Aurora paced back and forth in her room. Her heart felt heavy, and her mind was a jumbled mess. Raphael’s words haunted her. The way he looked at her, the way he spoke it was like he knew something she didn’t.
“You’ll regret ever being here.”
What did he mean? She couldn’t make sense of it, but deep down, she felt something wasn’t right. There were too many questions, too many secrets, and she was caught in the middle of it all.
Unable to sit with her thoughts any longer, Aurora decided she needed to talk to someone. Luna. She was the only person in this house who had ever shown her any kindness.
Aurora stepped out of her room and tiptoed down the hallway. The mansion was quiet, but the silence felt heavy, like it was holding secrets in its walls.
When she reached Luna’s room, she knocked softly.
“Come in,” came Luna’s gentle voice.
Aurora opened the door and found Luna sitting on her bed, reading a book. She looked up, surprised to see Aurora.
“Aurora? What’s wrong?”
Aurora closed the door behind her and sat on the edge of the bed. Her hands trembled as she tried to find the words.
“It’s Raphael,” she said finally. “He… he said something to me, and it’s been bothering me.”
Luna put the book aside and gave Aurora her full attention. “What did he say?”
Aurora hesitated, her voice barely above a whisper. “He said I’ll find out why I was sold to Damian. And when I do, I’ll wish I was never born.”
Luna’s face darkened, but she quickly composed herself. “Raphael has always been… complicated. He enjoys scaring people, Aurora. You can’t let him get to you.”
Aurora shook her head. “It wasn’t just his words, Luna. It was the way he said them. Like he knows something. Like there’s a reason I’m here, and it’s not what I think.”
Luna reached out and placed a comforting hand on Aurora’s arm. “Listen to me. This house is full of secrets, yes, but that doesn’t mean you’re in danger. Damian is harsh, but if he wanted to hurt you, he would have done it by now.”
Aurora looked at her, her eyes filled with doubt. “But what if Raphael is right? What if there’s something I don’t know?”
Luna sighed, her expression softening. “I won’t lie to you, Aurora. There are things that don’t make sense, but until you have answers, you’re only going to drive yourself crazy trying to figure it all out. You need to stay strong. Don’t let Raphael or anyone else get into your head.”
Aurora nodded slowly, though her heart was still heavy. “I just… I feel like I don’t belong here, Luna. Like I’m a piece in a game I don’t understand.”
Luna gave her a sad smile. “Sometimes it feels that way for all of us. But you’re stronger than you think. Just take it one day at a time, okay?”
Aurora tried to smile back, though it didn’t reach her eyes. “Thank you, Luna. You’re the only one here who’s been kind to me.”
Luna squeezed her hand. “You’re not alone, Aurora. Remember that.”
Later that day, Aurora decided to step outside for some fresh air. She couldn’t shake the feeling of unease, but Luna’s words gave her a small sense of comfort.
As she walked through the hallway, she heard footsteps behind her. Turning around, she froze. It was Damian’s father.
He stopped a few feet away from her, his eyes locking onto hers. His gaze was cold, calculating, and it sent a chill down her spine.
Aurora stood there, unable to move or speak. She felt like a rabbit caught in the eyes of a predator.
The older man didn’t say a word. He simply stared at her for what felt like an eternity. Then, without breaking eye contact, he turned and walked away, leaving her standing there, her heart pounding.
Aurora pressed her back against the wall, her legs feeling weak. There was something about Damian’s father that was even more intimidating than Damian himself. His silence was louder than any words he could have spoken.
She hurried back to her room, her mind racing. Who was he? And why did he look at her like that?
In his study, Damian’s father poured himself a drink, his thoughts lingering on the girl he had just seen. She was nothing like he expected. Young, fragile-looking, and clearly out of her depth.
“Interesting,” he muttered to himself, a faint smirk on his lips.
Aurora sat on her bed, her arms wrapped around herself. She couldn’t get that stare out of her mind. It was like he could see right through her, like he knew something she didn’t.
Her thoughts went back to Raphael’s words, Luna’s comforting advice, and now Damian’s father’s unsettling presence. It all felt connected somehow, but she couldn’t piece it together.
The mansion felt more suffocating than ever. Secrets lurked in every corner, and Aurora knew she was at the center of it all.
She lay down, staring at the ceiling, trying to calm her racing mind. But the questions wouldn’t stop.
Why was she here?
What weren’t they telling her?
And most importantly, what was she going to do about it?