The Uninvited Witness

Lila’s POV

My heart hammered so hard I thought it would burst out of my chest. Theo had me pinned against the wall in the dimly lit hallway, his hand gripping my hair tightly as he forced himself deeper into my mouth. I could barely breathe, tears stinging my eyes from the roughness. This was supposed to be quick research on the vineyard for my article, not… this nightmare.

“Lila? Are you in there?” Sebastian’s deep voice called from the other side of the door. His tone sounded concerned, like he might push the door open any second.

Theo froze for a split second, but then a wicked smile spread across his face. He didn’t pull away. Instead, he pushed harder, his fingers tightening in my hair as he whispered, “Don’t you dare make a sound, or I’ll make sure everyone knows what a little slut you are.”

I tried to pull back, but he held me firmly in place. My knees ached against the hard floor. Sebastian’s footsteps shifted outside, waiting patiently. “Lila, I wanted to check on you after today’s work. Everything okay?”

Theo’s eyes locked onto mine, daring me to respond. He moved with aggressive rhythm, using my mouth without mercy. I could feel the tension in his body, the way he fought to stay silent while taking what he wanted. Panic flooded through me. If Sebastian opened that door…

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to focus on anything else. The taste of him, the way my jaw hurt, the fear twisting in my stomach. Minutes felt like hours. Finally, Theo’s breathing grew ragged. He finished with a low grunt he tried to muffle, holding my head in place until he was done.

“Swallow,” he hissed quietly.

I did as he said, shame burning my cheeks. Theo stepped back, zipping up quickly. He wiped a thumb across my swollen lips and smirked. “Good girl. That was close, wasn’t it?”

Sebastian knocked again, a bit louder this time. “Lila? If you’re busy, I can come back later.”

Theo grabbed my arm and pulled me up roughly. His breath was hot against my ear as he whispered, “Tell him you’re fine. And remember, I’ll be back for more visits soon. You belong to me now, thanks to that little video.”

I wiped my face quickly and tried to steady my voice. “I’m… I’m okay, Sebastian. Just finishing up some notes. Can we talk tomorrow?”

There was a pause outside. “Alright. Get some rest. You worked hard today.” Sebastian’s footsteps faded down the hall.

The moment he was gone, I slumped against the wall, my legs shaking. Theo laughed softly, adjusting his shirt like nothing had happened. “See? Easy. Next time, maybe I’ll make it even riskier.” He leaned in and kissed me hard, biting my lip before pulling away. “Don’t forget who owns you, Lila.”

With that, he slipped out the side door like a shadow, leaving me alone in the room. My hands trembled as I touched my sore mouth. How had things gone so wrong? I came here for a story about the vineyard, not to become some twisted plaything for the owner’s son.

I needed to pull myself together. My eyes scanned the room, looking for something to distract me from the mess in my head. That’s when I noticed a loose floorboard near the old desk. Curious, I knelt down and pried it up carefully. Underneath lay a yellowed page from an old ledger. The handwriting looked familiar like my grandmother’s.

I pulled it out and read the faded numbers. Large transfers of money, dates from years ago, all pointing to the Vale family. What was this? My grandmother had worked here, but this seemed like more than just wages. My fingers traced the ink, and a chill ran down my spine. This could be important for my article… or dangerous.

I hid the page quickly in my bag, my mind racing. But no matter how hard I tried to focus on the mystery, my body kept replaying what had just happened. Theo’s rough grip. The way he used me without care. And earlier, that charged moment with Sebastian in the vineyard, his strong hands guiding mine on the vines, his voice low and commanding. Their touches felt so different, yet both left me confused and aching.

“Why can’t I stop thinking about them?” I whispered to myself, sitting on the edge of the bed. The room felt too small, too quiet now. I stood up and paced, trying to shake off the shame. My article notes lay scattered on the table, but instead of writing about grape varieties, my pen had wandered to describe Sebastian’s broad shoulders and the way his eyes darkened when he looked at me.

I shook my head. This was wrong. I was here to uncover the truth about the vineyard, maybe connect with my grandmother’s past. Not get tangled in whatever game Theo was playing. The blackmail video he had of me from that first night hung over my head like a storm cloud. One wrong move, and everything would crumble.

Hours passed as I tried to read more about the ledger page. The numbers didn’t make complete sense without more context, but they showed big sums moving around. Payments? Investments? Blackmail? My grandmother had been close to this family. Too close, maybe.

I changed into my nightclothes and lay down, staring at the ceiling. Sleep wouldn’t come easy. Every sound in the old house made me jump. My body still felt sore from Theo’s aggression. I touched my lips again, remembering how he had silenced me while Sebastian waited just feet away.

“What am I going to do?” I muttered, rolling over. Part of me wanted to run, to leave this vineyard and never look back. But the ledger page, the hints about my grandmother… I couldn’t walk away yet. There were answers here, and maybe a story big enough to change my life.

The clock ticked past midnight. I was just starting to drift off when voices drifted up from below. I sat up slowly, straining to hear. It was Sebastian, his tone heated and low. And another voice a woman’s, sharp and angry.

Sophia. She must have returned unexpectedly.

“…the girl,” I heard Sebastian say clearly through the thin floorboards. “We need to be careful with her. She’s asking questions.”

Sophia’s reply was colder. “That little nobody? She’s trouble, Sebastian. I don’t trust her one bit. What if she finds out too much?”

Their argument grew louder for a moment, words overlapping. My name wasn’t said directly, but the way they spoke about “the girl” made my stomach drop. Were they talking about me? What did Sophia know? And why did Sebastian sound so protective yet worried?

I crept closer to the floor, pressing my ear down. My heart raced again, just like earlier with Theo. This place was full of secrets, and I was right in the middle of them. If they were arguing about me, things could get even more dangerous.

Suddenly, a door slammed downstairs. Footsteps moved quickly. I held my breath, wondering if someone was coming up here. The voices faded, but the tension in the air remained thick.

I hugged my knees to my chest, the ledger page burning a hole in my hidden spot. Whatever was happening at Blackthorn Estates, it involved my family history. And now, it involved me in ways I never expected. Theo’s threats, Sebastian’s attention, Sophia’s return everything was closing in.

What would happen tomorrow? Would Theo demand more? Would Sebastian sense something was wrong? Or would Sophia make her move first?

I didn’t know. But as I lay back down, one thing was clear: I was trapped in something much bigger than a simple article. And escaping might not be possible anymore.