Sarah's POV
The Blackwood Mansion loomed in the distance as the car wound its way up the private road, its shadow stretching long against the fading afternoon sun. The sprawling estate was a masterwork of gothic architecture—stone gargoyles perched on its corners, dark ivy curling around its turrets like sinister vines.
It should have felt like home. It was, after all, where Eren and I were supposed to start the next chapter of our life together. But as the mansion came into full view, my chest tightened.
The honeymoon had been a blur of lavish dinners, sun-drenched days, and quiet nights, but underneath it all, there was a tension I couldn't shake. Axel's warning lingered in my mind like an uninvited guest, and even though Eren had been attentive and affectionate, I could sense a barrier between us—something he wasn't saying.
Now, as the car pulled to a stop in front of the grand entrance, I felt like I was stepping into a story that was only beginning to unfold.
Eren opened my door and helped me out, his hand warm against mine. "Welcome home, Mrs. Blackwood," he said, his smile easy, though his eyes carried an edge of weariness.
"Home," I repeated, the word tasting strange on my tongue.
The massive front doors swung open, revealing Marjorie, the housekeeper, standing in the entryway. Her tight bun and pressed uniform gave her an air of authority, but her smile was genuine.
"Welcome back, Mr. Blackwood. Mrs. Blackwood," she said, her voice even but warm.
"Thank you, Marjorie," Eren replied, stepping inside and pulling me with him.
The entry hall was just as I remembered—vast, with a high ceiling and an ornate chandelier that cast shimmering light over the polished marble floor. A grand staircase spiraled upward, its dark wood railing gleaming.
But something felt different. The air was heavier, colder, like the house itself was holding its breath.
"I'll have your luggage brought up to your rooms," Marjorie said, disappearing toward the back of the house.
Rooms? I thought, glancing at Eren. "Aren't we sharing a room?"
He turned to me, his expression unreadable. "Of course. She just meant the guest rooms for our things."
I nodded, but the explanation felt thin.
---
Later that evening, I wandered through the mansion, trying to familiarize myself with its vastness. The corridors seemed to stretch endlessly, each one lined with ornate portraits of Blackwood ancestors. Their painted eyes followed me as I walked, and I couldn't shake the feeling that they were judging me, as though I didn't belong here.
The library was one of the only rooms that felt inviting. The scent of aged leather and wood polish filled the air, and the soft glow of a reading lamp cast warm light over the rows of books. I ran my fingers along the spines, marveling at the sheer number of them.
I was just about to settle into one of the armchairs when a soft creak behind me made me freeze.
Turning, I found Axel leaning against the doorframe, his expression inscrutable.
"You're settling in, I see," he said, his voice low.
"Trying to," I replied, keeping my tone neutral. "What are you doing here?"
His lips curved into a faint smile. "I live here, remember? Blackwood is as much mine as it is Eren's."
The reminder sent a chill down my spine. Sharing a roof with Axel felt dangerous, though I couldn't quite explain why.
"Eren's lucky, you know," Axel said, stepping into the room. His movements were slow, deliberate, like a predator sizing up its prey.
"Lucky?" I repeated, my voice catching.
"To have you," he said, his gaze locking onto mine. "You're… extraordinary, Sarah. I hope he knows that."
I swallowed hard, my pulse quickening. "I'm sure he does."
Axel chuckled, the sound low and almost mocking. "I wonder."
The weight of his stare was suffocating, and I felt the urge to flee. "If you'll excuse me," I said, brushing past him toward the door.
But before I could escape, his hand caught my wrist, stopping me in my tracks.
"Be careful, Sarah," he murmured, his voice soft but laced with warning. "You think you know Eren, but there's more to him than you realize."
I yanked my hand free, my heart racing. "Stop playing games, Axel."
He didn't reply, but his eyes followed me as I left the room, his expression a mix of intensity and something darker.
---
Dinner that night was a strained affair. Eren sat at the head of the long dining table, his demeanor calm but distant. Axel was unusually quiet, his eyes flickering between me and Eren with unsettling focus.
The clinking of silverware against porcelain was the only sound, and it filled the silence like a ticking clock.
"How was your day?" Eren asked me, his tone polite but detached.
"It was fine," I said, though I couldn't meet his eyes. "I explored a bit. The mansion is… overwhelming."
"You'll get used to it," he said, offering a small smile.
Axel snorted softly, drawing both our gazes.
"Something to add, brother?" Eren asked, his voice cool.
"Just admiring your optimism," Axel replied, his tone light but cutting.
Eren's jaw tightened, and I could feel the tension crackling between them.
I wanted to say something, to diffuse the situation, but the weight of the day had left me drained. Instead, I excused myself early, retreating to the solitude of our bedroom.
_
That night, I couldn't sleep.
The mansion was too quiet, the kind of quiet that amplifies every creak, every distant sound.
I lay in bed alone, staring at the ceiling as my thoughts churned. Was Axel right? Was Eren hiding something from me?
I hated how the doubt had taken root, how it was spreading through me like poison. I loved Eren—I had built my life around him. But now, it felt like the foundation of that life was cracking.
But then I heard something.
My pulse quickened as I glanced toward the door. It was ajar, and faint light spilled in from the hallway.
Carefully, I slipped out of bed, my bare feet silent against the wooden floor. I followed the light, my heart pounding with each step.
The sound of muffled voices reached me as I approached the study.
Peeking through the crack in the door, I saw Eren standing by the window, his phone pressed to his ear. His posture was tense, his free hand gripping the edge of the desk.
"I told you to handle it," he hissed, his voice low but fierce. "I don't care what it takes—just make sure it doesn't come back to me."
My breath hitched, and I pressed myself closer to the wall.
"There's no room for mistakes," he continued. "If this gets out…" He trailed off, his voice hardening. "Do your job."
He ended the call and ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. For a moment, he just stood there, staring out the window as though the weight of the world was on his shoulders.
I backed away, my heart racing. What had I just heard? What was Eren involved in?
When I returned to bed, I lay there in the dark, my mind spinning. Eren's words echoed in my ears, filling me with a sense of dread I couldn't shake. The man I thought I knew was starting to feel like a stranger.
And as much as I wanted to believe in the life we had built together, I couldn't ignore the nagging feeling...was it built on lies?