Run: 2026-02-20-01KHXPR4RGJD5X5JW2AT05DW3P

The grand estate loomed under storm clouds, its windows flickering with candlelight as guests arrived for dinner that evening. Detective Mercer adjusted his gloves, watching the butler’s stiff posture betray something unseen beneath his polished professional demeanor. A scream shattered the silence just as the clock struck nine, echoing through halls lined with portraits of long-dead ancestors. Lady Whitmore clutched her pearls, her pale face twisting into horror as the chandelier swayed violently above the dining table. Blood pooled around the body sprawled near the fireplace, its edges creeping toward the hearth like fingers reaching for forgotten secrets. The victim’s pocket watch lay shattered on the marble, its hands frozen at the exact moment the murderer struck without warning. Whispers spread like wildfire among the guests, each glance heavy with suspicion as Mercer scanned the room for telltale signs. A single glove, monogrammed with the letter *V*, was tucked beneath the sofa, its leather still warm to the detective’s touch. The air smelled of lavender and gunpowder, a contradiction that lingered as the wind howled through cracks in the ancient mansion. Mercer’s pulse quickened—this was no ordinary crime, but a meticulously planned act of vengeance decades in the making.