As the wind blew the trees in the garden began to shed a few leaves leaving the rest who could stand the wrestling of the wind against the branches. They clung unto the tree as though clinging unto life.
Sound of footsteps approached as a middle aged woman walked into the deeper parts of the garden that was not as leveled as the front. With a basket in hand and thick blue faded shawl wrapped protectively across t her neck , one part dangling loosely on her front, and the other part being shorter than the later side went a little bit below her shoulders on her back. Standing by an apple tree that was still slow to reacting to the the freezing weather conditions due it's long life span, she began Cutting off the apples carefully and meticulously placing them slowly in the basket in hand, a silent giggle escaped her lips, lifting her hand to cover the her mouth , her eyes flickering turning left to right to be sure no one was watching her.
Anyways let them see, I am just another servant in this house to the best of their knowledge, what can possibly go wrong?
But no one must know who I truly am until I complete the mission.
Whipping her hands on the back of her dress , she looked at her calloused hands, and turned her head from side to side. A feeling of unease crept in making the the pit of her stomach to twist in knots. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead and the absence of anyone in the garden made the environment eerily quite except for the slow chilling wind, which kept flapping the ends of her servants dress, making her body tremble heavily against the frosting cold biting into her skin.
"I cannot get caught "
"I may not see the light of day if I do"
"So I must be careful"
she muttered under her breath, while sighing every now and then despite her earlier excitement. It seems like the burden of the aftermath of her assignment given to her weighed on her heavily.
Make sure you don't give them a reason to suspect you.
If things go south, don't get caught and look for a good alibi
If you try to escape it's better you make sure I don't find you or better still die before I do but remember this- I can make you disappear so do not test me.
I own you and this city!
Those were the threats she had faced upon receiving this assignment and just the thought of it brought shivers down her spine as though she were already sitting on a chair designed with needles sticking their piercing part up and hot coal underneath!!!
Inside the mansion
Elegantly walking to the stairs case with purpose and precision in her steps, while maintaining an elegant and poise demeanor.
The sound of light footsteps approaching her had her stopping in her tracks for a bit before looking around to inspect the environment.
But there's no one here, could it be that I am being watched?
Or am I imagining things?
Looking behind the pillars and finding no one she resumed walking up the stairs again
Maybe its just the servants.
"Yeah ...he doesn't like them making too much noise with their feet while he is around"
After ascending the first flight of stairs of the mansion , she heard footsteps walking from behind her side of the hall way, but this time sounded much clearer and sharper. Pausing her feet and twirling around , she shrieked a bit too loudly and almost lost her footing by tripping on her toes if not for the timely intervention of the intruder who caught her by the arm and steadied her on her feet.
"Madame"
"This came in here for you"
" I apologize for startling you"
Still in daze and a bit of panick, she stared at tall and slim man in servants clothes but he looked more like a royal servant in his rare attire. His appearance was fair and he looked tonned on his skin. His hair tied in to a ponytail without a single strand out of place. His deep mesmerizing gray eyes stared at her though not lustfully but with respect.
" Who are you?"
She managed to ask,
After a 2 minute long silence
" I am avale stalthonwell, the mansions new buttler"
"Oh" her conflicting demeanor calmed down as her facial expressions began to relax
"Forgive me for my tardiness on my first day"
"I didn't mean to give you such a fright"
"It's okay avale"
"So why are you here?
"For a moment I thought you were seeking me out but now I guess not"
Pulling out a small size black envelope with ribbons tied around it he handed it to her"
" This came in for you ma'am" he relayed with an expressionless face.
"Right" but somehow a feeling of unease crept in to her mindaking her wander about the envelope. It looked rather strange. More like an invitation. Her lips set themselves in a thin line. But her demeanor was calm masking the tornado of emotions going on inside her mind.
"Thank you for delivering it"
"You can carry on with your duties" her response was curt and assertive.
she turned around and hurriedly walked to her room to avoid encountering any unwanted company.
Reaching her door she pushed it open and stepped inside. Walking to the couch she lowered her self to sit Comfortably.
Then she stared at the envelope again. Untying the ribbon she opened it and looked inside.
It was a single note.
Confused as to what it was, she tried to read it's content so she could decern who sent it since it wasn't an invitation as she thought earlier.
Now here it was
Neat cursive handwriting, no signature. Just five words:
"You'll regret touching what's mine."
Elora stood up from the soft couch dropping the throw pillow she had picked to support herself,-- frozen in place , her breath seemed to stop at the moment as it hitched in her throat while goosebumps covered her body and heat pricked her skin, the note trembling slightly in her hand. The handwriting was unfamiliar, but the threat in it was unmistakable.
She crumpled it quickly and shoved it into the drawer before Lucian returned from his meeting. No need to alarm him. No need to feed into what might just be someone's cruel idea of a prank.
But it didn't feel like a prank.
Later that evening, in another wing of the mansion, Lucian stood behind his office desk, brows furrowed as he stared at the file placed there by his stepmother's assistant.
"She knew you'd be interested in seeing this," the assistant said with a smug expression on her face.
Lucian said nothing but opened the file.
Pulling out something rectangular in shape, he brought it close and stared at it.
They were
Photos.
One after the other—Elora accepting an envelope from an unfamiliar man. A bank transfer slip showing a recent spike in her account. A blurry voice note transcribed on paper:
"you don't have to worry about the money....Of course I'll make sure it lasts… he pays for everything so yes we will get the money because he doesn't suspect a thing.
He clenched his jaw. The timestamps… The way it was all conveniently packaged. It screamed setup. Yet… doubt crept in through the tiniest cracks.
Is she playing me?
He slammed the file shut. No. Not Elora. Not the woman who blushed just from a brush of his hand. But the seed of suspicion had been planted—and it would fester.
The next day, Elora's phone rang.
It was a private number.
She hesitated, then answered.
:You think this is love? You don't belong in his world. Walk away, or I will make you."
Click. The call ended
Then her blood ran cold.
Some one was targeting her.
But who could it be?
In her tumoil her confused mind never thought that everything was just starting. The more she tried to think deeply the more she got confused because to her she had no enemies or so she thought.
At the same time, his ex—Alyssa—arrived back in the country. Not publicly. Quietly. Smoothly. And with one mission: remove the distraction.
Landing at the airport she heard a lot of gossip about a billionaires sudden marriage to the acclaimed love of his life.
She had heard from her mom on how Lucian got married and it was all over the news.
She remembered when she broke up with him when she thought he wasn't up to her standards and she wanted to explore the world but he told her that the company was still struggling to maintain balance and she could not wait. Well whatever, she was here now and she determined to make him...hers!!!
She walked into his stepmother's lounge with practiced grace, eyes dark with determination.
"I heard there's a little arrangement going on," Alyssa said, accepting a glass of wine. "Tell me, what's your price to help me break it?"
The stepmother smiled. "Let's say I don't want her here any more than you do."
Her lips curled up wit a smirk and eyes with glint of mischief and something darker swirling in them.
Back at the estate, Elora tried to keep a straight face as she sat through dinner with Lucian. He seemed distant. Quiet. Watching her a little too closely.
She wondered if she was imagining it.
"Lucian, are you okay?"
He looked up from his plate. "Are you okay?"
That wasn't an answer. It was a loaded question.
Her stomach sank.
Was it bad to care for him no?
Why was he treating her like he wanted space?
He hasnt said to anything to me ever since twe had spent time in his study after the time of breakfast.
And just like that, the tension returned. The warmth they had found began to stretch and thin—until it nearly disapeared.