Chapter 4

Rachel’s POV

The morning sky above the Raphael mansion looked bruised, I barely slept, because every time I closed my eyes, I saw the anonymous messages again.

- Danger follows people you love.

The words followed me into my dreams, wrapping around my chest like invisible chains, I sat upright in bed, pulling the blanket tighter around myself while my phone rested beside me on the mattress. For a moment, I stared at the screen.

No new messages. Unease crawled beneath my skin. I reached for the phone and frowned.

No signal, my heartbeat skipped, a few seconds later, the bars suddenly returned as if nothing had happened, maybe it was nothing. But lately, nothing felt accidental anymore, a soft knock sounded at my bedroom door.

“Miss Rachel?” I looked up.

One of the maids stood nervously outside the partially opened door, her hands clasped tightly together, “Mr. Raphael wants you in his office immediately.”

The words settled heavily inside my chest, I already knew this wouldn’t be a normal conversation. My father only summoned me personally when punishment was coming.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

The maid nodded quickly before disappearing down the hallway as though she didn’t want to be seen near me.

Slowly, I climbed out of bed, the bruise from Clarissa’s slap still faintly colored my cheek, and I touched it gently while staring at my reflection in the mirror.

For a second, I barely recognized myself anymore, the tired eyes, the pale skin, the fear hidden beneath anger.

 I straightened my shoulders, I refused to look broken, even if I felt it. After changing into a cream-colored blouse and black trousers, I stepped into the hallway.

The mansion felt strange today, staff members lowered their eyes whenever I passed, conversations stopped abruptly, and a few servants exchanged nervous glances before quickly moving away.

Clarissa must have spread something already, rumors moved through this house faster than truth ever could. As I approached my father’s office, I heard laughter behind the closed doors.

Elena, I paused outside.

“She’ll obey eventually,” Clarissa said smoothly from inside.

Elena giggled softly, “She doesn’t really have a choice.”

My fists clenched so tightly my nails bit into my palms,  I forced myself to breathe, and I would not let them see fear.

I pushed the office door open, Victor Raphael sat behind his massive mahogany desk dressed in a dark tailored suit despite the early hour. Papers were spread neatly before him while a glass of untouched whiskey rested nearby.

Clarissa sat beside him elegantly, legs crossed gracefully, as she belonged there more than I ever had.

Elena lounged lazily on the leather sofa scrolling through her phone, though the smirk on her face made it obvious she had been waiting for this moment.

My father finally lifted his eyes toward me, “Sit down,” he said, “We need to discuss your future.”

I remained standing, “I’d rather stand.”

For several long seconds, silence filled the office except for rain hammering against the windows.

Then he spoke calmly, “You embarrassed this family.”

I stared at him, “I refused to be sold.”

Clarissa inhaled sharply, as if I had committed some terrible crime, my father’s jaw tightened instantly.

“This alliance is important,” he said firmly. “You clearly fail to understand the scale of what’s being offered.”

I stayed silent.

“Kane Enterprises controls half the shipping routes in this city,” he continued. “Their political influence alone would secure Raphael Enterprises for decades.”

His voice sounded more like a businessman closing a deal than a father discussing his daughter’s future.

“There are international investors involved, expansion opportunities, and protection.”

I laughed bitterly, everything about this marriage sounded like a transaction, not once had he mentioned happiness.

I swallowed hard before asking quietly, “Did you ever once think about what I wanted?”

He answered immediately, “Your wants are irrelevant.”

The words hit harder than I expected, something inside me cracked painfully.

Clarissa leaned forward, fake sympathy softening her voice. “Rachel, you should be grateful, a man like Matthew Kane could have chosen anyone.”

Elena finally looked up from her phone. “Honestly,” she mocked, “this is probably the best your life will ever get.”

Humiliation burned beneath my skin, but worse than Clarissa’s cruelty, worse than Elena’s mockery, was my father sitting there and allowing it.

He reached into a folder calmly and slid several papers across the desk toward me, “If you refuse this marriage,” he said coldly, “you will no longer be a Raphael.”

I stared down at the documents, disownment papers.

My breathing stopped for a second, “You can’t be serious.”

“I’ve never been more serious.”

Rain crashed harder outside. Slowly, I picked up the papers, my hands trembling despite myself.

His expression never changed, “You’ll lose access to every family account,” he continued,  “Your inheritance, the estate, and everything connected to the Raphael name.”

Even my mother’s inheritance, the final thing I had left of her.

Pain rose sharply inside my chest, I looked at him carefully, “Was I ever truly your daughter after Mom died?”

He looked away first, and that hurt more than shouting ever could, memories slammed into me unexpectedly.

My father lifting me onto his shoulders when I was little, he dancing with my mother in the kitchen while music played softly, his promise after the funeral.

“No one will ever replace your mother.”

Tears burned my eyes, because that version of him no longer existed.

Clarissa broke the silence smoothly, “Your mother made Victor weak.”

I snapped instantly, “You don’t get to talk about her!”

The force of my voice startled even me, I slammed both hands onto the desk. Years of pain exploded out before I could stop them.

“You stole everything from me!”

Clarissa’s face darkened immediately, Elena rolled her eyes dramatically, “Oh please,” she muttered, “Stop acting like some tragic victim.”

I turned toward her with shaking fury, “You wore my mother’s jewelry.”

Her smirk faltered slightly.

“You took my room, my life, everything.”

“Because you were too weak to keep it,” Elena shot back cruelly.

Suddenly my father slammed his hand against the desk, “Enough!”

I flinched instinctively, the movement happened before I could stop it, and he noticed, and for the briefest second, guilt flashed across his face.

A crack in the armor, but pride buried it quickly. “You have until tomorrow,” he said quietly, “Accept the marriage or leave this family permanently.”

I stared at him for a long moment, then slowly placed the disownment papers back onto the desk. “I think,” I whispered painfully, “I already lost this family a long time ago.”

Without waiting for permission, I turned and walked out, nobody stopped me, the mansion blurred around me as I wandered through endless hallways.

I didn’t know where I was going, only that I couldn’t breathe near them anymore. Eventually, my steps carried me toward the abandoned west wing.

Nobody used this part of the mansion anymore, dust covered the furniture beneath white sheets, old chandeliers hung silently above faded carpets while forgotten portraits lined the walls like ghosts watching me pass.

I saw my mother’s portrait, she was beautiful, and elegant, and the portrait felt alive.

The sight of her shattered the final wall holding me together, and a sob escaped my lips, “What happened to us?” I whispered brokenly.

Tears slid down my cheeks as I stared up at her painting, then something strange caught my attention, there were scratch marks near the bottom of the frame.

I frowned and slowly reached for it, the frame shifted slightly beneath my fingers, and my heartbeat quickened.

There was something behind it, carefully, I pulled the painting outward just enough to reveal a hidden compartment inside the wall.

Inside there was a small object wrapped in faded cloth.

Before I could fully reach for it, footsteps echoed behind me, I jumped and quickly shoved the compartment closed again.

An older housemaid stood frozen near the entrance of the hallway, fear filled her eyes instantly, “You shouldn’t be here,” she whispered urgently.

I frowned, “Why?” I asked. 

But the woman only shook her head anxiously and hurried away before I could stop her.

Confused, I looked back toward the portrait, quickly, I slipped my hand inside the compartment again and grabbed the object hidden there.

A tiny silver key, my pulse raced as I slipped it into my pocket.

What had my mother hidden? And why was everyone so afraid?

Night fell heavily over the mansion, wind rattled my bedroom windows violently while darkness swallowed the room whole. I sat curled near the edge of my bed staring blankly at the disownment papers beside me.

The small silver key rested tightly in my palm, and questions about my mother, about Clarissa, about Matthew Kane spun endlessly through my mind.

My phone suddenly rang, I froze, that same unknown Number, a chill slid down my spine.

Slowly, I answered, “Hello?”

Silence greeted me first, then a deep male voice, “Rachel Raphael.”

My entire body went still, I knew immediately it was Matthew Kane.

“You’ve been refusing me,” he said quietly.

I swallowed hard, even through a phone call, his presence felt overwhelming. “I’m not something people can own,” I whispered carefully.

A faint amused sound, almost a laugh came through the phone, “Interesting.”

My heartbeat became uneven, something about his voice unsettled me deeply. He sounded like a man who never lost control of anything.

“You should be careful who you trust,” Matthew said calmly.

I instantly thought of Lucas, and fear tightened inside my chest.

Before I could respond, Matthew spoke again, “Tomorrow changes everything.”

The line disconnected, slowly, and I lowered the phone from my ear.

The room suddenly felt cold, my breathing became shallow and realization hit me.

I never gave Matthew Kane my number.