Scarle Hawthorne had always thought of herself as an ordinary girl. The kind of person who is blended into her background, stay unnoticed, and happy to live a life of quiet routine. That was until the accident changed everything, her parents gone, her life flipped upside down in a matter of moments. No one had warned her about what would have come next, about the darkness lurking just beyond the surface.
The drive to the Ashford mansion felt unreal. The car speed down a narrow, tree-lined road, the forest on other side of the car was thick with shadows as the sun set behind the hills. She had never been to any mansion before, though she knew the Ashford brothers named as Kier, Daman, and Lucan. Everyone in town knew about them, but no one truly understood them. They were wealthy, powerful, and dangerous, a lethal combination of mystery that drew people in a while keeping them at arm's length.
That was her parents will, and she learned that the Ashford brothers would become her legal guardians, something inside her gets twisted. There was something wrong about the whole situation. She barely knew them, Kier had been away at college, Daman was known for causing trouble, and Lucan, the youngest, was rumored to be the charming one, though Scarle couldn't imagine any charm in this scenario.
Her fingers tightened around the straps of her backpack as the mansion loom into view. It wasn't just big—it was enormous over the sprawling estate like a dark castle. The slight, modern design contrasted sharply with the unusual atmosphere that clung to it like fog. She could already feel the weight of the place pressing down on her.
The car pulled up to the entrance, the gravel was crunching beneath the tires. She stepped out, her eyes scanning the front of the mansion, where three figures were stood waiting.
Her heart pounded in her chest as she approached them.
All brothers were more intimidating in person than she had imagined. Kier, one of the eldest, stood tall with an air of command about him. His sharp features and piercing gray eyes were enough to freeze anyone in place, and the coldness in his gaze sent her shivers. He didn't move as she approached, his expression was unreadable, like a statue carved from stone.
Daman, the middle brother, looked every bit the wild child the rumors had described him as. His dark, messy hair fell over his forehead, and there was something untamed in his blue eyes glittered when they met hers. He smirked, his gaze was sweeping over her, making her feel exposed in a way that made her heart burst.
And then there was Lucan, the youngest. He had a softer look about him, with curly hair and warm, almost inviting brown eyes. But there was something in the way he smiled, a small, grin, made her feel as though he wasn't as innocent type as he appeared.
"Scarle," Kier greeted her, his voice low and smooth. "Welcome to your new home."
Scarle swallowed hard, feeling the weight of their stares. She glanced back at the car, but the driver had already pulled away, leaving her standing alone in front of the three brothers.
"Thank you," she managed to say, her voice whisper.
"Come on in," Daman said, stepping forward and gesturing toward the massive wooden doors of their mansion. "We don't bite… unless you ask."
Lucan snorted softly, shaking his head at his brother's remark, but the smirk on Daman's lips didn't fade.
Scarle forced herself to take a step forward, then another, until she was following them into the mansion. The inside was even more overwhelming than the exterior. The marble floors shine under the light of crystal chandeliers, and the walls were lined with expensive art and sculptures that must have a high cost. It was the kind of place that looked more like a museum than a home.
Kier led the way through the grand hall, his footsteps were echoing loudly in the empty space. Daman walked behind her, and she could feel his eyes on her the entire time. Lucan kept pace beside her, occasionally glancing her but not saying anything.
They led her up a staircase to the second floor, where long hallways branched off in every direction.
"This will be your room," Kier said, stopping in front of a door at the far end of the corridor. He opened it and stepped aside, letting her walk in first.
The room was beautiful, far too beautiful for her. The walls were a soft gray, the bed was enormous and was cover in silk sheets. There was a large window overlooking the estate, and a private bathroom attached to it. It was the kind of room she had only ever seen in movies or magazines.
But it wasn't home. It was a cage.
"You'll be comfortable here," Kier said, stepping into the room and closing the door behind him, leaving them alone. "There are rules, Scarle, and you'll be expected to follow them."
"Rules?" she asked.
Kier's eyes darkened, and he took a step towards her, closing the distance between them in an instant. "Yes, rules," he said, his voice low. "You belong to us now."
The weight of his words settled over her like a suffocation. She wanted to run, to escape this nightmare, but there was nowhere to go. She was trapped in this house, under the control of three men she barely knew.
"We'll discuss them in detail tomorrow," Kier continued, he was constantly staring her. "For now, get some rest. You're going to need it."
With that, he turned and left the room, closing the door behind him.
Scarle stood frozen in place, her heart was racing as she stared at the closed door. She felt like she had been dropped into the middle of some dream, one where nothing made sense and danger seems around every corner.
Her legs trembled as she made her way to the bed, sinking down onto the edge. She felt like a prisoner in an invisible cage, trapped by the weight of her new reality. The three brothers were not like anyone she had ever met before. They seem dangerous, unpredictable, and utterly in control.
As she lay back on the silk bed sheets, her mind raced with questions. What had she gotten herself into? What did the brothers really want from her? And most importantly, how was she going to survive this?
Scarle closed her eyes, her thoughts were in a chaotic storm of fear. She was alone in a house full of men who saw her as something to be claimed and controlled.
But she wasn't going to let them break her. She would find a way to fight back, to escape their grasp. She had to.
To be continued...