Raphael stood outside Damian’s hospital room, leaning against the wall. His mind was racing after his conversation with Luna. Everything she told him about Aurora made him think. For the first time in a long time, he felt a strange admiration for his brother-not because of his power, but because someone like Aurora had made him human.
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of his phone vibrating in his pocket. Raphael pulled it out, glancing at the screen. It was Madam Catherine.
“Why is she calling me now?” Raphael muttered.
He answered the call, pressing the phone to his ear. “Catherine,” he said sharply, “what is it? I’m at the hospital.”
Madam Catherine’s voice came through, shaky and filled with panic. “Sir, there’s been… a situation at the mansion,” she said.
Raphael frowned, standing up straight. “What situation?” he asked. “What’s going on?”
“It’s bad, sir,” Catherine said, her words trembling. “One of the maids is… dead.”
Raphael froze, his grip tightening on the phone. “What?” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “What do you mean dead?”
“She collapsed earlier,” Catherine explained quickly. “We tried everything to save her, but nothing worked. She wasn’t breathing. We think… we think she was poisoned.”
Raphael’s jaw clenched, his mind racing. Poisoned? How could that have happened?
“Who was it?” he asked sharply. “Which maid?”
“The one who served Master Damian’s drink during the party,” Catherine said. “Her name was Clara. She was fine earlier, but then she suddenly fell ill. Now she’s… gone.”
Raphael took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. “And no one saw anything suspicious?” he asked.
There was a pause on the other end of the line before Catherine said, “There’s more, sir. Lina… Mrs. Wolfe… she’s gone.”
Raphael’s eyes widened, his heart pounding. “What do you mean she’s gone?” he demanded. “Gone where?”
“No one knows,” Catherine said, her voice rising with worry. “We only realized after the maid died. I went to check on Mrs. Wolfe, but her room was empty. Her bags are gone, and she’s nowhere in the house.”
Raphael swore under his breath, pacing back and forth. “So you’re telling me we have a dead maid and a missing Lina?”
“Yes, sir,” Catherine said. “It all happened so fast. We didn’t notice until it was too late.”
Raphael rubbed his temples, his frustration growing. “Why didn’t anyone see Lina leaving?” he asked angrily. “How could she just walk out without anyone noticing?”
Catherine hesitated before saying, “I think she planned it, sir. She must have known something was wrong. She waited until everyone was distracted with Clara before slipping out.”
Raphael let out a bitter laugh. “Of course she did,” he muttered. “That woman doesn’t miss a chance to save herself. Do you think she had anything to do with the maid’s death?”
“I don’t know,” Catherine admitted. “But it’s… suspicious.”
Raphael nodded to himself, his mind piecing things together. Lina must have done something-why else would she run? And the maid’s death? It couldn’t be a coincidence.
“Catherine,” he said firmly, “keep the staff calm. I don’t want anyone panicking or spreading rumors. Understood?”
“Yes, sir,” Catherine said.
“And call the guards,” Raphael continued. “I want every corner of the house searched. If Lina left something behind, I want to know about it. And get someone to handle Clara’s body with care. We’ll need to figure out what killed her.”
“Yes, sir,” Catherine said again, her voice steadying.
Raphael ended the call, slipping his phone back into his pocket. His mind was racing. Lina. Poison. A dead maid. What the hell had she done?
“Is everything okay?” Luna’s soft voice interrupted his thoughts.
Raphael turned to her, his face grim. “No,” he said honestly. “There’s a lot happening right now, and none of it is good.”
Luna frowned, her hands clasped tightly in front of her. “What’s wrong?” she asked hesitantly.
“One of the maids at the mansion is dead,” Raphael said bluntly. “And Lina is gone. She packed her bags and left without anyone noticing.”
Luna’s eyes widened in shock. “Gone?” she repeated. “But… why would she leave?”
Raphael let out a frustrated sigh. “Because she’s hiding something,” he said. “I don’t know what yet, but I’ll find out.”
Luna’s brow furrowed as she processed his words. “Do you think she… had something to do with the maid’s death?” she asked quietly.
“I don’t know,” Raphael admitted, his tone harsh. “But it’s too much of a coincidence, don’t you think? Damian collapses, a maid dies, and Lina runs away-all on the same night? Something’s not right.”
Luna nodded slowly, her worry deepening. “What are you going to do?” she asked.
Raphael glanced toward Damian’s room, his expression hardening. “First, I’m going to make sure my brother pulls through this,” he said. “Then, I’m going to find Lina. And when I do…” He trailed off, his jaw tightening.
Luna looked at him, her eyes filled with concern. “I hope Master Damian will be okay,” she said softly.
Raphael’s gaze softened slightly as he looked at her. “He will be,” he said, his voice quieter now. “He has to be. And when he wakes up, we’ll get to the bottom of this. Together.”
Luna nodded, her resolve strengthening. “I’ll do whatever I can to help,” she said firmly.
Raphael gave her a small smile, appreciating her loyalty. “Thank you, Luna,” he said. “For now, let’s focus on Damian. We’ll deal with Lina later.”