competition, a sudden weight lifted off my chest. Not that I stood a chance with Aidan. Besides, I didn't want to be with anyone because I stil loved Cameron.
"I don't think Aidan's ever thought of me as dating material. Not even after Rebecca—" she hesitated "—left. Kieran and I, ah, never mind. You're probably bored already."
"Who's Rebecca?"
Clare jumped to her feet, knocking over her wine. She caught the glass in mid-air before the red liquid could spil onto the carpet. "There's something I want to show you upstairs," she said. I hesitated when she pul ed me to my feet. "Come on. It'l be our little secret. Aidan wil never know."
She wanted me to break the off-limits rule? "I don't want to lose my job," I whispered.
Clare winked. "You won't, I promise."
Oh, what the heck. Since my arrival, I'd been dying to know what Aidan kept hidden up there. She assured me Aidan would never know, and I trusted her. Was I naïve? Maybe. But I needed a friend.
We sneaked to the second floor and walked past several rooms, then stopped in front of one. Clare pushed a massive mahogany door, and entered first.
I hesitated in the doorway. Questions about Rebecca burned on my tongue even though I didn't dare ask them. Why get involved in something that didn't concern me?
"This used to be Rebecca's room." Clare flicked on a switch and motioned me to fol ow.
The large room smel ed of dust as though no one had aired in months. To the far left was a huge, carved four-poster. A large walk-in closet covered the entire wal to the right.
Clare walked over and yanked the door open. Her fingertips touched silky gowns and velvet dresses in countless colours. "I thought you might like to see these. Thank God, you're here. I have no one else around to talk about girl stuff. They're beautiful, aren't they?"
I nodded, my gaze moving over the tailored clothes when I noticed an expensive silk evening gown in burgundy red. A chil crept over me. "Are these Rebecca's clothes? May I?"
"Sure." Clare stepped to the side, watching me.
I leaned forward to inspect the gown closer. It was about my size but made for someone tal er. There was nothing special about it, and yet it cal ed to me. I felt compel ed to touch it, to try it on, to feel the exquisite softness of the cool silk on my bare skin. I lifted my fingers, then pul ed back.
"Why don't you touch it?" Clare whispered.
"No." I swal owed hard and turned away. Aidan stil kept Rebecca's clothes. A memory was even worse than an actual girlfriend. Their love must've been the real deal since he stil harboured the hope she'd come back one day.
Clare nudged me softly. "I felt the same way when I first saw it. Don't worry, I won't tel anyone if you try it on."
I peered at the dress again. Dizziness washed over me. Something pul ed me forward, like an invisible hand, urging me to give it a go. With shaking fingers, I touched the gown. The sudden jolt of electricity took me by surprise, and I stumbled backwards, but my hand remained clenched around the material. My eyelids fluttered. I whimpered as my vision blurred. I felt Clare's cold breath on my neck, whispering in my ear, "Amber, are you okay?"
A pang of pain surged through my body. I opened my eyes wide. Clare was gone. Something icy, soft as the flutter of a butterfly, caressed my neck. I turned to scan my surroundings, noticing a girl dressed in the same red gown sleeping on the bed, her pale body sprawled across crimson sheets, her long, red hair spread around her like a halo. She seemed so serene, too quiet. Holding my breath, I walked closer, careful not to wake her, when my gaze fel on the gaping wound on the girl's neck. Half of it looked ripped out, but the gash bore no signs of blood.
My breath caught in my throat. I took a step back, whimpering. "She's dead." My voice came low, scared. I let go of the dress. The girl disappeared; the artificial light of bulbs replaced the semi-darkness.
"Yes, she is." Clare touched my shoulder,
"I don't think Aidan's ever thought of me as dating material. Not even after Rebecca—" she hesitated "—left. Kieran and I, ah, never mind. You're probably bored already."
"Who's Rebecca?"
Clare jumped to her feet, knocking over her wine. She caught the glass in mid-air before the red liquid could spil onto the carpet. "There's something I want to show you upstairs," she said. I hesitated when she pul ed me to my feet. "Come on. It'l be our little secret. Aidan wil never know."
She wanted me to break the off-limits rule? "I don't want to lose my job," I whispered.
Clare winked. "You won't, I promise."
Oh, what the heck. Since my arrival, I'd been dying to know what Aidan kept hidden up there. She assured me Aidan would never know, and I trusted her. Was I naïve? Maybe. But I needed a friend.
We sneaked to the second floor and walked past several rooms, then stopped in front of one. Clare pushed a massive mahogany door, and entered first.
I hesitated in the doorway. Questions about Rebecca burned on my tongue even though I didn't dare ask them. Why get involved in something that didn't concern me?
"This used to be Rebecca's room." Clare flicked on a switch and motioned me to fol ow.
The large room smel ed of dust as though no one had aired in months. To the far left was a huge, carved four-poster. A large walk-in closet covered the entire wal to the right.
Clare walked over and yanked the door open. Her fingertips touched silky gowns and velvet dresses in countless colours. "I thought you might like to see these. Thank God, you're here. I have no one else around to talk about girl stuff. They're beautiful, aren't they?"
I nodded, my gaze moving over the tailored clothes when I noticed an expensive silk evening gown in burgundy red. A chil crept over me. "Are these Rebecca's clothes? May I?"
"Sure." Clare stepped to the side, watching me.
I leaned forward to inspect the gown closer. It was about my size but made for someone tal er. There was nothing special about it, and yet it cal ed to me. I felt compel ed to touch it, to try it on, to feel the exquisite softness of the cool silk on my bare skin. I lifted my fingers, then pul ed back.
"Why don't you touch it?" Clare whispered.
"No." I swal owed hard and turned away. Aidan stil kept Rebecca's clothes. A memory was even worse than an actual girlfriend. Their love must've been the real deal since he stil harboured the hope she'd come back one day.
Clare nudged me softly. "I felt the same way when I first saw it. Don't worry, I won't tel anyone if you try it on."
I peered at the dress again. Dizziness washed over me. Something pul ed me forward, like an invisible hand, urging me to give it a go. With shaking fingers, I touched the gown. The sudden jolt of electricity took me by surprise, and I stumbled backwards, but my hand remained clenched around the material. My eyelids fluttered. I whimpered as my vision blurred. I felt Clare's cold breath on my neck, whispering in my ear, "Amber, are you okay?"
A pang of pain surged through my body. I opened my eyes wide. Clare was gone. Something icy, soft as the flutter of a butterfly, caressed my neck. I turned to scan my surroundings, noticing a girl dressed in the same red gown sleeping on the bed, her pale body sprawled across crimson sheets, her long, red hair spread around her like a halo. She seemed so serene, too quiet. Holding my breath, I walked closer, careful not to wake her, when my gaze fel on the gaping wound on the girl's neck. Half of it looked ripped out, but the gash bore no signs of blood.
My breath caught in my throat. I took a step back, whimpering. "She's dead." My voice came low, scared. I let go of the dress. The girl disappeared; the artificial light of bulbs replaced the semi-darkness.
"Yes, she is." Clare touched my shoulder,
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