Julian adjusted his black tuxedo tie while walking down the bright hallway of his family estate.
The mansion had belonged to his family for over three generations.
A large American flag hung proudly on the polished wood wall near the grand staircase.
Julian was supposed to be celebrating his engagement party downstairs with high society guests.
His wealthy mother had arranged the entire evening to save their falling business reputation.
Suddenly, Julian stopped cold in his tracks near the framed family portraits.
He heard a soft, muffled crying sound echoing from right behind the plaster work.
Julian leaned his ear directly against the cold, painted drywall to listen closer.
The faint sounds of shivering and soft sobbing were unmistakable to his ears.
Julian: Hello? Is someone trapped in there?
The crying stopped for a second before a weak scratch hit the wood frame.
Julian felt his heart racing as terror coursed through his entire body.
He ran down to the mansion basement to retrieve a heavy steel sledgehammer.
When he returned, his elderly mother Evelyn stood in her champagne gown clutching her pearls.
Evelyn: Julian, what on earth are you doing with that tool?
Julian: There is a living person trapped inside this wall, Mother!
Evelyn: Nonsense, you are hearing old water pipes expanding in the heat.
Julian: Stand back right now!
Julian raised the heavy sledgehammer high above his broad shoulders and swung with total force.
The hard steel head smashed directly into the center of the white drywall.
Plaster dust exploded into the bright air of the luxury hallway.
Evelyn screamed in absolute panic and frantically grabbed her son by his suit arm.
Evelyn: Stop this madness right now, Julian!
Julian: Get your hands off me, Mother!
Julian shoved her hands away and swung the hammer a second time with intense fury.
The wall collapsed inward, revealing broken wooden support beams behind the broken plaster layers.
He pulled away the sharp splintered wood using his bare, trembling hands.
A narrow, dark cavity inside the house structure opened up before his eyes.
Inside the tiny space stood a extremely pale woman wearing a tattered white dress.
She was shivering uncontrollably and shielding her bruised eyes from the sudden bright light.
Julian gasped as his knees nearly buckled underneath his heavy body.
The woman stepping out from the dark wall was his missing wife, Clara.