace, and she had dreamed of this moment for what felt like forever.

There was no way she was missing it.

Scrambling out of bed, she rushed through her morning routine with lightning speed, pulling on her outfit in record time.

Ten minutes later, she emerged from her room, still fastening the last button on her blouse as she caught the scent of something delicious wafting through the air.

In the kitchen, Rose stood by the stove, flipping pancakes with ease, while Ruby lounged on the couch, giggling at whatever was playing on the TV.

"Good morning, lovelies," Nora greeted, her voice brimming with assertiveness despite her internal panic.

Ruby, without even looking away from the screen, smirked. "Good morning, Dave's wife-to-be."

The words, laced with playful mockery, made Nora's cheeks flush a deep shade of pink.

Still, she didn't deny it.

She simply reached for the fridge, pouring herself a glass of juice as if the teasing remark didn't send her heart into overdrive.

Rose, meanwhile, barely glanced back. "Breakfast will be ready soon," she informed, her tone as calm as ever.

Nora sipped her juice before quirking an eyebrow. "Surprised you woke up late," she remarked casually.

"I came home late," Rose replied smoothly, flipping another pancake.

Ruby's ears perked up. She turned away from the TV, eyes glinting with curiosity.

"That's true," she mused. "You did come home late. And completely drenched. You even changed into different clothes…"

A pause.

Then, her gaze sharpened.

"You looked suspicious."

Nora, intrigued by Ruby's pointed words, studied Rose with renewed interest.

Rose, however, didn't falter.

For the first time, she stilled, her grip on the spatula tightening for a fraction of a second.

Then, with controlled ease, she turned to face them, her expression unreadable.

"My clothes were stained with cream," she explained, pursing her lips. "So I changed."

Her tone was steady. Firm.

But Ruby wasn't convinced.

She saw something in Rose's eyes. A warning. A silent drop it that made her instincts scream.

So she did.

With a dramatic sigh, she waved a dismissive hand and turned back to her movie, popping another piece of popcorn into her mouth.

Nora, however, was different.

She wasn't just amused.

She was alert.

It wasn't the first time Rose had returned home late. Nor was it the first time she had changed her clothes before morning.

But this time, something was different.

Something felt… off.

And as Nora took another sip of her juice, pretending to brush off the exchange, a quiet unease settled in her chest.

She had learned to trust her instincts.

And today, they were telling her something loud and clear.

Rose was hiding something.

And whatever it was…

It wasn't good.