Chapter 4 - The hidden vault
Doubt was a dangerous poison, and it began to seep into Clara’s mind. Over the next few days, the dynamic in the mansion shifted. Bennett kept Clara close, ostensibly for her protection. She accompanied him and Eleanor throughout the vast estate, her dark maid uniform replaced by elegant, understated dresses that Eleanor insisted she wear.
The aesthetic of their interactions was electric. Whenever Bennett was near, the space felt charged. One evening in the grand library, the lighting was tightly directional, casting warm golden highlights over Bennett's thick dark hair as he reviewed security footage. Clara stood nearby, holding a tray of tea for Eleanor, her heart pounding. She couldn't shake the text message from her mind.
"You're quiet tonight," Bennett noted, not looking away from the screens. He rolled his sleeves up further, a deeply masculine gesture that made Clara’s breath hitch.
"I'm just worried about Eleanor," Clara lied smoothly.
Bennett finally turned to her, his intense eyes piercing right through her defenses. "I run a syndicate, Clara. I know when someone is lying to my face."
Before she could respond, the security monitors flickered and went entirely black. The massive mansion was plunged into sudden darkness. A second later, the backup generators kicked in, bathing the estate in eerie, dim emergency lighting.
"Stay here," Bennett ordered, pulling a sleek radio from his belt. His calm demeanor never wavered, but the lethal grace in his movements was terrifying.
As soon as he left the library, Eleanor wheeled herself out from the shadows of the adjacent sitting room. She handed Clara a heavy, ornate brass key. "Go to the wine cellar. Behind the vintage racks, there is a door. This key opens it. Find the ledgers before he does."
May you like
Clara raced down to the cellar, her heart hammering against her ribs. She found the hidden door exactly where Eleanor said it would be. The heavy lock turned with a satisfying click. Inside the dusty vault, resting on a velvet pedestal, were three leather-bound books. But as Clara reached for them, a strong, tattooed hand clamped gently but firmly over her wrist.
"I told you to stay in the library," Bennett whispered from the shadows behind her.
