The mansion's silence that evening was deafening, broken only by the soft ticking of the antique clock in the hallway. Zara sat by the window in her room, eyes tracing the patterns of raindrops sliding down the glass. The air felt heavier than usual, like it carried secrets waiting to burst.
Her heart ached not just from the recent humiliations, but from the growing distance between her and Damien. Ever since the incident with Celine, he'd become more withdrawn, drowning himself in work and silence. She hadn't seen him for two days now, and though she told herself she didn't care, her chest told a different story.
The door creaked open, and she turned sharply. It was Lucille, Damien's grandmother, holding a tray of tea and pastries.
"You barely eat,"eleanor said softly, walking in. "You'll vanish if you continue like this."
Zara managed a weak smile. "I'm not very hungry."
Eleanor placed the tray down and sat beside her. "You don't have to face this house alone, dear. I know things have been… difficult."
Zara's lips trembled. "Why didn't you tell me they'd come for me like that?"
Eleanor sighed. "Because if I had, you wouldn't have agreed. And I thought,I hoped they'd be civil. But I was wrong."
Zara turned her gaze back to the rain. "Everyone here thinks I'm after something. Money. Power. Damien."
"And are you?" Eleanor asked, tone gentle but firm.
Zara blinked. "I don't know anymore. At first… I just wanted to survive. Now" she swallowed "I just want peace."
Eleanor reached over, squeezing her hand. "It won't always be this way. And Damien he may be distant, but don't mistake that for apathy."
Zara looked down, voice low. "He avoids me."
"Because he's confused," Eleanor said. "He's never had someone challenge his world like you have."
Downstairs, Damien stood by the entrance hall, having heard the faint echoes of their conversation. Something about Zara's quiet pain made his chest tighten. Guilt, frustration, and a strange fear of being vulnerable.
He turned away when footsteps approached. Eleanor.
She leaned against the stair banister with a smile. "Thinking about her again?"
Damien gave her a warning look. "Don't start."
"I'm only observing," she said sweetly, stepping closer. "It's strange watching you tiptoe around a girl. The Damien I knew wasn't afraid of anything."
"That Damien died the day he learned trust can be a weapon," he replied coldly.
Eleanor's smile thinned. "Maybe. Or maybe he's still alive and just hiding."
With a final glare, Damien walked past her, headed to his study, needing space before the walls crumbled further.
***
Later that night, Zara took a walk through the garden despite the light drizzle. The night air cleared her mind, but her peace was short-lived when she received an email on her phone, which looked suspicious.
"…if she continues to stay, we might need to push her harder."
Celine.
Zara ducked behind a trimmed hedge, heart pounding as she listened to the message as she listened she realized someone was with Celine—lucille.
"She's stubborn," Lucille, Celine's friend said. "But Damien's cold shoulder will wear her down. Let her believe she's unwanted."
"And then?" Celine asked.
"Then you take everything."
Zara froze, rage flooding her veins. She stepped forward and proceeed to her room , making just enough noise to startle the maids.
Then her phone vibrated, realizing it was another message from the same strange number
"Zara, I am just hoping you would know how strong you are despite everything."
Zara smiled tightly. "Of course. You wouldn't expect anything less from me especially when it's about women with so many… layers"
Without another word, she decided , fists clenched.
She couldn't run anymore. Not yet. Not without a fight.