Chapter 6

"First."

He held my gaze. "You will never attempt to remove my mask."

I stared at him.

"Second."

He took his hand of the table and leaned back on the chair. "You will never enter the East Wing." There was no threat in his voice. Only certainty.

My eyes narrowed and I wanted to ask him the reason why but I already knew I won't get a response.

He must have noticed. "Got something to say?" 

I hesitated then shook my head. "No."

He studied me briefly before he continued.

"Third."

His eyes never left mine. "You will never fall in love with me."

For a second, I thought I had misheard him. Then a short, disbelieving laugh escaped me.

"Trust me."

I met his gaze without flinching. "That's never going to happen."

Arthur cleared his throat softly, though whether from discomfort or amusement, I couldn't tell. Adonis's expression remained unreadable behind the silver mask.

"I'm glad we're in agreement."

He rose from his chair. "Mrs. Harper will show you to your room."

Without another word, he turned and walked out of the room. I watched him leave until he disappeared down the corridor.

Realizatioj hit me at that moment. There was no way out anymore. And I still knew absolutely nothing about my new husband.

Oh God. Help me.

Arthur let out a quiet sigh before smiling at me. "I know today has been... overwhelming."

I forced a smile back and said nothing . Mrs. Harper returned.

"Miss Hart, your room is ready." Arthur nodded. "Get some rest, my dear. Tomorrow will come soon enough."

I offered him a small bow before following Mrs. Harper out of the drawing room. The manor seemed even larger now that I was walking through it.

The house suddenly felt more alive. Not with noise, but with quiet purpose.

A maid stood on a small ladder replacing the white camellias in a crystal vase while another disappeared through a doorway carrying neatly folded towels.

An elderly butler polished the brass railing with slow, practiced movements before greeting Mrs. Harper with a respectful nod.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Harper."

She nodded back."Good afternoon, Mr. Collins." She looked at me. "He's our head butler."

He smiled politely.

"Welcome to Blackwood Manor, Miss Hart."

I smiled back.."Thank you."

We continued walking. A young steward crossed the hallway, speaking softly into a small earpiece before disappearing through another corridor.

Beyond the tall windows, I caught sight of two gardeners carefully trimming the rows of white camellias lining the courtyard.

Everywhere I looked, someone was working. No one hurried. Everything ran with great precision.

It felt less like a family home and more like a place where everyone knew exactly what was expected of them.

Mrs. Harper noticed me looking around.."It takes a little while to get used to the house."

"I believe that."

A smile touched her lips. "We have quite a number of staff. Lydia oversees the housemaids. Mr. Collins manages the household. The gardeners have been here longer than I have."

She laughed softly.

"I sometimes think they know the flowers better than they know people." I couldn't help smiling. It was the first genuine smile I'd managed all day after everything.

As we climbed the staircase, she glanced back at me. "People talk too much in this house."

My brows lifted.

"About what?"

"Oh..." She waved a hand lightly. "All kinds of nonsense."

I stared at her. "What kind of nonsense?"

She hesitated just long enough for me to notice. "It'nothing grand. Just old stories."

She smiled again, though it looked slightly forced. "Whatever you hear, Miss Hart..."

She paused. "...don't believe every story."

I opened my mouth to ask another question but Mrs. Harper simply shook her head. "Nothing worth repeating."

Then, fortunately for her we got to where seemed to be our destination. "This is your room."

She opened a pair of white double doors. The bedroom was larger than the apartment I'd rented during university.

It had floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the gardens and It's cream-colored curtains swayed gently in the breeze.

A fireplace stood opposite an enormous bed dressed in crisp white linen while fresh flowers rested on a small table near the window. They are white camellias.

Of course.

Mrs. Harper noticed where I was looking. "The gardeners replace them every morning."

"They're pretty." I muttered.

"They've always been Mr. Blackwood's favorite." I wasn't sure which Mr. Blackwood she meant.

Before I could ask, she placed a small key on the bedside table.

"If you need anything, simply ring the bell."

"Thank you."

She smiled warmly. "Rest well, Miss Hart."

The door closed quietly behind her and silence settled over the room..I walked slowly toward the window.

From the window, the gardens seemed to go on forever. It should have felt peaceful. Instead, It felt lonely.

I sat on the edge of the bed.

Married.

The word still didn't feel real. Only yesterday I had been worrying about internships and graduation.

Now I belonged to a man I had met only hours ago. A man who wore a silver mask and barely spoke.

A man I couldn't begin to understand. At some point exhaustion finally won and I lay down without bothering to change.

---

A sound woke me and my eyes opened slowly. The room was a bit lit with the moonlight that spilled across the floor.

For a moment I couldn't remember where I was. Then everything came rushing back and I closed my eyes again.

That's when I heard it. A soft sound. So faint I almost thought I'd imagined it.

Then it came again. Someone...was crying.

I sat upright. The sound drifted through the silence. It wasn't a sound from animal but that of human. A female.

The hairs on my arms stood up. I slipped out of bed and opened my bedroom door. The corridor outside was empty. Only a few wall lamps remained lit.

The crying came again. This time I was certain someone was there. I followed the sound carefully.

Each step carried me farther from my room. Past another hallway and another staircase. The manor seemed completely asleep.

The sound grew clearer. Then I noticed something. It was coming from the corridor on my left.

I stopped. A carved wooden sign hung above the entrance.

East Wing-Do not Trespass.

Rule Two came to my mind instantly.

>> You will never enter the East Wing.

I stared into the dim corridor and the crying continued. Someone could be hurt.

My fingers tightened around the railing. "I'm only going to look," I whispered to myself.

Just one glance and nothing more.

I took a careful step forward. Then another. The crying suddenly stopped and the silence that followed felt heavier than the sound itself.

I frowned. Had whoever it was heard me?

A faint echo reached my ears.

Footsteps.

Someone was coming. My heart lurched. I turned quickly, searching for somewhere to hide.

Before I could move, a hand caught my wrist. I gasped and made to scream but another hand covered my mouth before the scream could escape.

"Shh..."