Baldwin's Mansion
The evening air was cool, carrying the faint scent of blooming flowers and freshly cut grass. The sky was painted in hues of orange and pink as the sun dipped below the horizon. The soft rustling of leaves filled the quiet space, accompanied by the distant chirping of crickets. The garden was bathed in the golden light of the setting sun, casting long shadows across the carefully trimmed hedges and stone pathways.
Savannah sat on the old wooden bench in the garden, her hands folded neatly in her lap. She looked relaxed, but her face didn't give anything away. Her eyes were staring straight ahead, like she was lost in thought. The quietness around her was peaceful, but it couldn't hide the chaos going on in her mind. This spot usually made her feel better—she loved how the flowers brightened everything up and the big trees gave shade—but this evening, something felt strange. Even with all the calm around her, she still felt uneasy.
Elijah stood in front of her, hands stuffed deep in his pockets. He looked steady, but there was uncertainty in his stance. He studied her closely, noticing little things like how she breathed out a bit too hard, how her eyebrows pulled together just a tiny bit, and how her shoulders tightened like she was getting ready for something. Something wasn't right about her evening. Savannah, who was always full of energy and smiled so easily, now seemed weighed down by something invisible. Her usual sparkle was missing.
"Sit." Savannah said, her voice softer than usual, yet firm.
Elijah hesitated, scrunching up his forehead. "It's fine, I'm okay." He said, rocking back and forth on his heels without moving.
She let out a breath, her voice now sounding more like she really meant it. "Eli. Sit down."
He heard the seriousness in her tone and sat next to her on the bench. Moving slow, like he knew not to spook her. There was a quietness between them, heavy with stuff they weren't saying. He glanced over at her, watching her face as she stared off into space. Her mouth was tight, like she had something on her mind but wasn't ready to talk about it. She looked deep in thought, and he was trying to figure out what was bugging her.
"What's wrong?" he finally asked, his voice low but laced with concern.
Savannah gave a small smile, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Nothing's wrong, I just—"
"Don't lie, Savannah," he cut in, his voice firmer than she thought it'd be. She spun toward him, taken aback for a second. His eyes were serious, way more serious than usual. No joking around, no acting like this was no big deal. He actually cared, which totally caught her off guard.
A tiny, kind of amused grin flickered across her face. "Whoa, you finally figured out how to have a real conversation with me," she joked lightly, trying to lighten things up, but her attempt at humor just sort of flopped.
"Talk," he said simply, his voice calm and firm, like he wasn't letting her dodge the issue.
For a few moments, she just looked at him, as if debating something internally. Then finally, she spoke. "Nothing serious. I just wanted you to do something for me."
Elijah squinted, looking confused. "What work?"
She let out a breath and picked her words carefully. "I want you to find someone for me....uh, an old friend. I lost contact with them a long time ago."
His brows lifted slightly, the task seeming unexpectedly simple. "That's it?"
She nodded, pressing her lips together, her fingers fidgeting slightly in her lap.
"Alright. I'll do it for you."
Savannah looked at him, her eyes slightly widening. "Really?"
He nodded once, keeping his face calm. "Of course. Give me some time, and I'll get you all the info you need."
A wave of relief washed over her, but there were still hesitation in her eyes.
"Thanks so much, Eli—"
"Don't." he cut her off again. "This is what I'm supposed to do. It's my duty."
She couldn't stop herself from smiling. "Even so, thanks," she said softly.
They both stayed quiet for a moment before she spoke again. "There's one more request."
Elijah looked at her, curious. "What is it?"
Her expression grew more serious as she met his gaze. "Don't tell Blaze about this."
For a moment, Elijah stared at her without saying anything. He was trying to read what was going through her head, but her eyes gave nothing away. After what felt like forever, he finally nodded. "I won't."
"Promise?" she said, holding out her hand.
He looked at her hand for a second before shaking it. Their fingers touched, and for the first time, he really felt her touch. Her hand was warm, and it kind of surprised him how much he noticed it. But then it was over just as quick. She took her hand back, and suddenly his felt empty.
She smiled at him one last time, giving him this look like she was thanking him silently, before getting up. "Thanks, Eli."
Then she turned around and started walking off into the sunset. Elijah stayed where he was, watching her leave. A new thought popped into his head: What exactly was Savannah keeping from them?
As Savannah walked off, Elijah stayed where he was, watching her walk away. Something felt strange about all of this.
He'd seen Savannah in all kinds of moods—happy, joking around, annoyed, even dead tired after working long hours at the hospital—but this was new. It wasn't just worry; she was keeping something from him. Something from Blaze.
And now, she was asking him to find someone from her past? And to keep it a secret from Blaze?
That last part was what truly threw him off.
Elijah took a deep breath and rubbed his hands together. His job was to look out for people, do what he's told, and keep everything under control. But this… this was different.
Meanwhile Savannah
She headed back toward the mansion, her heart still pounding.
She didn't know why she felt so uneasy asking Elijah for this favor. Maybe because deep down, she knew she was doing something that Blaze wouldn't approve of.
But she had to go through with it.
What happened at the store yesterday—those missing dates on the medical papers—it wasn't just a little mix-up.
Something didn't feel right. And if nobody else was willing to look into it, then it was up to her.
She needed to find her.
Savannah took a deep breath, clutching the edge of her cardigan.
It'd been ages since she last talked to her. If anyone could make sense of what was going on, it was her best friend -Anastasia.
Her last hope.
But the problem was.....
Anastasia had vanished five years ago.
No calls, no texts, no nothing. One day she was around, and the next? She was gone, like she never existed.
Now, after all these years, Savannah needed her more than ever.
Because something told her- Anastasia was the key to everything.
Author's Note :
Thankyou for reading<3
Have a good day/night <3<3