The new maid heard weeping beneath the mansion. Opening the heavy basement door, she found the missing wife, starved and chained. As gasps filled the dark room, the wife grabbed her hand, whispering, “Run before he hears you, or he’ll make you my replacement.” Suddenly, footsteps echoed on the stairs…

“You taught me that, Clara. You taught me that ignoring the dark doesn’t make it go away. It just gives it room to grow.”

I looked at the massive stone house. It was no longer a monument to power, but a testament to survival.

“The truth is like a root,” I replied quietly. “You can bury it under marble, you can cover it in darkness, but eventually, it continue reading …