Lina sat in her room, pacing nervously. The events of the evening kept replaying in her mind. Raphael had barged into her room, furious and accusing, and now she couldn’t shake the feeling that her plan had gone horribly wrong.
She clenched her fists, biting her lip. “No, no,” she whispered to herself, shaking her head. “It was supposed to just… make him weak, out of control. That’s all. It wasn’t supposed to-”
Her thoughts trailed off as fear gripped her heart.
She rushed to her dresser, yanking open the drawer where she had hidden the small bottle of drugs she had used. Her hands trembled as she pulled it out, her breath coming in quick, shallow gasps.
Holding the bottle up to the light, Lina squinted at the label. The words blurred for a moment, her hands shaking too much to focus. She steadied herself, forcing her eyes to read the fine print.
When she finally understood the label, her heart stopped.
The drug wasn’t just a mild sedative or something to make Damian lose control. It was far more dangerous.
“Warning,” the label read. “High doses can cause severe respiratory distress, organ failure, or death.”
Lina felt her legs go weak. She sank onto the bed, clutching the bottle in her hands. “No,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “No, this can’t be happening. I didn’t mean for this…”
She threw the bottle onto the bed as if it had burned her. Her mind raced, trying to process what she had just read.
“This is bad,” she muttered, her voice trembling. “This is really, really bad. If Damian dies…”
The thought made her stomach churn. Damian was already sick. He had collapsed, sweating and trembling, and now she understood why. It wasn’t just the wine. It was the poison.
Lina jumped to her feet, pacing the room again. “What do I do? What do I do?” she said to herself, her voice rising in panic.
She stopped suddenly, her heart racing as she heard voices outside. Rushing to her window, she pulled back the curtain just enough to see what was happening.
Down below, in the driveway, she saw several men carrying Damian out of the house. His body was limp, his head lolled to the side. Raphael was barking orders at the maids, his voice sharp and commanding.
Lina’s chest tightened as she watched the scene unfold. Raphael and a young maid she recognized as Luna followed behind the group, their faces pale with worry.
“Oh, no,” Lina whispered, stepping back from the window. Her hands flew to her mouth as terror gripped her. “They’re taking him to the hospital. They’ll figure it out. They’ll know it was me…”
Her breathing quickened as the realization sank in. If Damian died and they found out what she had done, she wouldn’t just lose her place in the house-she’d lose everything.
“No,” she said to herself firmly. “I can’t let that happen. I have to leave. I have to get out of here before they find out.”
Her hands shook as she grabbed her phone, scrolling quickly through her contacts until she found the name she was looking for: her father.
The phone rang several times before he answered, his voice gruff and impatient. “Lina,” he said. “Why are you calling me so late?”
“Dad,” Lina said, her voice trembling. “I’m in trouble.”
There was a pause on the other end of the line. “What kind of trouble?” he asked cautiously.
“I… I’ve done something horrible,” Lina admitted, tears welling in her eyes. “Something really bad. And if they find out, I’m not sure they’ll forgive me.”
Her father’s voice hardened. “Lina, what did you do?”
“I can’t explain everything right now,” she said quickly, pacing the room. “But I need to leave. I need to get out of here before it’s too late.”
Her father let out a heavy sigh. “Lina, you’re not making any sense. Start from the beginning. What happened?”
Lina shook her head, even though he couldn’t see her. “There’s no time,” she said urgently. “Just send someone to come get me. Please, Dad. I’ll tell you everything when I’m safe.”
Her father was silent for a moment. When he spoke again, his tone was firm. “Fine,” he said. “I’ll send a car. But, Lina, this better not be another one of your games.”
“It’s not a game,” Lina said quickly, wiping her tears. “I swear. Just hurry.”
She ended the call and tossed the phone onto the bed, her hands trembling. The weight of what she had done pressed down on her, making it hard to breathe.
“They’ll never forgive me,” she whispered to herself, sinking onto the bed. “Not Raphael, not Damian, not anyone.”
Her mind raced with questions. Did Raphael already know? Had he seen her talking to the maid? Was that why he had stormed into her room earlier? Or was he just suspicious?
“Think, Lina,” she muttered, running her hands through her hair. “What did you do wrong? Where did the plan fall apart?”
She stood and moved to the window again, watching as the car carrying Damian sped away, followed by another vehicle with Raphael and Luna inside.
Her stomach twisted as she imagined them at the hospital, piecing together what had happened.
“I can’t let them figure it out,” Lina said to herself. “I have to get out of here before they come back.”
She turned back to her room, her mind racing as she began to pack a small bag. Her father’s car would be there soon, and she needed to be ready.
But as she stuffed clothes and valuables into the bag, a voice in the back of her mind whispered doubts. Even if she escaped, would she really be safe? Damian had powerful connections, and Raphael was just as ruthless. If they discovered the truth, there would be nowhere for her to hide.
Panic bubbled up again, and Lina sank onto the bed, burying her face in her hands. “What have I done?” she whispered, her voice cracking.