Fatal Stage

Chapter 1

[1]

"Miss, it's time to leave."

Early in the morning, Jerald's secretary took out a black cloth and blindfolded me. Under his guidance, I entered the private car of the Yin Group, feeling a mix of anticipation and nerves as we drove toward Jerald's family estate.

The journey was silent, with the car filled with the scent of jasmine perfume. It was a long drive, several hours, and I didn't dare to fall asleep.

This mission was assigned to me because of my dance skills, good looks, and ability to remain calm under pressure. Having just graduated from the police academy, I was eager to prove myself.

The police were taking this operation very seriously. They gave me a new identity to protect my cover. Now, my name was Chelsey, and I was supposedly from Japan. However, my real name was Cathleen, and I came from a small town in Fujian, where I excelled at playing the violin.

The Yin Group was one of the wealthiest companies in the world, with interests in various industries. Jerald, the chairman, had built his empire from scratch. He married at twenty-five and was now thirty, with his wealth increasing significantly since then.

Surrounded by many women, Jerald never got involved with any of them. He had two great loves in his life: his wife, Harlee, and his private troupe of performers.

The troupe consisted of five young women, each chosen for their exceptional talent in singing and dancing. Jerald personally selected them, and they lived at his estate, performing just for him. These women were all orphans, bought out of their previous lives by Jerald, only to mysteriously disappear or die soon after joining the troupe.

Rumors abounded-some said these women were punished for their vanity, others whispered about the sinister forces at play within the Yin family. But despite the risks, the opportunity to escape poverty and find a place in such a prestigious household ensured a steady stream of willing recruits.

### [2]

"Miss, you can get out of the car now."

Jerald's assistant gently took my hand as I stepped out of the car. Inside the mansion, he removed the blindfold. It was now late at night, and the sky was gleaming with stars.

The Yin family's mansion was a beautiful, sprawling estate called Shenling Villa, named in honor of Jerald's beloved wife, Harlee. With its charming bridges, flowing streams, pavilions, and towers, it was like stepping into a fairy tale, especially with lanterns casting a soft glow along the river.

We passed through several picturesque courtyards until we reached the inner one, where four women in traditional attire were performing a mesmerizing dance. They warmly greeted me as I arrived.

"You're the new girl, right?" they asked with friendly smiles.

They quickly recounted how wonderful life at the estate was - the best food, luxurious amenities, and a life filled with music and dance. They spoke excitedly of recreational activities and their substantial earnings, which surpassed anything they had known before.

Each of the four women had their specialties:

- The eldest, Lu Ruanruan, 26, played the violin beautifully.

- The second sister, Cheng Yuanyuan, 25, was a master of the cello.

- The third sister, Su Qinqin, 24, excelled at the flute.

- The youngest, Wu Fangfang, 23, was skilled with the viola.

Though aware of the dangers associated with the troupe, they felt the benefits outweighed the risks. The allure of wealth was too strong to resist.

We each had our own elegant quarters in the mansion. My room, on the west side, was opulently decorated with a plaque reading "Ancient Elegance." As I lay in my intricately carved bed that night, I heard haunting melodies floating from the garden, said to be the voices of the previous performers.

I first met Jerald in this garden. Tall, handsome, with sad eyes, Jerald returned home once a month. When he did, we donned traditional costumes and performed under a grand osmanthus tree. Jerald would relax with some tea, often drifting into a peaceful sleep to the sound of our music.

It became clear that Jerald didn't truly care for the performances. So why did he invest so heavily in the troupe? Was it a facade, or something more complex?

"Have you seen Mr. Yin's wife, Harlee, since you've been here?" I asked the four sisters during a dinner.

They all shook their heads, signaling that the topic was forbidden and urging me not to mention Harlee again. It was as if her presence, or absence, was a closely guarded secret.

Chapter 2

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**Chapter 1**

We usually ate in the main hall. The five of us girls came from different parts of the country, each with our own unique tastes. The manor had top-notch chefs, and fresh seafood from various regions was flown in daily. Our three meals a day were always a delightful mix of flavors.

Among the five of us, Cathleen loved cooking the most, and she also loved eating. Late at night, she would often go to the kitchen to make exotic snacks to go with her drinks. I was a night owl and often passed by the kitchen after my bath, always hearing the sound of chopping and slicing. That was Cathleen making her marinated dishes, humming a tune and sipping on some wine.

Sometimes, I would join her in the kitchen for a chat. As we grew closer, she shared some of her past with me. Before coming to the manor, Cathleen had been the lover and secretary of a Taiwanese businessman, oppressed by his wife for many years. When the businessman's business failed, he blamed the debts on her. If it weren't for Jerald, she would still be living a life of hiding from debt collectors. For Cathleen, life in the manor was like a paradise. She was the happiest among us.

That night, I returned from the bath with a basin and some body wash. As I passed the kitchen, I heard the sound of bones being chopped. The chopping was louder than usual, but I was too tired to go in and chat with Cathleen as I usually did. I went straight to my room and fell asleep.

The next morning, the manor was filled with cries of despair. Cathleen was dead.

**Chapter 2**

Cathleen's death was horrifying. Her body was found in a gruesome state, with blood staining the floor, already turning dark. The butler opened the surveillance footage, showing Cathleen chopping off her own limbs, with no one else around and no signs of her crying out in pain. The coroner examined her body and found no traces of drugs, only noting her history of mental illness. The case was quickly closed, attributing her death to her mental illness.

Cathleen had no living relatives, so her body was prepared and buried on the hill behind the manor. The remaining three sisters were terrified, recalling all the rumors about the troupe. Jerald said that anyone who was scared could leave at any time. The troupe offered excellent benefits, and there were plenty of girls eager to join. Cathleen's spot would soon be filled by someone else. So, no one mentioned leaving.

That night, Jerald tried to calm us by ordering the kitchen to prepare a sumptuous dessert spread and transferring a large sum of money to each of our bank accounts. While eating the desserts, the three sisters shared their backgrounds, and I realized they were not ordinary at all.

Second sister, YuanYuan, used to work at a nightclub as the star performer. One night, she was harassed by a client and stabbed him in self-defense, losing her job. She was grateful to be chosen by Jerald; otherwise, she would have ended up getting involved in illegal activities in Southeast Asia with her friends. She was extremely agitated about Cathleen's death, constantly talking about it. YuanYuan and Cathleen had been the closest, and she couldn't accept the official cause of death, believing Cathleen had been murdered. She was also very unhappy about Cathleen's hasty burial.

Third sister, QinQin, had been a female prisoner. She didn't elaborate on her crime, and no one dared to ask. Fourth sister, FangFang, smoked silently throughout the conversation, listening quietly without saying a word. They asked about my background, and I only said I was a dance teacher with a plain and unremarkable resume.

That night, everyone went back to their rooms with their own thoughts. Lying on my ornate bed, I couldn't shake the feeling that the smell of blood from the kitchen still lingered.

In the middle of the night, I was awakened by someone shouting and running outside. It was YuanYuan. She was yelling, "I dreamed of Cathleen! She said she's waiting for me on the hill behind the manor to tell me the truth!"

I threw on a coat and rushed out, seeing YuanYuan running frantically, half-naked. She kept calling out, as if she were in a frenzy. Several servants tried to grab her arms, but she shook them off one by one. As she ran, she stripped off her clothes until she was completely naked. Under the moonlight, her pale body looked like a ghostly figure as she ran towards the hill behind the manor.

Chapter 3

1

The crowd held their flashlights high, desperately trying to follow Cathleen's swift pace.

Cathleen moved with an almost supernatural speed, running so fast that even the strongest man couldn't keep up.

The back mountain was an ancient burial ground, covered with towering old trees. She dashed into the forest and quickly disappear