They stepped inside cautiously. Their footsteps echoed through the quiet yard. Felicia took the lead, heading for the main door. Once inside, an invisible tension filled the air, it was subtle, but impossible to ignore.
Felicia immediately started giving instructions.
"Search every corner. Radit, Ethan, upstairs. Frans, Livia, ground floor. Thivi, right side. Zinnia, the back garden. Raphael and Isabel, come with me to the basement."
Everyone nodded, though worry weighed heavily on their hearts. They split up, each carrying the hope of finding Kaivan before it was too late.
Radit and Ethan climbed the marble stairs. Radit led the way, opening doors without hesitation while Ethan followed closely, alert and uneasy.
"I don't get it," Ethan muttered quietly. "What could Kaivan be doing that he has to hide like this?"
"He must have his reasons," Radit replied without looking back. He slid open a closet door, revealing stacks of old clothes. "But if he's putting himself in danger, I'm not just going to stand by."
Outside, Zinnia stood in the vast garden, her eyes sweeping every shadow. Tall trees towered above her, their silhouettes dancing under the moonlight. A chill brushed her skin as the night wind whispered between the branches. She called Kaivan's name softly, almost like a prayer.
There was no answer, only the rustle of leaves.
Dim neon lights flickered above the basement stairs. The narrow spiral staircase carried Raphael and Isabel downward, as though drawing them into another world. Each step echoed, tightening the knot of tension between them.
Raphael walked ahead, his gaze cutting through the darkness. Isabel, usually composed, was trembling, uncertain whether from the cold or from fear.
"Isabel," Raphael whispered, breaking the silence. "Why have you been avoiding us? What really happened?"
The question lingered in the air. Isabel's steps slowed; her head lowered, staring at shoes that suddenly felt unbearably heavy.
"Nothing happened, Raphael. I'm just tired of all this," she answered coldly, masking her unease.
Raphael stopped and turned toward her. His brows lifted, his tone light but probing. "Why are you pulling away? Did Kaivan… do something? Something you're too embarrassed to tell us?"
Isabel froze. Her face drained of color. Her whole body stiffened, as if the air itself had turned to ice.
A tear slipped down her cheek. Then another.
Raphael fell silent, regret flickering in his eyes. His lips parted, hesitating. "You're serious…? You and Kaivan… did that?"
Isabel didn't answer. Instead, she sank to her knees, wrapping her arms around her legs as sobs spilled out. Her cries echoed through the basement, sharp against the cold air.
The neon light above buzzed faintly, casting a pale blue glow. The damp floor reflected their silhouettes, two figures caught in a fragile moment. Raphael, usually the one with the cold gaze, looked unsteady now. He crouched beside Isabel, lowering himself gently, his hand trembling before he finally placed it on her shaking shoulder.
"Hey... it's alright, Isabel," he whispered softly, his voice barely more than the night breeze. His tone was deep, soothing. "Don't cry. I won't tell anyone. Your secret is safe with me."
Isabel trembled, struggling to breathe between sobs. Her shoulders shook violently, the weight of everything she'd carried finally breaking through. Her soft pink hair was messy, falling over her face as she kept her gaze fixed on the floor. Tears slipped down silently, one after another. And then, with a voice cracked and fragile, she finally spoke.
"Earlier… I only threatened Kaivan," she whispered, her words brittle like shattered glass. "I didn't want him to leave, Raphael. I was scared he'd do something reckless again, so… I offered my body to keep him from going."
Raphael inhaled sharply, the confession striking him deep. But he didn't lash out. His eyes only dimmed, filled with quiet sympathy. He turned his face away for a moment, letting Isabel release the hurt she'd kept buried.
Silence crept in, broken only by Isabel's soft cries. Then Raphael asked gently, "But he left anyway, didn't he?"
Isabel nodded weakly. "He still left…" she whispered, barely audible. Her shoulders trembled again.
A tightness clawed at Raphael's chest. He wanted to offer comfort, but he knew words alone couldn't mend a wound like that. As he glanced around the basement, something caught his eye , a large steel door in the corner, glowing faintly under the neon-blue light. Its design was far too modern for an old, dusty room like this.
He rose to his feet, posture steady once more. Calm, but alert. He pointed at the door. "Isabel…"
She slowly lifted her head. Her eyes were swollen and red, her cheeks streaked with tears , but she followed his gaze.
"That steel door," Raphael continued, stepping closer. "Where does it lead?"
Isabel blinked in confusion before looking at the door herself. Her brows furrowed, searching her memories. "I've never seen that door before," she murmured. She stood unsteadily and moved beside him. "Could it be a hidden room? Maybe… the place Kaivan is hiding?"
Raphael pressed his fingers against the cold metal. The surface was smooth and heavy , expensive, almost out of place. A dim electronic panel pulsed on its side.
"If that's true, then we need to open it," he said firmly.
Isabel bit her lower lip, caught between fear and resolve. "But how? A door like this must have complicated security."
"We have to try," Raphael answered, eyes sharp. But he knew he lacked the skills to break through something like this.
He glanced at Isabel, who now stood beside him , fragile, yet trying to be strong. "I'll call the others. If this is where Kaivan is, we face it together."
Isabel nodded softly. Her tears were fading, replaced by a worried determination.
Soon, all eight of their friends gathered before the mysterious steel door. The basement felt heavier now, thick with curiosity and dread. Frans, usually confident, spoke first.
"Isabel," he said, serious, "you really don't know how to open this?"
Isabel shook her head. Her expression was honest, tinged with guilt. "I… didn't even know this door existed," she said quietly.
As the group fell silent, Thivi and Livia crouched near the wall. There, small texts were engraved in countless languages. Thivi leaned closer, reading them one by one. "Kra, Lege, Soma, Po, Oku, Doc, Lees, Read, Baca, Iqro, Karanta, Anbib, Ik'ikthe… What does any of this mean?" she asked, squinting.
Livia pursed her lips, thinking. "They might all mean 'read'… just in different languages."
Radit raised a brow. "If it means 'read', then why is the door using a number keypad while the clue uses letters?"
Zinnia crossed her arms, thinking deeply. "Maybe… we convert the word 'read' into numbers?"
Raphael turned, eyes lighting up. "You mean converting each letter into its position in the alphabet?"
"Yes," Zinnia replied softly.
Ethan, who had been silent the entire time, lowered his head to the panel and began typing. "'B' is the second letter, so that's two. 'A' is one. So 'BACALAH'… wait," he murmured as his fingers flew across the keys.
Felicia added sharply, "For 'L,' since it's the twelfth letter, that means one and two, right?"
"Correct," Ethan replied, his fingers still dancing over the panel. Everyone held their breath.