The door behind them continued to pound relentlessly.

Penelope urgently cried out to Nyx, "QUICKLY, NYX! COME OVER HERE!"

Thomas remained resolute, standing in front of Nyx, refusing to leave.

Nyx, her voice trembling, pleaded with him, "Thomas, what are you doing? Go."

"Very well..." muttered Penelope and her expression darkened as she silently manipulated something with her thumb. Nyx's ears caught the distinct click from the pistol.

"THOMAS!" Nyx reacted swiftly, pulling him to his right side as they both stumbled and fell. In an instant, a deafening boom shattered the air. Nyx, unharmed, looked down in horror, only to find blood pooling on the ground. It was flowing from Thomas's left upper arm, a grievous wound inflicted by the blast.

"No... no..." Thomas muttered, his body trembling, tears streaming down his face. He was in shock, traumatized by the terrifying turn of events, his breathing shallow and erratic.

Nyx placed her hands around Thomas. "Thomas, are you okay?" she asked, her voice filled with concern and desperation.

"Stupid boy," Penelope muttered under her breath as she reloaded the pistol and aimed it at Nyx, her voice filled with malice. "Come over here, Nyx."

"STOP IT! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!" Nyx cried out, her voice filled with anguish and despair.

"Forget it!" Penelope's voice boomed with rage. "I'll kill you now. You're just wasting my time. I'll just..."

But Penelope's words trailed off as she looked up and noticed something behind them. Her gaze fixed on a presence that sent chills down her spine, causing her to step back.

Nyx turned her head and saw the yellow spirit of Seraphina appear before them, the spirit advancing toward Penelope.

"What in heaven's name are you?!" Penelope screamed, attempting to shoot at the spirit, only to find her bullets useless against her.

Seraphina approached Ann's body and placed her hands upon it, then she turned her gaze towards Penelope.

"Seraphina...!" Penelope exclaimed, fear coursing through her veins as she took several steps back. "That can't be real!"

Suddenly, another spirit emerged from Ann's corpse. It was the spirit of Ann herself, her presence adding to the chilling atmosphere that surrounded them.

Then both Seraphina and Ann turned their attention towards Penelope and swiftly moved towards her.

"NO!" Penelope screamed, her composure slipping as she appeared to lose control of herself. She started hallucinating, her voice filled with desperation. "STOP..."

Seraphina then approached Nyx and Thomas, and Nyx felt a soothing presence emanating from Seraphina.

Seraphina knelt beside Thomas's left side, placing her hand on his wound. A sense of relief washed over him, though it did not fully alleviate the pain or stop the bleeding. Nonetheless, Thomas felt a greater comfort at that moment, and a small chuckle escaped his lips. He gazed into Seraphina's face as she smiled at him, and they locked eyes. After a few seconds, Thomas smiled and uttered softly, "Mom..."

Seraphina then rose to her feet and gestured towards the path leading back to the door, indicating that they should make their escape.

"Thomas," Nyx said, placing her hands around his torso from his right side, her voice filled with urgency. "Let's go quickly."

They swiftly made their way back, turning the corner as they heard Penelope's screams echoing behind them.

"WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU ARE GOING?!" Penelope's voice, filled with madness, reverberated through the corridor.

A bullet struck the wall above them, followed by another shot that narrowly missed their right side. Finally, they reached the corner, out of Penelope's line of sight, and continued moving.

"COME HERE, YOU BASTARDS!" Penelope's voice continued to rage as she fired two more shots. Then, a deafening explosion rocked the corridor. Boxes containing fuel or oil had ignited, causing a massive fire to erupt. Nyx turned to look and saw her aunt engulfed in flames, screaming in agony until she finally collapsed. It was a horrifying sight, but Nyx forced herself to focus and continued moving forward.

They reached the door, which the police had managed to break open. The officers swiftly grabbed Nyx and Thomas, rushing them outside the lab and away from the mansion as the fire continued to spread, all the servants also escaped the mansion.

The mansion now glowed with the inferno's light, casting an eerie glow upon the night. Firefighters battled to extinguish the fire. Fortunately, heavy rain began to pour, aiding in their efforts. After three grueling hours, the fire was finally brought under control.

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The once-grand mansion now stood charred and ruined, a haunting reminder of the horrors that had unfolded within its walls.

As the night wore on, Mr. Charles and Dr. Jenkins were escorted to the court, while the lifeless bodies of Penelope and Ann were removed from the mansion. The doctors promptly attended to Thomas's injured arm, providing the necessary treatment and expertly wrapping it in bandages. The doctors have confirmed that Nyx's condition was not dangerous and Dr. Jenkins has lied.

The scene attracted the attention of numerous journalists, who clamored to capture photographs and inundate Nyx with questions. Overwhelmed and in dire need of rest, Nyx pleaded with them to stop.

Dawn broke, casting its gentle light upon the burnt remnants of the mansion [https://img.wattpad.com/faed74ebbc85c6fc46618a8830e3ed180176c6e0/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f35536264736e3831445a656a39413d3d2d313336303736333430332e313737316263643966343637363938633939343633373436303433372e6a7067?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]

Dawn broke, casting its gentle light upon the burnt remnants of the mansion. Nyx spotted Thomas standing before the charred structure and approached him quietly, her heart filled with sympathy. "How are you feeling?" Nyx inquired with a calm voice.

"I'm alright," replied Thomas, his gaze fixed upon the ruins. "I've come to realize that there is more to life than this house."

"Do you truly believe that?" Nyx asked, her curiosity piqued.

Thomas mustered a smile and nodded. "I remembered my mother... my real mother. When she touched my wound and our eyes met, I remembered her love. I recalled how she used to hold me when I was a child. I even remembered being two years old, crying because I couldn't see her anymore."

A tear escaped Thomas's eye, and Nyx listened attentively, empathizing.

"Nyx, when you revealed the truth about my mother, about Penelope not being my true mother, I... didn't want to accept it. But eventually, I ... thought about the possibility that my entire life had been built upon... a lie."

"Thomas..." Nyx murmured, her voice filled with compassion.

"I fell into despair... I wanted to die," Thomas continued, his tears flowing more freely. "But when my real mother came to comfort me, she didn't just heal my physical wounds; she instilled hope and solace in my heart.

"I no longer desire to rely on the wealth of the mansion. What I truly long for is love and trust. I don't want someone to provide me with whatever I desire without genuine affection. Penelope never raised me with love; she raised me to worship wealth and money. I became so spoiled that I started to disregard everyone around me, including you. I apologize for my past behavior, Nyx."

Nyx's eyes widened in surprise at Thomas's apology, her heart softening. "No need to apologize, Thomas. I..."

"By the way," Thomas interjected, his tone tinged with sadness. "It was Ann, not Penelope, who bothered to resolve our conflicts. She would always advise me to be patient with you." Thomas's gaze dropped, sorrow etched on his face. "Ann... she sacrificed herself to save us."

"Ann..." Nyx whispered, her voice filled with grief as she blamed herself for Ann's tragic demise.

Nyx marveled at the transformation in Thomas, his change for the better, and she couldn't help but acknowledge the profound impact Ann and his real mother had on him.

Nyx then inquired, "So... where will you go to live now?"

"I am uncertain," replied Thomas, his gaze fixed upon the charred remains of the mansion.

"How about..." Nyx hesitated for a moment, gathering her thoughts. "How about you come and live at my house?"

Thomas looked at Nyx in surprise, his expression filled with uncertainty.

"My father has always held a fondness for you," Nyx continued, her voice filled with warmth. "He would be delighted to have his nephew under our roof."

"But I am no longer his nephew," Thomas responded slowly.

"That's right," Nyx acknowledged, her memory stirred. "However, he still cares for you. Though I am unsure of his reaction to recent events, I am certain that he has read the news and is making his way here. Nevertheless, I offer you the opportunity to reside with us. Would you accept?"

A small chuckle escaped Thomas's lips. "I would."

"There is a question," Thomas remarked. "Why did my mother haunt you before instead of Penelope?"

Nyx stood in thought for a moment and then replied, "If I recall Ann's words correctly, 'A restless spirit haunts those who cause grief to their loved ones, and the spirit will not rest until their loved one is safe.' Seraphina, being the restless apparition, haunted me after I upset you. Now, as for why she didn't haunt Penelope instead of me, perhaps it is because Penelope didn't directly bring you grief. She raised you, albeit in her own misguided way. However, when she killed her best friend and harmed you, that was the moment when Seraphina's haunting intensified and she targeted Penelope, while her haunting of me was brief and non-harmful. Seraphina's restlessness stems from the fact that you were raised by her murderer."

"Is that so..." Thomas mused, his eyes widening as he turned his gaze back to the burnt mansion. "So that means... she is no longer restless?"

Nyx's eyes widened in realization. "Indeed," she said. "Thomas, I'm going to visit her tomb. Come with me." Determined, they quickly made their way to the graveyard as the sun was about to rise.

They reached Seraphina's tomb and beheld her ethereal, yellow-glowing spirit gently smiling at them. The sight was a truly beautiful and serene one for Nyx.

Thomas approached her slowly, and slowly said, "You... are leaving now..."

Seraphina nodded in affirmation.

Thomas began to shed tears while smiling, his voice barely audible, "Mom..."

Nyx, overwhelmed with emotion, witnessed the touching reunion. Then she noticed another spirit appearing before her—Ann, who looked healthy and radiant.

"Ann..." Nyx whispered with a smile, tears streaming down her face. Ann returned the smile, radiating warmth and reassurance. Nyx couldn't help but cry and blame herself, saying, "You were so brave... Unlike me, I was a coward and foolish. It was my actions that led to your death."

Ann shook her head and continued to smile, silently conveying that it wasn't Nyx's fault. She then shifted her gaze towards Thomas, who noticed her presence and smiled in return.

"Mom..." Thomas wiped away his tears, his voice filled with love and gratitude. "You will always be... in my heart, won't you?"

Seraphina nodded, her smile never wavering.

Hand in hand, Seraphina and Ann began to ascend slowly, their spirits rising toward the heavens. Thomas and Nyx stood there, their eyes fixed on the departing figures as the sun rose above the horizon. Eventually, Seraphina and Ann vanished from sight, resting in eternal peace.

THE END