chapter 3: The Mansion's secrets
1550 Words
Emma barely tasted her breakfast, but she forced herself to eat under Adrian’s watchful gaze.
He didn’t speak much after his first command, simply watching her as he sipped his coffee. Every bite felt like a test, every movement under silent scrutiny.
When she finally set her fork down, Adrian leaned forward slightly, his fingers tapping against the table.
“Margaret will show you your duties after this,” he said. “I expect you to adapt quickly.”
Emma exhaled quietly. Work—something normal, something she could focus on.
“Understood,” she said.
Adrian’s lips twitched, as if her obedience amused him. “Good girl.”
Her stomach twisted.
Before she could react, the doors opened, and a young man dressed in a butler’s uniform stepped in.
“Sir, the driver is ready,” he announced.
Adrian nodded, then turned back to Emma. “Finish your meal. I have business to attend to.”
Emma didn’t look up, only nodding as he stood. She felt the air shift as he passed behind her, the quiet power of his presence making her tense.
Then, just as he reached the doorway, he paused.
“I don’t like disobedience, Emma.” His voice was low, almost thoughtful. “Remember that.”
And then he was gone.
---
The House Staff & First Task
Emma released a shaky breath, staring at her half-empty plate.
Margaret reappeared moments later, her sharp gaze assessing Emma’s unease. But she said nothing, simply gesturing for her to follow.
As they walked through the mansion, Emma took in more of the house’s grandeur—tall windows framed by heavy velvet drapes, chandeliers dripping with crystals, marble floors that seemed too clean to step on.
Finally, they entered the kitchen, where the hum of activity filled the air.
Several staff members moved around, preparing food and polishing silverware. A middle-aged woman with soft brown eyes noticed them first, setting down a mixing bowl.
“This must be the new one,” she said with a kind smile. “I’m Helen, head chef.”
Emma nodded, relieved to find someone who didn’t look at her with cold detachment.
Margaret gestured toward a young woman scrubbing dishes. “That’s Sophia. You’ll assist her today.”
Sophia, a petite girl with wild curls, gave Emma a quick look before focusing back on the dishes.
Emma swallowed hard. She had expected something more—dusting shelves, arranging flowers. Not washing dishes.
Still, she wasn’t about to complain.
She rolled up her sleeves and got to work.
---
The Mansion’s Whispers
Hours passed as Emma scrubbed and rinsed dish after dish.
Sophia worked in silence at first, but after a while, she sighed. “Your hands will blister if you don’t pace yourself.”
Emma blinked at her. It was the first time she had spoken.
“Thanks,” she muttered, slowing down.
Sophia nodded. Then, after a pause, she leaned in slightly. “You’re different.”
Emma frowned. “What do you mean?”
Sophia darted a glance toward the door, as if checking for eavesdroppers. Then she whispered, “The others before you—none of them lasted long.”
A chill ran down Emma’s spine.
Before she could ask what that meant, Helen called out. “Sophia! We need you in the pantry.”
Sophia gave Emma one last look before hurrying off.
Emma’s hands trembled slightly as she turned back to the sink.
What did she mean by none of them lasted long?
And more importantly…
What had happened to them?
---
Secrets Beneath the Surface
Emma continued scrubbing dishes, but Sophia’s words wouldn’t leave her mind.
"None of them lasted long."
What did that mean? Had Adrian fired them? Had they quit? Or… was it something worse?
She stole a glance at Margaret, who stood near the doorway, observing the staff with a neutral but calculating gaze.
Emma had the sudden urge to ask—but something told her she wouldn’t get an answer.
_____
A Task She Didn't Expect.
Just as she was drying the last plate, a deep male voice cut through the kitchen.
“Miss Emma?”
She turned to see the butler from earlier—his gray uniform pressed perfectly, his face unreadable.
“Yes?” she answered hesitantly.
“Mr. Blackwood has requested your presence in the library.”
Every movement in the kitchen paused. The air shifted.
Emma noticed Helen and Sophia exchange glances. Margaret’s lips thinned.
Emma wiped her hands on her apron. “Did he say why?”
The butler didn’t react. “No, miss. Just that you must come immediately.”
Something about his words sent a prickle of unease through her.
But she didn’t have a choice.
She followed the butler through the corridors, her heartbeat pounding in her ears.
---
The Library & An Unexpected Offer.
The double doors to the library stood slightly ajar, the scent of aged books and leather drifting through the c***k.
Inside, Adrian sat in a high-backed chair, his fingers lazily tracing the rim of a whiskey glass.
“Sit,” he ordered, not even looking up.
Emma hesitated, but obeyed, lowering herself into the chair across from him.
For a long moment, he just watched her.
“You work hard,” he finally said, tilting his head. “That’s good.”
Emma didn’t reply. She knew better than to assume a compliment from Adrian was just a compliment.
His gaze flickered to the door. “Tell me, how do you find the staff?”
Emma hesitated. Was this a test?
“They’re… efficient,” she answered carefully.
A smirk tugged at his lips. “Efficient,” he repeated. “Interesting choice of words.”
He took a slow sip of his drink before setting it down with a soft clink. Then, he leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees.
“I have another task for you,” he said smoothly. “Something different from washing dishes.”
Emma’s fingers tightened around the armrest. “What kind of task?”
Adrian’s smirk widened.
“You’ll be my personal assistant.”
Her breath hitched.
Personal assistant? What did that even mean in his world?
She forced herself to stay calm. “Why me?”
Adrian chuckled. “Because I’m curious about you, Emma.”
He stood, stepping closer, his presence suffocating.
“And because I want to see how long you’ll last.”
Emma’s heart pounded.
She wasn’t sure if that was a warning, a challenge, or something far more dangerous.
---
The Shadows of Blackwood Manor .
Emma couldn’t move.
Even after Victor left, his presence lingered like a dark stain in the air.
She could feel it—the tension between him and Adrian, the unspoken battle of control.
And somehow, she was caught in the middle.
Adrian let out a slow breath, his fingers tightening around his glass before setting it down with a soft clink.
“I don’t want you near him,” he said, his voice eerily calm.
Emma hesitated. “He’s your brother.”
Adrian’s jaw clenched. “That doesn’t mean he’s safe.”
His warning sent a chill through her.
She had thought Adrian was the real danger in this house. But what if Victor was worse?
Emma shifted in her seat. “What did he mean by ‘the others’?”
Adrian’s expression didn’t change. “You ask too many questions.”
Her heart pounded. That wasn’t an answer.
Adrian stood, moving toward the large window overlooking the estate. His silhouette was cast in the dim evening light, making him look even more like a shadowed figure in a world of secrets.
“I’ll expect you in my office at seven tomorrow morning,” he said without turning around. “Don’t be late.”
Emma knew a dismissal when she heard one.
She stood slowly, her thoughts swirling.
She had come here desperate for a new start.
Instead, she had walked into a house where secrets were buried deeper than the foundations, and the men who lived here were far more dangerous than she had ever imagined.
And the worst part?
She wasn’t sure if she wanted to run… or stay to uncover the truth.
---
Secrets in the Night
That night, Emma tossed and turned in her unfamiliar bed.
Victor’s smirk, Adrian’s warning, and the mystery of the missing maids all weighed heavily on her mind.
Finally, she gave up on sleep and pushed the heavy blankets aside.
Maybe some fresh air would help.
She slipped out of her room, padding softly down the dimly lit hall.
The mansion was silent, except for the occasional creak of the old wooden floors.
But just as she reached the main hallway, she heard it—
A whisper.
Low. Faint. Almost like someone was crying.
Emma’s breath hitched.
She followed the sound, each step careful, until she reached a door that was slightly ajar.
She peeked inside.
And what she saw made her blood turn to ice.
A locked room, filled with old furniture, covered in dust… and scrawled across the walls, in deep, jagged letters, was a name.
SARAH.
Emma stumbled back, heart hammering.
Who was Sarah?
And more importantly…
Why did someone feel the need to write her name all over the walls?
- Writer
