Rain lashed against the library windows, a relentless torrent blurring the city lights. Silence hung heavy in the room, broken only by the crackling fire and the tick of the antique clock. A figure slumped over the mahogany desk, an ornate letter opener buried in their chest, marred the tranquil scene. Crimson stained the crisp parchment scattered across the desk, a morbid contrast to the elegant script.