Behind the Mask

De: Darlene Zagata

Narrado por: Virtual Voice

The invitation came on thick ivory cardstock, sealed with crimson wax and an ornate "V." There were no return addresses, only the promise of a weekend to remember—an exclusive masquerade on the private island of tech tycoon and eccentric philanthropist Alaric Voss. Most who received it couldn’t say no. Some wouldn’t dare.

They arrived in sleek boats and designer clothes, their masks hiding secrets as old as the grudges they carried. There were whispers of scandal, ambition, betrayal. And somewhere beneath it all—danger.

For retired detective Miles Grayson, it was supposed to be a quiet visit, a favor to his niece Clara. But before the storm hit and the lights went out, before the screams and the blood on the floor, before the final mask fell—he already sensed something was wrong.

Because if there’s one thing Miles learned after a lifetime chasing shadows, it’s this:

People hide more behind a smile than behind any mask.