The mansion was eerily silent, the only sounds the occasional creak of the wooden floors and the distant howls of the wind outside. Clara sat on the edge of the bed, her fingers trembling as she traced the delicate patterns on the bedspread. She had barely touched the meal that had been delivered to her earlier—roast chicken, vegetables, and a glass of water. The food tasted like ash in her mouth, the only thing she could focus on was the gnawing fear in her stomach.
How did she end up here? What was Benjamin D'Angelo's true purpose in bringing her to this grim place?
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps outside her door. Clara's heart raced as she straightened, her pulse quickening. The door opened without warning, and she found herself face-to-face with the man who had kidnapped her—the man who was both her captor and, as she was beginning to realize, the source of her confusion.
Benjamin stood in the doorway, his tall frame imposing, yet there was something different about him now—something less detached. His eyes, cold as steel, softened for just a moment as they met hers. For a brief instant, she saw a flicker of vulnerability beneath the hardened exterior, but it was gone before she could truly process it.
"Get up," he commanded, his voice as sharp as ever.
Clara stood quickly, trying to ignore the way her heart raced at his proximity. "What do you want from me?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Benjamin stepped inside, closing the door behind him. His gaze flickered over her, analyzing her every movement as if she were some kind of puzzle he couldn't solve.
"You're not involved in the plot against me," he said, his voice steady but with a tinge of frustration. "But you're connected to someone who is." He paused, looking at her carefully. "The traitor… the one who's been leaking information."
Clara shook her head, confusion clouding her thoughts. "I don't know who you're talking about. I swear, I have no connection to anyone involved in your business. I just… I run a flower shop."
Benjamin's gaze lingered on her for a moment longer, as if trying to read her every word. He took a step closer, his presence overwhelming her.
"I know you don't, but someone close to you does. And I intend to find out who," he said, his voice low and cold. "If you don't want to be a part of this, you'll help me."
Clara's breath caught in her throat. "Help you? How?"
Benjamin regarded her quietly for a moment before responding, his words measured. "Tell me who your stepmother and stepsisters are working with. They're the ones who brought you into this."
Clara recoiled at the mention of her stepfamily. She had always known that Vivian and her daughters—Mira and Celine—had no love for her. But to think they could be involved with people like Benjamin? It was unthinkable.
"They have nothing to do with this," Clara said, her voice shaking with a mix of disbelief and fear. "My stepmother… she's a horrible person, but she's not involved in anything like this."
Benjamin's eyes darkened, a flash of anger passing through him. "They're lying to you, Clara. And they've been lying to me for a long time. I'm going to find out the truth, one way or another."
Clara took a step back, fear tightening in her chest. "I don't know anything about this, Benjamin. Please, I don't want to be a part of your world. I just want to go home."
Benjamin's gaze softened, his expression unreadable. "I can't let you go, Clara. Not yet. Not until I'm sure of what's going on." He exhaled sharply, as though frustrated with himself. "But I promise you this. I won't hurt you. Not unless I have to."
Clara looked into his eyes, searching for any sign of truth, any hint of kindness in the cold depths of his gaze. She found nothing.
Benjamin turned abruptly, his back to her now. "Get some rest. Tomorrow, we'll begin figuring out where your stepmother's loyalties lie."
Clara swallowed hard as he left, the door closing softly behind him. She didn't understand any of it—the betrayal, the danger, the twisted fate that had led her to this mansion. But she couldn't shake the feeling that her life, in ways she couldn't yet comprehend, was about to change forever.