The broken

e. Manicured hedges, a koi pond, and a winding stone path-it was beautiful, yet unnervingly perfect. As she sat on a bench ben

n told he ever

en, with a small shrug, he rolled forward. They sat in silence for several minutes. Eventually, he broke it. "You come out here often?" She smiled fa

red, "Then maybe it's time to talk louder than the silence." And for the first time, Mason

ed, pills still in their compartments. She stared at it, confused. "You haven't been taking these

are supposed to help you, Mason. Not poison you." He leaned back against the headboard. "I stopped trusting doct

was really going on here? Later that night, she searched the drawers in the guest room where she stayed and found

at the folder lo

g Will

eeled it open. Inside were documents, some typed, some handwritten. The top page was a declaration: Mason Carter will

ond page wa

earlier. Written by Mason himsel

'm getting worse because of the house, not the illness. Something is of

. The paperwork, the pills, the quiet isolation-it wa

wait to be addressed. "Why was Mason's living will in my room?" she asked. Elaine didn't even flinch. "I placed it there," she

eyes darkened. "That letter was written in a moment of weakness. You don't know

ha's voice was low but firm. "And

t to give him hope. Hope is dangerous, dear. Hope delays closure." She walked away, leaving Samantha trembli

ted until la

d the chair beside his bed. "I read your letter," she whispered. His eyes fluttered ope

ve you,"

closure. An inheritance split. And a memory polished enough to be mourned

ight properly. You need real help. Rea

ed alive. Really alive. "They'

" she replied. "We

stones of their secret escape. The sick man wasn't ready to die. And t

. Elaine was out for a meeting, the housekeeper conveniently absent. Samantha stood by Mason's sid

nswer. He j

et. Samantha rushed forward to steady him, but he lifted a hand, stopping her. "I need to do it," he said through gritted t

yes. "You're not dying," she wh

ecurity camera bli

ed home just

. But later that evening, Elaine summoned her to the living room. The screen on the wall was

th a stony expression. Then finally, she said, "So... he walks no

ght you'd be quiet. Grateful. But you... you've stirred some

dangerous is pretending he'

t do you plan to do with that truth? Be

ither did Mason. Because now, the game ha

e next two days q

ew Elaine had eyes everywhere, so she kept her movements subtle. Mason, meanwhile, continued to s

bed. "We leave next Wednesday. I booked a clinic out of state.

"Safe. I forgot what

w passed the hallway light. Samantha shot up and

rd them. And in a house built on secrets,

Samantha found h

counter. Gone. Her heart pounded. Then she saw

. Don't throw it away cha

Mason's room. He was asleep-or pretending to be-but his door was now unlo