Trisha flung her door open with a frown, already annoyed by the persistent knock. 

A sweet smiling Lora stood in the doorway, holding out a small tray.

Two golden pastries. Still warm.

“A little something for you. I noticed you didn't come down for breakfast,” she said to Trisha, who gave her a long look in return.

Though her smile was meant to be friendly, which was strange.

It still felt more like a warning.

Too bright. Too practiced.

Her fingers reached for her lips, rubbing them gently as the memory of last night came flooding back.

The taste of him still lingered. Burning. Unforgettable. 

But so did his words—‘That was a mistake.’

She glanced at Lora, suddenly realizing she was still standing in the doorway.

“No, I'm good, thank you.” She said, her hand moving to close the door. 

“Come on now, you wouldn't want all my effort to go to waste, would you?” Lora persisted. 

Trisha cast a quick look at the maid behind Lora, she was fidgeting. Desperately trying not to be noticed.

“So… what do you say?” Lora asked again. Holding the tray towards Trisha. 

Trisha collected the tray, giving her a small smile. “I'll save it for later.”

“As you wish,” Lora said as she walked away. 

The maid immediately followed suit but suddenly stopped and gave Trisha a quick look before dashing out.

Trisha stared at her retreating figure in a daze.

What the hell just happened?

She made her way towards the library, anywhere to hide from Lucian and the thoughts unravelling in her mind.

The library was off limits to everyone else except Victor and Lucian. 

But burning curiosity and the smell of old, dusty books were hard to resist as Trisha made her way inside.

A framed photo on a side table caught her eye.

She picked it up. 

It was Lucian, standing beside a man with the same eyes, only a shade lighter.

They were both smiling. 

Trisha looked more closely at the picture. 

Those eyes..they were hauntingly familiar. 

Where had she seen them before?

Just then, a sudden movement behind her made her jolt.

“I see you have a quirk for visiting restricted places.”

She sharply turned in the direction of the voice. 

Not Lucian. Not Victor.

Davis.

He stood in the doorway. Shirt slightly unbuttoned. A cigarette in hand.

“Oh.. I was just... you know… looking through” Trisha said

Davis's eyes darted to the framed picture in her hand. “You're playing with fire, you know?,”

“What do you mean?”

Davis paused before speaking again. “Just a friendly warning,” he said, giving her a long look. “I know I shouldn't say this, but this house… It's poison. savagely eats people like you alive.” 

Trisha's stomach twisted, but she quickly masked it.

“Is that meant to scare me?” She asked with a calm voice.

Davis chuckled lightly. “Like I said, just a friendly warning.” 

“And that phone call… was that a  friendly warning too?” Trisha asked, crossing her arms.

Davis's face twisted. “What are you talking about?”

Before she could answer, she heard loud footsteps behind her. 

She turned to see Lucian with a dark expression on his face as he walked towards them.

“Missing out on something?” he asked tightly. His jaw clenched. 

“Nothing, boss. Just filling Miss Reynolds  here on the latest,” Davis said, raising his hands in a teasing manner.

Lucian's expression remained blank as his gaze flicked to Trisha. “Come with me.” 

Trisha didn't move.

“Now, Trisha!” He barked.

Trisha shuddered.

He had said her name like he owned it.

She silently followed him down the hall until they were completely out of Davis's sight.

He turned to her, eyes blazing.

“What did I say about appearances?”

Trisha's heart thudded loudly in her chest. 

“I wasn't feeling good.”

“That's no fucking excuse not to show up when you are expected!”

Trisha flinched.

“And flirting with Davis. You weren't feeling good too?

“I wasn't flirting!”

“Not everyone would think so.” 

“Is that jealousy I hear?”

“Don't flatter yourself, Miss.” He said, moving closer to her. “In this house, rumors spread faster than a disease. People talk. And talk? can kill!”

“So I'm just supposed to cower in a corner and pretend nothing's happening?”

Lucian let out a low scoff and grabbed her arm, fingers etching into her skin. “You must think this is a joke,” he said, leaning closer to her. “One wrong move, Miss Reynolds, one wrong move, and you'll learn just how fast things can fall apart.”

He forcefully let go of her arm, pushing her slightly to the wall.

“I won't warn you again,” he said to her as he turned to walk away, leaving Trisha staring in disbelief. 

**********

Trisha halted as she rounded the back of the courtyard. Close to the flower garden.

The evening breeze was cool and soothing, like a balm against her troubled mind.

She took a seat, trying to calm her thoughts.

She hadn't expected anyone there and froze the moment she heard voices.

She pressed herself against a wall, steadying herself as she leaned closer to peek.

Lora stood tall, arms folded tightly across her chest as she paced around a trembling maid kneeling on the floor.

One of the Cross family bodyguards stood behind her. A weapon glistening at his hips.

“You told her something, didn't you? Lora's voice came, laced with venom. “What was it? That I had poisoned the treat? Or that I tried to kill her?”

“N- no, ma'am. I swear, I didn't say a word. I swear upon my mother's grave. Please have mercy, ma'am,” the maid pleaded, rolling on the muddy ground. 

“You're a terrible liar! But that's okay. Because I have a cure for that,” Lora said, smiling darkly.

She picked a tray of pastries from a nearby bench. 

Trisha recognized it. It was exactly like the one she had brought earlier to her.

She had left it on her bedside table.

A strange feeling in her gut hadn't let her eat it, and now, her instincts had been confirmed.

“You look hungry. Try one.” Lora said sweetly as she offered a piece to the maid.

The maid violently shook her head. “No, no, ma'am. I-I'm not hungry at all.”

Lora leaned in closer to her, smirking, “You will eat one. Or I'll make sure what you did reaches him. I don't think I need to tell you what that means.”

The maid went still for a while, stifling her tears. With trembling hands, she took the pastry from Lora and took a bite.

“Take another bite.” Lora sharply ordered, “Until there's not a bite left.”

The maid took another bite. Then another, and another until there was nothing left in her hand.

In a second, her eyes slowly welled up.

She coughed, once, then harder.

Her body jolted forward, and she clutched her chest as a rigorous cough shook her entire body.

Thick lumps of blood and bits of undigested pastry littered the ground.

Trisha watched, horror struck, as Lora crouched and lifted the girl's chin, whispering coldly, “Loose lips…bring disaster.”

The maid shook violently. Then went still.

Trisha clamped a hand over her mouth, muffling her gasp as her heart thundered loudly in her chest. 

The sudden movement must have been heard by them because Lora turned sharply, eyes narrowing in Trisha's direction.

Trisha's steps wavered as she slowly backed away, bolting towards the main building. 

She hadn't heard everything, but she had seen enough.

The Cross…

They weren't just vile and ruthless. 

They were a bunch of cold-blooded murderers..

And she had walked right into their den..