Four

Kaela waited in the vast room, the silence pressing on her. Dante had left earlier that morning on a business trip, an “urgent matter” he’d called it. Not that she cared. She didn’t want to think about him. He was dangerous, cold, a monster in a suit. And yet, there was an undeniable pull in his presence, a darkness that drew her in whether she liked it or not.

The maid had left her after the brief exchange, instructing her to freshen up and then head to the dining room when she was ready. The entire mansion felt like an endless maze of polished marble and towering walls. Each step she took echoed through the halls like a reminder of how trapped she was.

When she finally made her way to the dining room, she couldn’t help but marvel at the scale of it all. The mansion was overwhelming. A grand chandelier hung from the ceiling, casting golden light over the long, elegant table. It was absurd, the table stretched on for what seemed like miles, filled with dishes that could feed an entire army. The aroma of roasted meats, freshly baked bread, and exotic spices mixed in the air, making her stomach growl despite the anger bubbling inside her.

Kaela slowly walked across the room, her eyes trailing over the paintings on the walls, gilded frames containing portraits of people she didn’t recognize, landscapes of places she’d never been. The art was beautiful but felt like a constant reminder of the wealth that had been taken from her, the life she once had before everything turned upside down.

She finally seated herself at the long table, the maids lined up like statues along the edges of the room, their eyes downcast, their bodies stiff. It was like she was a queen, and they were there to serve her, though none of them made a sound. The tension was palpable.

“Please, sit,” Kaela said, her voice sharp yet quiet. She wasn’t sure if she was trying to make a point or if she truly felt sorry for the poor women. They hadn’t chosen this life any more than she had.

The maids exchanged quick, fearful glances but stood frozen in place. Not a single one dared to sit down.

Kaela’s eyebrows furrowed. “I said, sit. There’s enough food here for all of us.”

None of them moved.

“No?” she said, her voice rising with frustration. “Are you afraid of me?”

The head maid, the same one who had escorted her to her room when she first arrived, looked down at the floor. “I’m afraid we cannot miss. It is against the rules.”

“The rules.” Kaela repeated the words mockingly, her fingers gripping the edge of the table. “There’s no freedom in this place, is there?”

The maids remained silent, their heads bowed, unwilling to meet her gaze. She hated it. The way they cowered, the way they acted like they were invisible. It made her feel like a prisoner, and she hated the way it made her feel.

Kaela took a deep breath, trying to calm herself as she looked over the spread in front of her. She tried to ignore the maids, but it was hard. The fear in their eyes, the way they refused to eat, gnawed at her. She hadn’t asked for this. She hadn’t asked to be trapped here, to be at the mercy of a man like Dante.

Her stomach growled again, and she decided to take what she could. She scooped a small amount of food onto her plate, roasted chicken, creamy potatoes, vegetables, and bread. She ate in silence, barely tasting the food. Despite the richness of it, it felt like ash in her mouth, a reminder of her helplessness.

She couldn’t stay here forever, could she? There had to be a way out. There had to be something she could do. She didn’t deserve this. She didn’t deserve Dante’s cruelty.

But that was the thing, Dante didn’t care about what she deserved. He only cared about what he could take from her.

After a while, she finished her meal, not because she was full, but because the weight of the silence in the room was suffocating. She pushed back from the table and stood, ready to leave the dining room, when she saw the head maid standing nearby, watching her with cautious eyes.

Kaela’s voice was barely a whisper. “Can I ask you something?”

The maid hesitated for a moment before nodding. “Of course, miss.”

“I need a phone,” Kaela said, her eyes searching the room for any possible way out. “I need to make a call. Please.”

The maid’s face tightened, her hands wringing together as if she were trying to find a way out of this conversation. “I’m afraid I cannot give you a phone, miss,” she said gently. “It’s... against the rules.”

“Again with the rules,” Kaela muttered, rubbing her temples in frustration. “What rules are there here, really? To keep me locked up like a prisoner?”

“I am sorry, miss,” the maid replied softly, avoiding her gaze. “But I cannot disobey.”

Kaela clenched her fists at her sides, feeling the anger rise in her chest. “Where’s Dante?”

“He is on an urgent business trip, miss,” the maid explained. “He’ll return later this evening.”

“Great,” Kaela said bitterly, her eyes narrowing. “So I’m stuck here, all alone, with no way to reach anyone. Just wonderful.”

“I understand, miss,” the maid said quietly, her eyes still downcast. “But you must understand, it is for your safety. We are only trying to protect you.”

Kaela wanted to scream. She wanted to tear down every wall that was closing in on her. But she didn’t. She couldn’t. Instead, she walked away, the weight of her frustration pressing down on her.

The rest of the day passed in a blur. Kaela wandered through the mansion’s hallways, exploring the opulence that surrounded her. She came across rooms with velvet curtains and floors made of the finest marble. There were more paintings, more statues, and more gilded frames that only reminded her of everything she’d lost. She hated this place. Hated how it made her feel small and insignificant.

As the evening drew closer, the sun dipped below the horizon, casting the mansion in a soft, eerie glow. Kaela found herself back in her room, pacing, her mind running in circles. She couldn’t stand the silence. She couldn’t stand the waiting.

That’s when she heard it, the sound of something breaking, followed by a muffled crash. It echoed through the mansion, sending a jolt of fear down her spine. What was that?

Kaela froze, her breath caught in her throat. The sound continued, faint but unmistakable. It was coming from downstairs. The noise was followed by shuffling footsteps, hurried and frantic.

She stepped toward the door, her hand trembling as she gripped the handle. Slowly, she pulled it open and stepped into the hallway, trying to make as little noise as possible. The mansion was eerily quiet, but the noises downstairs were getting louder, more frantic.

Kaela swallowed hard, her heart racing. Was someone else here? Has Dante come back? Was it him, or was there something, someone else lurking in the shadows?

Her breath quickened as she tiptoed down the hallway, the darkness of the house swallowing her whole. She turned the corner toward the stairs, her eyes scanning the dimly lit hall for any signs of movement.

That’s when she saw it.

A shadow, a tall, menacing figure moved at the far end of the hallway. It was there, just barely visible, its outline shifting as though it were watching her.

Kaela froze, her heart hammering in her chest. Her body tensed, every instinct screaming at her to run, to hide, but she couldn’t move. Not even a single inch.

The shadow took a step forward.

Kaela’s breath caught in her throat, her body still as stone.

And then, silence.