Chapter 12
1043 Words
Luna could not stop thinking about the hallway.
About the darkness.
About Hamilton.
About the way Richard had looked at them afterward.
Too calm.
That was the part she hated most.
If he had yelled, it would have felt normal. If he had looked angry, at least she would have understood it.
But Richard had simply stood there watching them with that unreadable expression on his face.
Like he already knew something they did not.
Luna barely slept after that.
By morning, exhaustion sat heavily beneath her eyes as she walked downstairs for breakfast. The mansion was quiet again, polished and perfect like nothing had happened the night before.
But Luna felt different.
More aware.
More careful.
The dining room smelled faintly of coffee and expensive cologne. Her mother was already smiling over breakfast while Richard sat calmly at the table reading something on his tablet.
Hamilton was not there.
For some reason, Luna noticed immediately.
“Good morning,” her mother said brightly.
“Morning,” Luna replied softly as she sat down.
Richard looked up slowly.
And smiled.
“There she is.”
Something about the words made her uncomfortable instantly.
Luna reached for a glass of juice quietly, avoiding his eyes.
“You disappeared early last night,” Richard continued casually.
Her fingers tightened slightly around the glass.
“I couldn’t sleep.”
“The storm frightened you?”
His tone sounded normal.
But Luna heard something underneath it.
Something watchful.
“A little,” she admitted carefully.
Richard leaned back slightly in his chair.
“You should have come to me.”
Luna looked up automatically.
“What?”
“If you were scared,” he said smoothly. “You shouldn’t wander around the mansion alone at night.”
There was nothing openly wrong with the statement.
Nothing obvious.
But it still made her chest tighten.
“I was fine,” she said quickly.
Richard’s gaze lingered on her face again.
“You don’t always have to pretend you’re fine here, Luna.”
The way he said her name felt too soft.
Too personal.
Before she could answer, footsteps entered the room.
Hamilton.
Luna immediately looked away.
As if that would somehow hide the tension from last night.
Hamilton sat down quietly without speaking.
But Luna noticed the way his eyes briefly flicked toward Richard.
Sharp.
Guarded.
Richard noticed too.
The silence around the table thickened instantly.
Then Richard smiled slightly.
“Hamilton,” he said calmly. “You seemed busy last night.”
Hamilton’s jaw tightened almost immediately.
“I couldn’t sleep.”
“Interesting.”
Luna felt her stomach twist.
Richard knew exactly what he was doing.
Testing them.
Watching them react.
Her mother looked between them, confused by the strange atmosphere.
“Did something happen last night?” she asked lightly.
“No,” Hamilton answered immediately.
At the same time Luna said,
“Nothing.”
Their eyes met briefly across the table.
Too fast.
But Richard noticed.
Of course he noticed.
A slow smile touched his face before he looked back down at his tablet.
The rest of breakfast felt unbearable.
Luna barely touched her food before standing suddenly.
“I’m going outside.”
Her mother frowned slightly.
“You hardly eat anymore.”
“I’m just tired.”
Before anyone could stop her, Luna left the dining room quickly.
The moment she stepped into the hallway, she exhaled sharply.
Everything in this house felt like a game she did not understand.
And somehow, Richard always felt one step ahead.
As Luna walked toward the front doors, a voice stopped her.
“Luna.”
She turned slowly.
Richard.
Alone this time.
Her chest tightened immediately.
“Yes?”
He walked toward her calmly, hands in his pockets.
“I hope Hamilton isn’t making you uncomfortable.”
The question caught her off guard.
“What?”
Richard tilted his head slightly.
“He can be intense sometimes.”
Luna stared at him carefully.
Why did this suddenly feel like a trap?
“He’s fine,” she answered cautiously.
Richard stopped directly in front of her now.
Too close.
“You can tell me if he bothers you.”
His gaze stayed locked on hers.
Heavy.
Lingering.
Luna stepped back slightly before she could stop herself.
Something flickered in Richard’s expression when she moved away.
Gone almost instantly.
“I should go,” she said quietly.
But Richard reached out suddenly, gently brushing something from her hair.
The touch lasted too long.
Luna froze.
“There,” he murmured softly. “Better.”
Her stomach tightened painfully.
Every instinct inside her screamed that something about this was wrong.
Very wrong.
Then—
“What’s going on?”
Hamilton’s voice.
Sharp.
Cold.
Luna stepped away from Richard immediately.
Hamilton stood several feet away, tension written all over his face.
Richard turned calmly.
“Nothing,” he said smoothly.
Hamilton looked at Luna instead.
Not Richard.
Luna noticed the way his jaw tightened when he saw her expression.
He knew.
Richard noticed that too.
And suddenly the atmosphere became dangerous.
Invisible.
But dangerous.
Richard smiled slightly.
“You’re very protective lately,” he said casually.
Hamilton’s eyes darkened instantly.
“Someone has to be.”
Silence.
Heavy silence.
Luna’s heartbeat quickened painfully.
Because for the first time—
Richard stopped smiling.
Only for a second.
But it was enough.
Enough for Luna to see something darker underneath his calm exterior.
Something cold.
Then it disappeared.
Just like that.
“Well,” Richard said smoothly, adjusting his sleeves. “I have work to do.”
His eyes landed on Luna one last time.
“Try to stay out of trouble.”
Then he walked away.
The second he disappeared, Luna exhaled shakily.
Hamilton looked furious.
“What did he do?” he asked immediately.
“Nothing.”
“That’s a lie.”
Luna crossed her arms tightly.
“He just…”
She stopped.
Because saying it out loud suddenly made everything feel more real.
Hamilton stepped closer.
“What did he do?”
Luna looked away briefly before answering quietly,
“He touched me.”
The silence afterward felt suffocating.
Hamilton went completely still.
And when Luna looked back at him—
The anger in his eyes genuinely scared her.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD