Chapter 4: The Spider and the Trap

Clara’s POV

The weight of the brown envelope in my bag felt like a lead brick. 

Inside were the investment documents Kiran had handed me—the "bait" for the trap he was setting. 

My heart hammered against my ribs as I walked toward the bus stop, every shadow on the street looking like one of Mrs. Victoria’s spies.

I looked at my hand. 

The red mark from the tea had faded into a dull ache, but the memory of Kiran’s cold, dark smile stayed fresh in my mind. 

He called me a "rat," but today, I felt more like a ghost—haunting a life that wasn't mine.

I can do this, I whispered, clutching the strap of my bag. 

Just give her the papers. Take the fakes. Get back to the valley.

But as the bus pulled up to the stop near Mrs. Victoria’s neighborhood, my stomach did a nervous flip. 

Kiran was a storm—loud, terrifying, and unpredictable. 

But Victoria was a spider; she sat perfectly still and waited for you to get stuck in her web.

 If she realized I was working with Kiran, she wouldn't just fire me. She would hurt my mother.

"Clara!" a voice barked.

I jumped, nearly dropping my bag. It was the gardener’s assistant. "You’re late," he muttered. "Mrs. Victoria is waiting for you in the solarium."

My throat went dry. 

I nodded and hurried past him, my feet feeling like lead.

 I entered the house through the kitchen, the familiar smell of expensive floor wax and Victoria's suffocating perfume filling my lungs.

Mrs. Victoria was sitting in the solarium, a porcelain cup of tea in her hand. She didn't look up.

 She just stared at the garden, her face a mask of cold perfection.

"Do you have it?" she queried, her voice as sharp as a razor blade.

"Yes, Ma'am," I murmured, my hand trembling as I handed her the envelope.

 She opened it, scanning the documents with a hungry look in her eyes. After a long silence, a slow, terrifying smile spread across her face.

"You did well, Clara. I’m impressed you found it so easily. You may go see your mother now."

I thanked her and hurried to the basement. 

But as I reached the stairs, I ran into Leo. I’ve always hated him—a spoiled, twenty-six-year-old narcissist who thought the world belonged to him. 

I tried to brush past him, but he blocked my path.

"No greeting for me, little maid?" he sneered.

 He reached out, his fingers brushing my face. "Why the annoyed look?"

"Get your hand off me," I snapped.

He raised a hand as if to strike me, but stopped, his eyes glinting. 

He tapped my shoulder instead. "You’re lucky you’re useful to us right now.”

I ignored him and ran to my mother. 

Seeing her face was the only thing that kept me sane. 

We hugged tightly, though she was sad that Maya was at school and missed my visit.

"How are you, Clara?" she asked, her eyes searching mine.

"It’s fine, Mom. 

Better than being here," I lied.

 I wanted to tell her that Kiran knew everything, but the fear in her eyes stopped me. 

She couldn't handle that weight. "Leo is back," I warned her. "Tell Maya not to walk around the Villa late. I know what he’s capable of."

A few hours later, I was back at the Sterling villa. 

The head maid told me mr. sterling was looking for me. 

When I found him in the garden, he asked where I had been.

"I went to visit my mother," I said softly. Lying to him made my heart ache; he treated me like a granddaughter, not a servant.

He just smiled. "I’m glad you did. I wanted to show you the new plants in the garden."

That evening, Kiran returned.

 He looked exhausted and sharper than usual. As he pulled off his shoes, I stepped forward to clean them.

"What did she say?" he asked.

"Nothing much. She was just happy," I replied.

Suddenly, he walked closer. My heart began to drum against my ribs. 

He reached out, his fingers hooking under my chin to force my head up. "Look at me," he said, his voice a low, icy vibration.

I looked. It was the first time I had ever seen his face from this close. 

His eyelashes were impossibly long, and his eyes were a deep, swirling dark brown. 

For a second, the air felt thin. My face began to burn, a heat spreading from my chest to my cheeks.

 “What am I thinking”? I gasped mentally, pulling my thoughts back. 

"I hope you didn't mention the..." He trailed off, but I knew what he meant. The drugs.

"No," I whispered. "I didn't."

He let go and stepped back. "Well, it’s not like you have evidence anyway." 

He glanced at me one last time and said. "Make my tea and leave."

The next morning, the villa was full of tension. 

The investors were in the main parlor, and to my horror, Mrs. Victoria and Leo walked in. 

Leo was dressed in a sleek suit, acting like a professional, while Kiran sat at the side, looking bored and distracted.

"I hope you aren't here to cause trouble," mr. sterling warned Leo.

"Just here to watch, Grandpa," Leo smirked.

The meeting began. When it was time to show the documents, Kiran handed over the envelope I had brought back. 

The investors looked through it, their brows furrowing.

"There's a problem here," one of them said. "These figures are wrong. This looks... fake."

Grandpa turned to Kiran, confusion turning into anger, but before he could speak, Leo stood up.

 He pulled a fresh set of papers from his briefcase—the real ones.

"My little brother must have given you guys the wrong file," Leo said smoothly, stepping into Kiran’s spot. "This is the real document."

Victoria was beaming, moving closer to her father, likely whispering about how her son had "saved the day."

After the investors left, mr sterling looked disappointed. "How could you make such a mistake, Kiran?"

"Maybe he’s just distracted," Leo mocked.

To my surprise, mr sterling didn't yell. 

He just sighed and said, "Let’s all sit for dinner."

The meal was silent and suffocating. 

I was serving the food when mr sterling suddenly looked at me. 

"Clara, sit down. Join us." he muttered.

I froze, but I couldn't say no. 

As I sat at the edge of the table, he smiled at me. "Are you satisfied with the food, Clara?"

"Yes, sir," I whispered.

"You know," he mused, 

looking between me and Kiran. "If you were to be my in-law, I would be very happy."

I nearly choked. "I... I wouldn't dare, sir."

But Mrs. Victoria jumped on the idea.

 "Why not? You and Kiran look wonderful together. 

You’d be very lucky to marry into this family, Clara."

My mind raced. What is she doing? She wants me in this house forever to keep spying for her.

"No, no," I said quickly.

 "I don't want to marry now. I’m too young. 

Besides, Kiran would never agree to such thing." I used him as my shield, sure that he would shut the idea down with a cruel comment.

But Kiran didn't look angry. He took a slow sip of his wine and looked me dead in the eye.

"Actually," he said, his voice terrifyingly calm. "I think I could. I could want to marry her."

The food in my mouth poured out as I gasped. 

I stared at him in pure shock. Why? He doesn't like me. He calls me a rat. What game is he playing now?