Twisted desire

Chapter 9

The mansion no longer felt quiet.

Now it felt watchful.

Every hallway seemed colder. Every

room felt heavier. Even the air around

Luna

carried tension she could not escape.

And the worst part?

Richard kept acting normal.

Too normal.

That terrified her more than anger ever

could.

At breakfast, he smiled politely.

At lunch, he asked her mother about

vacation plans.

At dinner, he laughed softly at things

that were not even funny.

Meanwhile, Hamilton barely spoke

anymore.

The tension between father and son

had become impossible to ignore.

Even Luna’s mother seemed to notice it

now.

“Is everything alright between you

two?” she asked one evening during

dinner.

Hamilton looked up briefly.

“Perfect.”

The word sounded almost mocking.

Richard smiled calmly as he cut into his

food.

“Work has been stressful lately,” he said

smoothly.

Luna watched both of them carefully.

Neither looked at the other directly.

But the hatred between them sat

heavily at the table.

And somehow…

She was right in the middle of it.

Later that night, Luna could not sleep

again.

Rain tapped softly against the windows

while shadows stretched across her

room.

Her thoughts kept circling the same

questions.

What happened to the girls?

Why was Richard acting so calm?

And why did Hamilton look at her like

he was trying to protect her from

something terrible?

Luna sat up slowly.

She needed answers.

Even if Hamilton hated it.

Quietly, she slipped out of her room

and moved through the dark hallway.

The mansion was silent.

Almost everyone was asleep.

A faint light glowed from downstairs.

Luna followed it carefully.

She found Hamilton standing near the

back terrace doors, staring out into the

rain.

He looked tense.

Lost in thought.

For a moment, she simply watched him.

Then softly—

“You really do not sleep, do you?”

Hamilton turned immediately.

His expression shifted the moment he

saw her.

“What are you doing awake?”

“I could ask you the same thing.”

He sighed quietly.

“You should not wander around this

house alone at night.”

“There you go again.”

Luna stepped closer.

“Always warning me.”

“Because you do not listen.”

The rain outside grew heavier.

Thunder rumbled softly in the distance.

Luna crossed her arms.

“Then maybe explain things properly

for once.”

Hamilton looked away briefly.

Like he was debating how much to say.

Finally, he spoke.

“The girls from the photographs

eventually left.”

“Left?”

“That is what everyone says.”

Luna frowned.

“What does that mean?”

His jaw tightened.

“It means nobody asks questions.”

A chill ran through her.

“You think something happened to

them.”

Hamilton’s silence answered her again.

Luna stared at him.

“You really believe your father is

capable of something terrible.”

His eyes met hers.

“You do not?”

The question hit harder than she

expected.

Because the truth was—

She did not know anymore.

Richard frightened her.

Not openly.

Not obviously.

But quietly.

In ways she could not explain.

Luna stepped closer without realizingit.

Hamilton noticed immediately.

The tension between them shifted

again.

That same dangerous pull.

“You keep looking at me like that,” he

said quietly.

Her heartbeat stumbled.

“Like what?”

His eyes dropped briefly to her lips

before returning to her gaze.

“Like you are trying to decide whether

to trust me.”

Luna swallowed softly.

“Maybe I am.”

A long silence stretched between them.

The rain filled the space around them.

Neither moved away.

Hamilton looked exhausted tonight.

Not physically.

Emotionally.

Like he had been carrying something

heavy for a very long time.

“You should not be involved in any of

this,” he said quietly.

“But I already am.”

His gaze darkened slightly.

“Yes.”

The word came out almost frustrated.

Luna looked at him carefully.

“And what about you?” she asked

softly. “Why are you still here?”

A pause.

Then another.

Finally—

“Because someone has to stay.”

The answer made her chest tighten.

Before she could respond, lightning

flashed outside, briefly illuminating the

room.

For one second, they stood impossibly

close.

Luna became painfully aware of

everything.

His eyes.

His breathing.

The tension between them.

And then Hamilton lifted his hand

slightly—

Like he wanted to touch her face.

But stopped himself.

The moment shattered instantly.

A voice echoed behind them.

“You two seem close.”

Luna froze.

Her blood ran cold.

Slowly, they turned.

Richard stood near the hallway

entrance.

Watching them.

Calm.

Composed.

Smiling.

But his eyes—

His eyes looked dangerous.

Hamilton immediately stepped away

from Luna.

Too late.

Richard had already seen everything.

Silence filled the room.

Heavy.

Unbearable.

Luna’s heartbeat pounded painfully

inside her chest.

But Richard simply adjusted the cuff of

his sleeve calmly.

“You should both get some sleep,” he

said softly.

No anger.

No shouting.

Nothing.

Which somehow made it worse.

Much worse.

Hamilton stared at him carefully.

Like he was waiting for something.

But Richard only smiled faintly at Luna.

“Goodnight.”

Then he walked away.

Just like that.

Luna stood frozen long after he

disappeared.

The silence afterward felt terrifying.

Hamilton cursed quietly under his

breath.

Luna looked at him nervously.

“He is planning something.”

Hamilton’s expression darkened

immediately.

“I know.”

And for the first time since entering the

mansion—

Luna truly felt trapped.