Unraveling Secrets
Bella pov
"You stay here; the dinner starts in one hour. My grandfather is studying," Sam said, his voice calm yet distant as he stood at the door. Without waiting for a response, he turned and left me alone in the room.
I sat quietly for a moment, trying to process everything that had just happened. The room around me was beautifully decorated, but it felt oddly childlike like a mini sitting room attached to a bedroom. It was cozy, yet something about the space felt... frozen in time. My gaze wandered to the puzzles and games scattered around the room. Some of them were clearly for children, while others were so complex they would challenge even the sharpest adult mind.
The whole place was spotless, yet there was a layer of dust on the games, indicating they hadn't been touched in years. *Who used to play with these?* I wondered.
Curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to explore further. I walked over to the bathroom and paused when I saw a large family portrait hanging on the wall. In the center stood a small boy clearly Sam flanked by a beautiful woman and a strong, proud man.
"That must be his parents. They look so... perfect," I whispered to myself. My gaze lingered on the boy's face. His expression in the photo was so different from the Sam I knew now cold, detached. The boy in the picture looked happy, carefree even.
As I examined the portrait, my eyes were drawn to the table nearby, filled with trophies and certificates. "First place in mathematics, English, chemistry, relay races, chess... He must have been brilliant," I mused, touching one of the awards gently. The contrast between those achievements and the dusty games made me uneasy. *What happened to him?*
As I moved back to the sitting room, I accidentally knocked over a neatly arranged card puzzle that had been sitting on the table. The cards scattered to the floor. My heart raced as I quickly bent down to pick them up, still trying to arrange them when the door creaked open.
A maid entered the room, startling me.
"Oh, I'm sorry," I said quickly, fumbling with the cards. "I didn't mean to mess this up."
The maid bowed slightly. "Good evening, ma'am."
"Evening. Can you help me with these?" I asked, gesturing to the cards.
The maid nodded and knelt beside me. As we began arranging the cards, I noticed that she wasn't trying to put the puzzle back together in the same order it had been before. Instead, she carefully stacked the cards without arranging them.
"You're not trying to solve it?" I asked.
She shook her head gently. "No one can figure out how the boss arranges his puzzles. Even if we tried, he'd know someone touched them."
I frowned. "You think he'll notice?"
"He always notices," she said quietly. "But don't worry. Just explain it was a mistake. Mr. Asher is very understanding."
I raised an eyebrow. "How long have you been working here?"
"Over 15 years, ma'am."
"Fifteen years?" I repeated, surprised. "You must know Sam pretty well then."
The maid hesitated. "I know quite a bit, yes."
"Can you tell me a little about him?" I asked, leaning in with curiosity.
The maid's face tensed slightly. "I'm sorry, ma'am. We're not allowed to disclose personal details about the family or share anything that happens in the castle."
I sighed but nodded. "I understand. You're just doing your job."
The maid smiled apologetically. "But as his wife, I'm sure you'll find out everything you need to know, ma'am."
I gave her a weak smile. "Thank you, and sorry for putting you in an uncomfortable position."
"It's no trouble, ma'am. I only came to check who was in the room when I saw the door open. I'll be on my way now."
I watched as the maid left the room, feeling more lost than ever. *What kind of family is this?* I thought, shaking my head. I wandered over to the mini fridge and opened it. Inside were rows of fresh fruit, all looking perfectly ripe. I reached for an apple but stopped myself. Sam's warning rang in my ears: *Don't eat or drink anything from anyone.* I quickly returned the apple to its place, unsettled by the implications of his words.
Meanwhile, Sam had made his way to the kitchen, where the staff was preparing for dinner. As he entered, the workers greeted him with smiles and nods of respect, but one woman remained still, focused on her work.
Sam walked over to her and, with a broad smile, hugged her tightly. "You haven't been joining us for dinner lately," the woman said, her voice warm yet tinged with concern.
Sam chuckled softly. "I've been busy. Too much on my plate."
The woman frowned. "Your health matters most, Sam. Don't forget that."
"I know, I know," he replied, his tone light as he smiled at her. "I'll make more time for dinner, I promise."
"Good," she said, visibly more relaxed. "Now, what can I help you with?"
Sam scanned the kitchen and snatched a piece of cake from the counter, taking a bite. "This is delicious," he said through a mouthful.
The woman rolled her eyes, though a small smile tugged at her lips. "You don't need to help. Just get ready for dinner. The chairman will be finishing up soon."
Sam grinned, reaching for another piece of cake. "Save me a slice, okay?"
She laughed softly. "I'll pack some for you. Now go."
With one last smile, Sam left the kitchen, cake in hand.
Elsewhere in the castle, a dark tension simmered. In one of the grand rooms, seven people sat around a long table in eerie silence. The air was thick with unspoken animosity.
"How dare he try to marry and steal my position!" a man at the head of the table fumed, gripping a cup of wine so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
"Calm down," his wife said softly, placing a hand on his arm. "You need to prove yourself if you want Father to trust you with the inheritance."
The woman who had earlier given me the cup of water leaned back, resting her head on her husband's shoulder. "She's right. You've had plenty of time to make your case."
"Watch your mouth," another man across the table snapped, glaring at her.
The woman who had been beating the maid earlier chuckled. "But you have to admit, the girl is beautiful."
"I don't care how she looks," the man with the wine growled. "I want every detail about this girl. I'll deal with her personally for daring to challenge me."
As the room seethed with tension, a bell rang through the castle. A maid appeared at the door, bowing quickly. "The chairman has finished his studying. Dinner will begin in five minutes."
The room fell into a tense silence as the maid left, leaving the family memb
ers to stew in their thoughts. Outside, I had no idea what kind of storm I was about to walk into.