The Walls of Oakridge The Walls of oakridge The Oakridge estate stood at the far end of a quiet street, a heavy mansion shadowed by its own history. Anya Tiosa Ovi ebooks are available in Ovi/Ovi eBookshelves pages and they are for free. If somebody tries to sell you an Ovi book please contact us immediately. For details, contact: ovimagazine@yahoo.com No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior permission of the writer or the above publisher of this book An Ovi eBooks Publication 2025 Ovi eBookPublications - All material is copyright of the Ovi eBooks Publications & the writer C The Walls of Oakridge The Walls of Oakridge Anya Tiosa Anya Tiosa An Ovi eBooks Publication 2025 Ovi eBookPublications - All material is copyright of the Ovi eBooks Publications & the writer C The Walls of Oakridge T he Oakridge estate stood at the far end of a quiet street, a heavy mansion shadowed by its own history. Its bricks were worn, the win- dows cracked, and the once-immaculate lawn was overrun by wild ivy. The house had been in the Win- thrope family for generations, each generation add- ing a new layer to the structure, but none had ever truly touched what lay within. Not until Michael Winthrope decided it was time to renovate. Michael stood in the entryway one foggy morn- ing, staring at the peeling wallpaper. A long stretch of silence filled the air. His wife, Marissa, stood just behind him, arms crossed, watching him carefully. Anya Tiosa “You sure about this, Mike?” Marissa’s voice was soft, unsure, though her eyes betrayed her. Michael wiped his hand across his brow. “I’ve been sure for years. We can’t keep living like this. This house needs us.” “And what about the secrets it holds?” she replied, the edge in her voice nearly imperceptible. He didn’t answer. He hadn’t thought about the se- crets. Not yet. * * * * * * * It wasn’t long before the renovation project began. The contractors came, the dust settled in every corner of the house, and the walls began to creak under the weight of being disturbed. The first time they found something unusual was when the workers knocked down the old wooden wall panels in the living room. “Hey, Mike,” one of the workers called, his voice muffled by the dust. “You’re gonna wanna see this.” Michael walked over to where the worker had crouched, his face scrunched up in confusion. Hid- den behind the panel was a small, dusty chest. It was an old thing, locked with a rusty iron clasp, the kind The Walls of Oakridge of thing you’d expect to find in a pirate’s cove or some forgotten attic. “What do you think it is?” Marissa asked, her voice cool as she leaned against the doorframe. “I don’t know,” Michael said, staring down at the chest. “Maybe something from my grandfather’s time.” They opened it. Inside, they found a handful of old letters, the edges yellowed with age, tied togeth- er with a faded ribbon. Michael carefully untied the bundle, scanning the top letter. The handwriting was elegant, the ink faint, but the words were still legible. Dearest Eleanor, I can no longer keep up with the charade. I’ve always loved you, and yet, I cannot keep you in my life. Not now, not after what I’ve done. The letter was signed by his great-grandfather, Ed- ward Winthrope. “Who’s Eleanor?” Marissa’s voice broke through his thoughts. She was leaning in, trying to read over his shoulder. Anya Tiosa “I don’t know,” Michael muttered. “I’ve never heard of her.” * * * * * * * Days passed, and the letters became a haunting presence in their home. Michael couldn’t stop read- ing them. Each letter unearthed something more un- settling than the last. They painted a picture of a love affair, one his great-grandfather had with a woman named Eleanor. She wasn’t just a passing fling; she was someone Edward had cared for deeply, someone who had never fully disappeared from his life. One evening, after dinner, Michael leaned back in his chair, holding a letter in his hands. Marissa was sitting across from him, idly poking at her plate. “You know, I always thought my grandfather was the pillar of this family,” Michael said, his voice dis- tant, lost in the revelations. “He was a businessman, a war hero, a man with an image to maintain. But this... this changes everything.” Marissa raised an eyebrow. “What are you saying?” “I’m saying... all this time, we’ve been living under the illusion that he was perfect. That we were per- fect.” The Walls of Oakridge Marissa sighed, setting her fork down. “So what? You’re going to tear the whole family apart now? Over a bunch of letters?” “No,” Michael said, his voice sharp now, irritated. “I’m not tearing it apart. I’m just trying to under- stand it all. If we don’t face this... we’ll never know the truth. Not about our family. Not about us.” * * * * * * * Days turned into weeks, and the deeper Michael dug into the letters, the more tangled the web became. It wasn’t just the affair with Eleanor that disturbed him. There were other letters, ones from his grand- mother, letters to a man named Charles. Charles, it turned out, was not only a close friend of Edward but had also been a confidant of his wife, Marissa’s grandmother. Michael’s face drained of colour when he read the words that made his stomach churn: The affair you and I have is something I regret. But your actions, Edward, have forced me into a corner where I no longer have a choice. * * * * * * * Anya Tiosa That night, the wind howled outside, rattling the windows. The house creaked and groaned as though it, too, wanted to reveal its secrets. Marissa stood in the doorway of their bedroom, her silhouette barely visible in the dim light. “I don’t like this,” she said, her voice low, almost frightened. “You’ve been different. You’re... obsessed with these letters. You’re looking for things that ar- en’t there.” Michael was sitting at the desk, his hands shaking as he held another letter in his hands. His eyes were wide with disbelief. “I’ve found something,” he said, his voice hoarse. “I think I’ve found the truth.” “What truth?” Marissa asked, stepping closer, her voice trembling now. Michael’s eyes darted to the letter, then back to her. “My great-grandfather... he didn’t just have an affair. He... he betrayed the family. He betrayed all of us. He had Charles, Charles was blackmailing him. They both knew it, and they both used it to their advan- tage. This house, our wealth, it was built on lies. They were both in it together.” The Walls of Oakridge Marissa stepped back, her breath catching in her throat. “What are you talking about?” “The letters, Marissa. They’re not just about love and betrayal, they’re about a conspiracy. My great-grand- father and your grandmother, my family’s history, it’s all stained.” * * * * * * * The following days were filled with tension. Mi- chael and Marissa hardly spoke. The walls seemed to close in on them as they walked through the old house, each room haunted by the weight of its past. It wasn’t long before Michael began to question every- thing, his family, his heritage, his own identity. His entire existence felt like a lie. On the final day of renovation, Michael stood in the living room, staring at the exposed beams over- head. The workers had finished their job, the house was new again, but Michael felt like he had uncov- ered something that could never be fixed. “Do you think this house will ever be whole again?” Marissa asked quietly, standing behind him. Michael didn’t answer right away. He wasn’t sure if he could anymore. Anya Tiosa “I don’t know,” he said finally, turning to face her. “I don’t know if I want it to be.” The wind had stopped, but there was still a chill in the air. Outside, the ivy swayed as if the house itself was breathing, waiting for the next secret to be re- vealed. THE END The Walls of Oakridge The Walls of Oakridge Anya Tiosa Ovi eBook Publishing 2025 Ovi magazine Design: Thanos Ovi ebooks are available in Ovi/Ovi eBookshelves pages and they are for free. If somebody tries to sell you an Ovi book please contact us immediately. For details, contact: ovimagazine@yahoo.com No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior permission of the writer or the above publisher of this book An Ovi eBooks Publication 2025 Ovi eBookPublications - All material is copyright of the Ovi eBooks Publications & the writer C Anya Tiosa The Walls of oakridge The Oakridge estate stood at the far end of a quiet street, a heavy mansion shadowed by its own history. Anya Tiosa. By day, she wrangles the minds of unsuspecting pre-teens, armed only with patience (mostly) and a healthy supply of caf- feine. By night, she transforms into a secret agent of the mundane, infiltrating the lives of ordinary folks and documenting their hilari- ous, heartbreaking, and utterly bizarre quirks.