The Inferno Within
1073 Words
Chapter Nine
Serena sat quietly on the edge of the bed, staring at the locked door.
Her mind was still trying to understand everything that had happened.
Her family was gone.
Elora was missing.
And she was trapped inside Lucian's mansion with no idea what he intended to do with her.
She looked around the room again. The silence was beginning to feel unbearable.
Then she heard footsteps approaching.
Serena immediately looked toward the door.
The lock turned.
This time, it wasn't a group of maids.
An older woman walked inside, carrying a food tray. She had a gentle expression and calm eyes, completely different from the coldness Serena had seen from everyone else in the mansion.
She placed the tray on the table.
“You should eat.”
Serena didn't move.
“I don't feel like eating.”
The woman looked at her kindly.
“You need your strength.”
Serena lowered her eyes.
The woman continued, “Whatever happened before you came here, you need to take care of yourself now. You have to be strong enough to adapt to your new life and your new world.”
Serena looked at her.
“Where am I staying?”
The woman smiled faintly.
“For now, you're safe. You don't have anything to worry about.”
“But where is this place?”
“Just eat first.”
Serena hesitated.
“And my family?”
The woman's expression softened.
“I don't know everything that's happening outside these walls.”
Serena's heart sank.
“But you're safe here. That's what matters right now.”
She pushed the tray slightly closer to Serena.
“Eat. Take care of yourself.”
Serena stared at her for a moment before finally nodding.
“Thank you, ma'am.”
The woman smiled.
“Don't call me that.”
Serena looked confused.
“You can call me Carmen.”
“Carmen?”
“Yes.”
Serena gave a small nod.
“Okay. Thank you, Carmen.”
Carmen smiled once more before leaving the room.
The door closed behind her.
Serena looked down at the food.
For the first time since waking up, she felt that someone inside this strange place had spoken to her without treating her like a prisoner.
Still, she couldn't stop thinking about Elora.
She had to find her.
---
Lucian stood alone in a dark room.
In front of him was the glass case containing the cremated corpse he had visited countless times.
He stared at it for a long time before slowly lowering his eyes.
“Did I fail you?”
His voice was quiet.
He took a slow breath.
“I did.”
His fingers tightened around the cigarette in his hand.
“I waited twenty years.”
He looked at the corpse again.
“I thought I would finally be able to avenge you, but I was weak again.”
Silence answered him.
Lucian's jaw tightened.
“But I'm not even sure if I achieved the revenge I wanted.”
His eyes hardened.
“Valenti's death was too easy.”
He paused.
The words hung heavily in the room.
Suddenly, his phone rang.
Lucian pulled it from his pocket.
“Adrian.”
He answered.
“Where are you?”
“Come to the estates hall way. I'm waiting for you.”
Lucian ended the call.
He took one last look at the glass case before walking out.
Adrian was waiting outside.
As Lucian approached, Adrian immediately noticed his expression.
“What is going on?”
Lucian continued walking.
Adrian followed.
“Why did you bring Serena here?”
Lucian stopped.
“Because she's part of my plan.”
Adrian stared at him.
“Serena?”
“Yes.”
Lucian's voice remained cold.
“She'll stay here while I continue from where I stopped with her father.”
Adrian frowned.
“Or are you finally accepting her as your wife?”
Lucian looked at him.
“She’s paying the price for what her father did.”
Adrian shook his head.
“Lucian, it doesn't change the fact that you two are married, despite it being an arranged marriage. You don't want to kill your wife now, do you?”
Lucian said nothing.
“You've spent twenty years carrying this anger,” Adrian continued. “You've already taken everything from them. Let it go.”
“I don't care.”
“You should.”
“I said I don't care.”
Adrian sighed.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Adrian changed the subject.
“The new members arrive tonight.”
Lucian glanced at him.
“How many?”
“Ten.”
Lucian nodded.
“Make sure they're checked properly.”
“We will.”
Adrian hesitated before continuing.
“And there's something else.”
Lucian looked at him.
“We caught two impostors.”
Lucian's expression hardened.
“What kind?”
“A spy.”
Adrian explained, “They got inside the clan disguised as some of the new recruits. They thought they could blend in long enough to gather information.”
Lucian let out a quiet breath.
“Did they really think they could sneak into the Inferno clan without anyone noticing?”
Adrian shook his head.
“They underestimated us.”
Lucian pulled a cigarette from his pocket and lit it.
Smoke slowly escaped his lips.
“Then they'll learn their mistake tonight.”
Adrian watched him carefully.
“What are you planning to do with them?”
Lucian's eyes remained fixed ahead.
“They'll be punished at the gang center.”
He took another puff.
“No one enters Inferno secretly and walks away thinking nothing will happen.”
Adrian nodded.
“The men will be ready tonight.”
“Good.”
Lucian walked away, leaving Adrian behind.
---
Back in her room, Serena sat beside the window.
The mansion was quiet again.
She looked down at the food Carmen had brought.
Then her thoughts returned to Elora.
She wondered where her sister was.
Whether she was safe.
Whether she was frightened.
Serena closed her eyes.
“I'll find you, Elora.”
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
No matter how long it took, she would find her sister.
And no matter what Lucian had planned for her, Serena knew she couldn't remain helpless forever.
Something had changed inside her.
She was still frightened.
Still confused.
But beneath all of it, something stronger was beginning to grow.
Determination.
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