Twisted desire

Chapter 7

Luna barely slept.

Every time she closed her eyes, she

saw the photograph again.

The girl’s smile.

Richard’s hand on her waist.

The date written at the bottom.

Summer of 2018.

It did not feel real.

Nothing about this house felt real

anymore.

By morning, exhaustion sat heavily in

her chest, but she forced herself out of

bed anyway. Staying alone in her room

would only make her thoughts worse.

The hallway outside was quiet.

Of course it was.

This mansion always felt too quiet, like

everyone inside it was hiding something.

Luna walked downstairs slowly, trying

to act normal even though her mind was

racing.

Richard was already in the dining room.

The moment his eyes lifted to hers, her

stomach tightened.

Had he noticed something?

Did he know she had been inside his

office?

“Good morning,” he said smoothly.

Luna forced herself to smile.

“Morning.”

His gaze lingered on her face for a

second too long.

“You look tired.”

“I didn’t sleep well.”

“That’s unfortunate.”

The way he said it sounded almost

personal.

Like he cared too much.

Luna sat down carefully, trying not to

look nervous.

Hamilton walked in a few moments

later.

His eyes found hers immediately.

And just like that, she knew.

He noticed something was wrong.

He sat across from her silently.

The tension between all three of them

felt heavier now.

Dangerously heavy.

Luna kept her eyes on her plate.

If Richard knew she had found those

photographs…

She did not even want to imagine his

reaction.

“Luna.”

She looked up.

Richard was watching her carefully.

“Yes?”

“I was thinking,” he said slowly, “maybe

we could spend some time together

today. You still haven’t fully settled in.”

Every muscle in her body tightened.

“Oh… I actually planned on staying in

my room for a while.”

A small smile appeared on his face.

“You shouldn’t isolate yourself.”

Before Luna could respond—

“She’s busy.”

Hamilton’s voice cut through the room

sharply.

Silence followed instantly.

Richard looked at him slowly.

“And how would you know that?”

Hamilton leaned back in his chair

casually, but Luna could see the tension

in his jaw.

“Because she told me.”

That was not true.

But Luna understood immediately what

he was doing.

Richard’s eyes moved between them.

Careful.

Observing.

Luna suddenly felt exposed.

Like he was noticing things he should

not.

After a long moment, Richard smiled

again.

“Another time then.”

But something about his expression

had changed.

The atmosphere stayed tense for the

rest of breakfast.

Luna could barely breathe by the time

it ended.

The second Richard left the room,

Hamilton stood.

“Come with me.”

She frowned slightly.

“What?”

“Now.”

His tone left no room for argument.

Luna followed him upstairs quickly, her

heartbeat speeding up again.

The moment they entered an empty

hallway, Hamilton turned toward her.

“You went into his office.”

Her eyes widened.

“How did you know?”

“Because you look terrified.”

She swallowed.

“I found photographs.”

His expression darkened instantly.

“What photographs?”

“Girls,” Luna whispered. “Different

girls.”

Hamilton closed his eyes briefly.

Like he already knew.

“You weren’t supposed to see that.”

“Well, I did.”

Silence.

Luna looked at him carefully.

“You knew about them.”

It was not a question.

His jaw tightened.

“Yes.”

Her chest tightened painfully.

“So everything you said was true.”

“I told you not to trust him.”

“And you still won’t explain everything!”

Her voice rose slightly.

Hamilton stepped closer quickly.

“Keep your voice down.”

Luna crossed her arms tightly.

“Why are you acting like this is

normal?”

“It’s not.”

“Then why are you so calm?”

That made something shift in his

expression.

For the first time since meeting him,

Luna saw real anger break through.

“I’m not calm.”

The words came out lower this time.

Sharper.

“You think I enjoy watching this happen

again?”

Luna froze.

Again.

The word hit differently now.

The silence between them felt heavy.

Then quieter, Hamilton said,

“You need to stop digging.”

Her brows furrowed.

“You expect me to pretend none of this

exists?”

“I expect you to stay safe.”

“I’m not a child.”

“I know that.”

“Then stop treating me like one.”

Hamilton stared at her for a long

moment.

Too long.

And suddenly, the tension between

them shifted into something else.

Something dangerous.

Luna became aware of how close he

was standing.

Close enough that she could feel the

heat coming from him.

Neither of them moved.

Neither looked away.

“You don’t listen,” he said quietly.

“You don’t explain.”

A pause.

Then unexpectedly—

Hamilton laughed softly.

Just once.

It caught her completely off guard.

“What?”

“You’re stubborn.”

Luna rolled her eyes slightly.

“And you’re annoying.”

His lips twitched again.

That almost smile.

The one she was starting to notice

more often.

Then thunder suddenly echoed outside.

Luna flinched slightly.

A storm.

Rain began hitting the windows heavily

within seconds.

The lights flickered once.

Twice.

Then everything went dark.

Luna froze.

The hallway fell completely silent

except for the storm outside.

“Great,” she muttered softly.

Hamilton moved immediately.

“It’s just the power.”

“I know.”

But her voice sounded less confident

than she wanted.

Another loud crack of thunder shook

the house.

Without thinking, Luna stepped closer

to him.

Hamilton went still.

The darkness around them somehow

made everything feel more intense.

More personal.

“I hate storms,” she admitted quietly.

For a second, neither of them spoke.

Then Hamilton’s voice came softer this

time.

“You’re okay.”

The words should not have affected

her the way they did.

But they did.

Because suddenly, standing there in

the dark with him felt safer than

anywhere else in the mansion.

Another flash of lightning lit the

hallway briefly.

And for one second, Luna saw the way

Hamilton was looking at her.

Not cold.

Not distant.

Something else entirely.

Her heartbeat stumbled.

Neither of them moved.

The tension between them felt

unbearable now.

Like something was about to happen.

Hamilton’s eyes dropped briefly to her

lips.

Luna stopped breathing.

And then—

The lights came back on.

Both of them stepped apart instantly.

Reality crashing back too fast.

Neither spoke.

Neither looked at each other.

Until a voice suddenly cut through the

hallway.

“What’s going on here?”

Luna turned sharply.

Richard stood at the end of the hallway.

Watching them.

And for the first time since she had met

him…

He did not look calm at all.