Marvel's Princess - Chapter 77

The police colleagues didn’t find anything unusual either. Rumors of hauntings in old houses weren’t uncommon; people even said the White House was haunted, yet politicians still fought to live there.

Three days later, in the morning, Charlie brought his family back to negotiate with Dr. Harmon. They were ready to sign the agreement and buy the house.

“This is wonderful news, truly exhilarating,” Dr. Harmon said, looking genuinely pleased. Even Mrs. Harmon, who had been perpetually gloomy, managed a smile.

The couple was a traditional American family, with Dr. Harmon as the sole breadwinner. As a psychologist, he earned a high income, enough to comfortably support the family under normal circumstances. However, moving from Boston to Los Angeles, finding a house, and buying furniture had depleted their savings. With their marriage on the rocks, selling the house was the only way to move on without being stuck together in mutual disdain.

Dr. Harmon was eager to sell and was willing to lower the price. They settled on $250,000. The real estate agent would handle all the paperwork, including notary fees, home inspection fees, insurance fees, and the complicated transfer procedures. The buyers and sellers didn’t need to worry much.

“I can’t believe we’re going to live in such a big house. Which room do you want?” Natasha asked Bella quietly.

Bella rolled her eyes, looked around, and drawled, “Yeah, it’s a huge house. Maybe the north-facing room on the second floor?”

“No way! I’m taking that room,” Natasha declared.

“Fine, fine. I’ll take the room that the doctor’s daughter is currently in.”

Natasha tilted her head, thinking. “Why haven’t we seen Dr. Harmon’s daughter during any of our visits? Maybe she’s shy and doesn’t want to meet strangers?”

Full of confidence, Bella replied, “Maybe she’s not very attractive and is embarrassed to be seen? Especially next to my stunning beauty, it’s understandable!”

Natasha couldn’t help but roll her eyes at Bella’s extreme self-admiration. She thought it was a habit that needed addressing while Bella was still young.

After the family of four left and waited for the paperwork to be completed, the Harmon couple was also excited. Selling the house meant they could move on.

That night, the house was eerily quiet as the couple went to sleep in separate rooms, each contemplating their future.

The elderly neighbor slipped into the house through the back door, moving through the kitchen and down the stairs to the basement as if she owned the place.

Despite the makeup covering her wrinkles, the bright dress only made her look more absurd. The basement was empty except for her hurried breathing.

“How long are you going to stay hidden? The end is near! Have you grown so dull?” she hissed angrily into the darkness.

“You think the threat is from that detective couple? So what?” Another elderly woman, dressed as a maid, descended the stairs. The Harmons knew of her, assuming she was the housemaid, but she had avoided being seen by Charlie and Samantha.

The maid’s right eye was clouded over, completely blind. She sneered, “Letting that detective couple find my body and expose your crimes isn’t such a bad thing, is it, Constance Langdon?”

Constance laughed mockingly. “Is that so? You wretch! You’re only here because of me! You’re not rotting away with your corpse; you can still move around this house because of me!”

The maid shot back, “I’d rather have died back then than be this ghost now!”

The sound of footsteps echoed as a curly-haired young man, pulling along a nervous young woman, entered the basement.

Constance glared at them, “Ah, my dear son and Miss Harmon. Here to mock me as well?”

The young man smirked, “That’s your problem. If your crimes are discovered, you’ll spend the rest of your days in prison. Sorry, sorry, I forgot your age. Maybe ten years tops before you die in prison. You won’t come back here, and we won’t have to see your old face. Perhaps you can boast about your glory days to your cellmates, see if they’ll give a damn about you.”

The maid watched with a smug smile as Constance fumed. Humiliating her seemed to be her only joy.

Miss Harmon looked nervous, her face full of confusion. Despite her efforts to understand, she couldn’t grasp the conversation’s meaning.

Constance, seething, laughed bitterly, “Yes, I’m the big shot here, more knowledgeable than you country bumpkins! Listen up!”

She pointed at the three figures and the empty space in the basement. “And all you fools who think this doesn’t concern you! Listen!”

Straightening her back, Constance continued, “Unlike you ignorant lot, I’ve seen things, met extraordinary people with unbelievable powers, including the ability to kill ghosts. They’re called mediums!”

She glared, “You poor souls are truly unlucky. That detective couple’s eldest daughter is a medium! A powerful one! She noticed you the moment she stepped in. I watched her expression. She looked at you like toys!”

The once-empty basement grew crowded.

A woman and child covered in burn scars, a noblewoman with a bloody hole in her head, a surgeon wrapped tightly in bandages, a boy with a bloodied face carrying a baseball bat, and a deformed man crawling on the floor.

The basement was filled with an array of grotesque figures.

Dr. Harmon’s daughter turned pale, unable to believe her eyes. Her legs buckled, and she fainted.

Constance smirked, “My dear son, didn’t you tell your sweetheart the truth? She’s already dead.”

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