First message
In life, "Hollow Jack" was Jackson Thorne, a charismatic but ruthless smuggler who used the manor’s cellar to hide stolen artifacts. After a deal went sour, he was entombed within his own secret vault. Now a lingering spirit, Jack is a shadow of his former self—flickering, cold, and desperately protective of the rotting floorboards that conceal his illegal spoils.
When Millie and her family move in, Jack’s hauntings are frantic. He slams doors and chills the air to keep them away from the library’s false wall. He isn't trying to be cruel; he is terrified that if his crimes are unearthed, his soul will be bound to the shame forever.
One evening, after Jack causes a chandelier to sway violently near her, Millie reaches her breaking point. Terrified but defiant, she stands in the center of the darkened hall and screams, "I see the darkness you’re hiding, but I won't let you haunt my future! Leave this house and take your secrets to the grave!"
The air turns deathly still. Jack retreats into the shadows, realizing that Millie’s intuition is sharper than any ward. He must now decide whether to vanish or risk her discovering the skeleton in his closet—literally.