Third person's POV
As the last of the party guests filtered out, Jade found herself lingering in the living room, her eyes constantly drawn to the staircase where Andrew had disappeared with his father. The abrupt end to the party left an uneasy atmosphere hanging in the air.
"You okay?" Thomas asked, touching her arm lightly.
"Yeah, just worried about Andrew. He looked so pale." Jade nodded and replied, forcing a smile.
Thomas squeezed her shoulder reassuringly before saying his goodbyes. As the front door closed behind him, the house fell into an eerie silence.
"Huh!" Jade exhaled sharply.
Then she wandered into the kitchen, intending to get a glass of water, when she heard her mother's voice coming from the kitchen's store. The door was slightly ajar, and Selena's tone was hushed but urgent.
"Yeah, right ..." Selena was saying, her voice barely above a whisper.
"There has been a complication. No, I couldn't ... The boy is more difficult than I anticipated. He messed up the party. I couldn't get close at all. And Raymond was there too quickly. I have to restrategize." She added.
Jade froze, her hand halfway to the cabinet. Her mind reeled. What plan? What complication? And why was her mother being so secretive?
"What is my mom up to? What does she mean about Andrew being difficult?" She mumbled under her breath.
"Listen," Selena continued, her tone growing sharp. "I've worked too hard to get us into this position. I won't let some moody teenager ruin everything. Raymond's wealth and influence are within our grasp." She maintained firmly.
Jade had to clamp a hand over her mouth to stifle her gasp. This couldn't be real. Her mother had always said they moved in with Raymond because of love, not for his money or status.
She inched closer to the store's door, straining her ears to hear more.
"Just be ready," Selena continued after a pause.
"I would need you to dig deeper into their family history. There's something off about Raymond and Andrew, and I need to know what it is to maintain my advantage. I'll contact you when I have more information about the new plans." Selena added.
The sound of a phone being set down followed, then silence. Jade's heart raced. She was about to step away when she heard her mother sigh heavily.
The sudden scrape of a chair against the floor startled Jade into action. She hurried to the sink, turning on the tap just as Selena emerged from the store.
Selena was shocked to find Jade there. She hoped her daughter hadn't overheard her call conversation.
"Jade? What are you doing?" Selena's voice was surprisingly sharp.
Jade turned, trying to keep her expression neutral.
"Just getting some water. Is everything okay, Mom? You sound stressed." She asked her mother.
Selena's face softened, but something in her eyes remained guarded.
"Everything is fine, sweetheart. It's just been a long day." She paused, studying Jade's face. "Did you perhaps ... hear anything just now?" She inquired, carefully.
"Hear anything?" Jade echoed, her heart pounding. She swallowed hard to regain her composure before continuing.
"No, I just came in. Why? Is something wrong?" Jade asked.
For a moment, Selena looked like she might say more. Then she shook her head, smiling.
"No, nothing is wrong. I think I'm just tired. I'm going to head to bed. Don't stay up too late, okay?" She said to Jade, the latter quickly nodded in obedience.
As Selena climbed the stairs, Jade leaned against the kitchen counter, her mind racing. Her mother was definitely hiding something, and it had to do with Raymond. But what? And how did it connect to Andrew's strange behavior earlier?
Jade looked up at the ceiling, imagining Andrew in his room above. Was he really sick, or was something else going on? Or did he knows about her mother's plan, already?
One thing was certain: her mother was up to something bad in this house, and Jade was now determined to uncover the secrets.
Taking a deep breath, Jade began to climb the stairs, thinking of how to dig out whatever her mother was hiding and subsequently stopping her from going further.
"She must be stopped. I won't let her achieve her goal, no matter what it is." Jade mumbled under her breath.
As she reached the landing, her eyes were drawn to Andrew's closed door at the end of the hallway, opposite hers.
"Should I check on him or just go into my room?" She contemplated. The thought of Andrew lying there, possibly ill or troubled, tugged at her heart. But what if he was asleep? Or worse, what if Raymond was still with him?
Jade took a tentative step towards Andrew's room, then another. The house seemed to hold its breath around her, the silence broken only by the pounding of her own heart in her ears.
Just as she raised her hand to knock, a floorboard groaned behind her. Jade whirled around, her heart leaping into her throat.
Raymond stood there, his tall frame casting a long shadow in the dim hallway. His expression was unreadable, but there was an intensity in his eyes that made Jade take an involuntary step back.
"Oh my God! You scared me! I didn't even realize someone has been behind me." Jade rushed out, panting lowly.
"Jade," Raymond called out, his voice low and controlled.
"It is late. Is everything alright?" He inquired.
Jade swallowed hard, her mind racing for an explanation.
"I... I was just worried about Andrew. I wanted to see if he was feeling any better." She finally said to him.
Raymond's gaze flickered to Andrew's door, then back to Jade. For a moment, she thought she saw a flicker of... something in his eyes. Concern? Fear? But it was gone so quickly she couldn't be sure.
"Andrew is resting," Raymond said firmly. "He needs his sleep to recover. I'm sure he'll be fine in the morning." He concluded.
Jade nodded, not trusting herself to speak. As she turned to go back to her room, Raymond's hand gently caught her arm.
"Jade," he said, his tone softer now. "I appreciate your concern for Andrew. But in this house... it's best not to wander around at night. For your own safety."
Before Jade could ask what he meant, Raymond had already turned away, disappearing into the master bedroom he shared with Selena.
Jade stood frozen in the hallway, her mind reeling. What did Raymond mean about her safety? And why did he seem so adamant about keeping her away from Andrew?