Darling Villain (Forbidden Fruit #1)

Prologue

Tiffany

Ten years ago

A blood-curdling scream shatters the peaceful December night at Carter Manor, staining the pristine winter scene with a gruesome red hue. The stars above, once glittering, vanish behind a shroud of heavy clouds as snow begins to fall, burying the world in its cold, unfeeling embrace. Outside, the grounds are eerily silent, save for the haunting cries that drift through the darkness.

Horrified.

Scared.

And not all that uncommon for the sprawling mansion, which has not seen a single peaceful night since Dean Carter moved in to care for us, his orphaned nieces.

Rumors circulate about the house being haunted, with tales of spirits and ghosts wandering its halls. But not all disturbances can be blamed on supernatural forces; sometimes, it is humans who cause the sounds of terror.

Carter Manor, once bright and inviting, has become a stage for something darker, something that thrives in the quiet hours when the world sleeps. And tonight, like so many nights before, the darkness is hungry.

Trembling beneath my blankets, I huddle in my bed. My sister Olivia’s room is one floor up from me, far from the muffled noises coming from the basement below. Yet the thought of leaving my bed and making my way up those stairs in the dead of night fills me with dread.

I clutch the blanket tighter and press my ear to the pillow, trying to block out the sounds, but they seem to seep through every crack and crevice.

With morning dawn, the screams will stop; however, the monsters will stay. Patiently and eagerly, they await the next nightfall, lurking in the shadows and biding their time.

I’ve always been fascinated by monsters—their darkness, coldness, and ever-looming sense of danger. My sister thinks they are simply products of my overactive imagination, but I know better.

Monsters are real—not ghosts, spirits, or mythical creatures, but beings that live among us, hidden in the depths of a night or within a deeply disturbed mind.

Someday, I will be brave enough to face them and uncover their secrets.

But for now, I remain frozen in bed, my heart pounding as I strain to listen for any movement beyond my bedroom door. Somewhere in the shadows, a floorboard creaks, and I know the monsters are closer than ever, waiting for me to make the first move.