Warning

Lisa's POV 

   I sat on the edge of my bed with the lights dimmed, staring at the fresh bandage wrapped around my palm. The cut still throbbed beneath the gauze, every pulse brought back the sound of breaking glass, the sudden force of Adrian pulling me aside, and the weight of my father’s unfinished words.

The glasshouse, the letter, the look in Adrian’s eyes when he realized I didn’t know the full truth overwhelmed me. “Hmmm..”

I pressed my uninjured hand against my forehead, Seventeen in body but Far older in memory and the decisions ahead of me no longer felt simple.

A soft knock jolted me out of my thoughts. 

“Lisa?” My mother’s voice, I tugged my sleeve down to cover most of the bandage. “Come in.”

She stepped inside, still composed even at this hour, though concern already sat in her expression. “My child… where have you been? You disappeared for hours.”

“I needed air.” Her eyes dropped to my hand, the moment she noticed the bandage, her brows drew together. “What happened to your hand?”

“It’s nothing. Just a small cut.”

She moved closer. “Let me se…..”

Her words cut off as one heel slid sharply across the floor making her balance vanish. I reached for her, but I wasn’t fast enough. 

She fell hard, the sound of her body hitting the floor punched the air from my lungs.

“Mother!”

I dropped to my knees beside her, her face had gone pale as a sharp breath of pain escaped making attempt to shift.

“My ankle… or my back.. I don’t know—”

I looked down there was a thin, clear sheen spread across the floor near the entrance of my room.

Oil??

My pulse stuttered…My room was nowhere near the kitchen, there was no reason for oil to be here. Someone had put it there…that aside for now. 

“Don’t move,” I said, keeping my voice steady even as my hands went cold. “I’m calling for help.”

The estate came alive within minutes, Footsteps, Voices and Urgent calls everywhere. My mother’s assistant was already on the phone by the time I returned to her side. When the private ambulance arrived, I followed without allowing myself to shake.

At the hospital, everything moved too quickly.

White coats, bright lights, overlapping voices, yes it's an emergency case but the patient involved is Mrs LONERIA …..the buzzling is expected.

Then I heard the words that locked my spine in place. “Hale Pharmaceuticals has already been notified, their specialists are on the way.”

I stepped forward. “Not needed.” 

The attending doctor turned, surprised. “Miss Loneria, Hale specialists are the best for……”

“I said no.” My voice remained level, but it cut cleanly through the hallway. “You will not let anyone from Hale Pharmaceuticals near my mother.” The corridor quieted.

A senior physician frowned. “With all due respect, ma'am, their medical division is highly advanced….”

“And Loneria Medical built its reputation long before theirs, my word is my word.” I replied curtly. “Call Dr. Han from our private wing. Now.”

The Silence was domineering. The senior doctor gave a short nod. “Do as Miss Loneria says.”

I did not move until I watched the HALE’s team being turned away at the entrance. Only then did the tightness in my chest loosen slightly.

 Someone had spilled oil outside my door, Someone had wanted a fall to happen, probably expected me to fall for the Hale doctors to take control the moment it did happen. 

I curled my bandaged hand and ignored the sting, this was no longer only about the past and I have to do something. 

By the time I returned the floor had been cleaned already which made it worse.

“All workers gather here and give me a Fucking explanation.”

They gathered in the main hall, uncertain and tense. I stood at the base of the staircase and looked at each of them in turn.

“There was oil outside my bedroom door,” I said. “I want to know how it got there.”

No one answered….“Are y'all morons?” I coughed sightly realizing the slip of tongue, even though I'm not sorry about that.

“Who cleaned the kitchen last?” I fired back again, they kept on exchanging glances ald whimpering until One of the junior maids spoke weakly. “We finished before evening, Miss. Everything was left in order.”

“And no one carried anything upstairs afterward?”

I turned to the head of security. “Pull the surveillance footage for the east wing. From late afternoon until the moment my mother fell.”

“Yes, Miss Loneria.”

We watched the recordings in the security room, Corridor after corridor, empty hallways, servants passing at normal times no one lingering near my door, no one carrying bottles with mo visible spill being created.

Nothing!.. this must have been well planned and the absence of evidence sat heavier than a clear culprit would have.

“I guess we need new workers if so.” I yelled ready to sack everyone of them without a second thought. 

“Child, you're not yet of age to make such decision because your parents are the employers.” Maria interrupted gently. I dismissed all the staff, their relief was quiet but visible as few still avoided my eyes as they left except Maria.

She had been part of the household for as long as I could remember, the woman who had bandaged my knees when I was small, who had waited up when I came home late, who had always spoken to me with a softness my own mother sometimes withheld.

She stepped closer now, her expression calm but firm.

“That’s enough for tonight,” she said quietly.

I didn’t look at her with my disturbed eyes. “Someone put that oil there.”

“I know you believe that.”

“I don’t believe it, I saw it.”

Maria’s voice stayed even. “And the cameras show nothing, the staff are shaken…if I hadn't stopped you and you push harder tonight, fear will spread faster than answers.”

I finally turned toward her, She met my gaze without flinching. “You have always been smart, Lisa. But not everything needs to be cut open the moment it appears huhnn. Let the house settle, let your mother rest and If something is wrong, it will definitely show itself again.” Her words were gentle, they should have soothed the old me, Instead, they left a cold edge beneath my ribs.

In my first life, I had accepted explanations too easily, I had trusted the people who smiled while they destroyed me, I had let things “settle” until there was nothing left of me to defend….but now? No ways…I drew a slow breath and nodded once.

“All right,” I said.

Maria’s shoulders eased, she reached out as if to touch my arm, then stopped herself and simply gave a small, familiar smile before leaving me alone in the hall.

The estate grew quiet again, I stood there long after she was gone, staring at the clean floor where the oil had been. Maria was right about one thing, “If something was wrong, it would show itself again.” And this time, I wwill be more than ready.