chapter 5: shadows of the Past
1360 Words
The warmth of Adrian’s breath still lingered on Emma’s skin, but the moment was shattered by a sharp knock on the door.
They both turned as a woman stepped into the dimly lit hallway.
She was tall, elegant, and strikingly beautiful, with long raven-black hair and piercing blue eyes. The kind of beauty that made people stop and stare.
Her gaze flickered between Emma and Adrian, a knowing smirk playing on her lips.
“Well, well,” she drawled. “I see you’ve found a new distraction.”
Emma tensed.
Adrian’s expression darkened. “What do you want, Evelyn?”
Evelyn.
The name felt heavy, like it carried a past Emma wasn’t privy to.
Evelyn took a slow step forward, ignoring Adrian’s cold tone. “I heard whispers about your new little maid and thought I should introduce myself.”
She turned to Emma, offering a gloved hand. “Evelyn Laurent. Family friend. Investor. And…” She smiled, eyes glinting. “Let’s just say I know Adrian better than most.”
Emma hesitated before shaking her hand. Evelyn’s grip was cold.
“You must be Emma,” Evelyn continued. “The new girl trying to fill Sarah’s shoes.”
Emma stiffened. “I’m not trying to—”
Evelyn let out a soft chuckle. “Relax, dear. I was just wondering if Adrian told you how she disappeared.”
Emma’s stomach dropped.
Adrian’s jaw clenched. “Enough.”
Evelyn ignored him, her gaze never leaving Emma.
“You should be careful,” she said in a silk-soft, warning tone. “Girls who get too close to Adrian… well, let’s just say they don’t always last.”
A chill ran down Emma’s spine.
Before she could respond, another voice cut through the tension.
"Evelyn, stop playing with the new toy."
Emma turned to see a man stepping out of the shadows.
He was tall, dressed in a sharp black suit, his eyes cold and calculating. His features bore a striking resemblance to Adrian’s—but sharper, crueler.
Emma felt her breath hitch.
Victor.
Again.
---
Truths in the Dark
Victor’s presence shifted the energy in the room. Where Evelyn’s danger was subtle, Victor’s was a storm waiting to break.
Emma barely had time to process before Victor stepped beside her, his voice mocking.
“I must say, Adrian,” he said, “you do have a type.”
Adrian’s fists clenched, but Victor wasn’t finished.
“Did he tell you about Sarah?” Victor murmured to Emma, eyes gleaming. “How she left… or rather, how she never got the chance to?”
Emma swallowed. “What do you mean?”
Victor smirked. “You see, dear Emma, this house—this family—doesn’t do well with girls who dig too deep.”
Emma turned to Adrian, but his face was unreadable.
That silence terrified her more than Victor’s words.
Evelyn leaned against the wall, watching like she enjoyed the show.
“I’ll give you a little piece of advice,” Victor continued. “If you’re smart, you’ll leave before you become just another forgotten name.”
Emma’s hands curled into fists.
No.
She wasn’t going to be another Sarah. She wasn’t going to run.
Instead, she lifted her chin, staring Victor down.
“Maybe Sarah trusted the wrong people,” she said. “Maybe that’s why she disappeared.”
Victor grinned.
Adrian, however, grabbed her wrist and pulled her away.
---
A Silent Warning.
Adrian didn’t stop until they were far from Victor and Evelyn, deeper into the mansion’s empty corridors.
When he finally turned to her, his face was stormy with emotion.
“You don’t know what you’re doing,” he said, voice tight.
Emma’s heart pounded. “Then tell me! What happened to Sarah? What are you all hiding?”
Adrian’s fingers twitched, like he wanted to reach for her but stopped himself.
“Sarah was… important,” he said carefully. “But she made mistakes.”
Emma exhaled. “And?”
Adrian hesitated before whispering, “And she paid for them.”
The words sent a shiver down Emma’s spine.
Whatever happened to Sarah… it wasn’t natural.
Emma stared into Adrian’s dark, haunted eyes.
Something was wrong. Something deeply dangerous.
And she was now in the middle of it.
-----A Game of Power.
Emma’s pulse pounded in her ears as Adrian pulled her through the dimly lit corridors of Blackwood Manor. His grip on her wrist was firm, almost desperate, as if trying to shield her from something—or someone.
When they reached his study, he slammed the door shut behind them. The room was lined with dark oak shelves, filled with books and locked drawers. A fire burned low in the hearth, casting flickering shadows across Adrian’s face.
Emma yanked her arm free. “You don’t get to drag me away without answers, Adrian.”
He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his dark hair. “You don’t understand, Emma. You shouldn’t have challenged Victor.”
“Then make me understand!” she shot back, her voice rising. “What happened to Sarah? What is Evelyn hiding? And why does everyone act like I’m next?”
Adrian’s jaw tightened. For a moment, he looked like he might tell her—but then, his expression hardened. “You’re playing with fire, Emma.”
Emma squared her shoulders. “Maybe I want to burn.”
A beat of silence stretched between them. The tension was thick, crackling like a storm on the verge of breaking.
Then, Adrian stepped closer. Too close.
His fingers brushed the side of her face, his touch hesitant yet electric. “You don’t,” he whispered. “You think you do, but you don’t.”
Emma’s breath hitched. This was dangerous. He was dangerous. And yet, she couldn’t bring herself to step away.
The moment shattered with a knock on the door.
Adrian turned, his entire demeanor shifting into something cold, guarded.
A maid entered, her eyes darting between them. “Sir, Lady Evelyn requests Miss Emma’s presence for dinner in the main hall.”
Emma swallowed. Evelyn.
Adrian’s fingers curled into fists. “She’s testing you.”
Emma lifted her chin. “Then let her.”
---
Dinner with the Devil.
The grand dining hall of Blackwood Manor was a picture of wealth and intimidation. A long mahogany table stretched across the room, lit by a massive crystal chandelier that dripped with gold accents. The scent of wine and roasted meat filled the air, but Emma had no appetite.
Evelyn sat at the head of the table, poised in an elegant black dress, a glass of red wine in her delicate fingers. Victor lounged beside her, his smirk lazy, yet sharp.
Emma took a seat opposite them, her back straight.
Evelyn studied her like a cat watching a mouse. “Tell me, dear. How are you enjoying the manor?”
Emma forced a smile. “It’s… different.”
Victor chuckled. “That’s one way to put it.”
A servant poured Emma a glass of wine, but before she could reach for it, Adrian appeared beside her, gripping the glass and setting it aside.
Evelyn arched a brow. “Really, Adrian? Afraid we might poison her?”
Emma’s stomach twisted. Would they?
Adrian’s gaze never left Evelyn. “I don’t trust anything that comes from your hands.”
Victor laughed, swirling his own drink. “You wound us, brother.”
Evelyn leaned in, her blue eyes glinting. “I simply wanted to welcome our dear Emma properly. After all, we should get to know the girl who’s caught your attention.”
Emma stiffened, feeling the weight of all three pairs of eyes on her.
Evelyn smiled. “Tell me, Emma. Have you ever been in love?”
The question caught her off guard. “I—”
CRASH!
The sound of shattering glass echoed through the room.
All heads turned to Adrian, who had gripped his wine glass too tightly, shattering it in his hand.
Blood dripped onto the white tablecloth.
Evelyn’s smile widened. “Interesting.”
Emma’s heart pounded.
Whatever this was… it wasn’t just dinner. It was a game.
- Writer
