Ravenhill Manor stood silently on the cliffs, its broken windows staring out to sea like blind eyes. The townspeople whispered about the place - about the strange lights at night, the distant piano music, and most of all, the disappearance of Lady Evelyn Ashford, fifty years ago.
Young journalist Mira Vance wasn't one to believe in ghost stories. But when she found a letter in her grandmother's attic addressed to "E. Ashford - do not trust the housekeeper", she couldn't resist.
Armed with a flashlight and her recorder, Mira snuck into the decaying manor one stormy evening. Inside, the air was thick with dust and secrets. The grand chandelier was still intact, and in the corner of the drawing room sat a piano - the very one people said played itself.
As Mira explored the study, she found a torn journal page under a loose floorboard. It read:
"She knows. I must hide it before it's too late. The key is in the locket. Tell no one."
Mira touched the silver locket she wore - her grandmother's. She'd never opened it.
Click.
Inside was a tiny brass key.
Heart racing, Mira returned to the piano. On its side, she found a small keyhole, nearly hidden under the woodwork. She inserted the key - and the entire front panel slid open, revealing a hidden compartment.
Inside: a stack of letters, a dusty revolver, and a birth certificate.
Lady Evelyn Ashford had a child - born in secret. Her name was Margaret Vance.
Mira stepped back, stunned. Her grandmother was Evelyn's daughter.
But just then, the piano played a single note.
She turned.
A shadow stood in the doorway.
Not a ghost. Not a spirit.
The housekeeper.
And she hadn't aged a day