THE dim, flickering light in the small, isolated room did nothing to soften the tension. The air was heavy with an eerie stillness as Orlanda sat trembling, her voice barely above a whisper, yet cutting through the silence like a blade."I... I poisoned your lunch, sir," she confessed, her words trembling but resolute.Oswald stood motionless, his face an unreadable mask, the room cloaked in shadows. For a moment, the darkness seemed to consume him. He neither flinched nor uttered a word. His silence was more unnerving than fury.The only sound was Orlanda's uneven breathing, echoing off the cold stone walls. She waited for an explosion of rage, for him to strike out at her with the cruelty he was known for, but instead, his voice came out low and deliberate, like ice cracking beneath pressure."Dwayne," he called."Boss," he replied, ever ready to take action."Take her," Oswald ordered, his tone sharp, clipped. "To the attic."Orlanda's heart sank. Not one of the grand, opulent room
LORD Dino sat in the well lit study, the golden flicker of a nearby lamp casting shadows across the mahogany desk. His hands rested on the smooth surface, yet his mind was far from at ease. He watched the door close slowly as Philip, their most trusted informant, exited the room. Dino's expression, usually stern and controlled, now wore a mask of palpable unease. His brow furrowed, lips drawn into a tight line, and his thoughts spiraled, piecing together the odd bits of information Philip had just delivered. Something was off. Oswald was in trouble again, he could feel it.The silence that settled after Philip's departure was soon broken by the soft click of heels on the polished marble floor. Lady Frances, ever graceful in her movements, entered the study, her brows slightly knit in concern. She had had dinner, a very late dinner alone at the dining, and it was late because she had been out for a function, the reason she was still in the clothes she had gone out with.Worried that he
IT was well past the time when Orlanda was supposed to join the WhatsApp group chat. Flourish and Winifred had been sending her messages for over an hour, their phones lighting up with unread notifications and missed calls."She still hasn't replied?" Flourish asked, sending another voice note into the chat, though she already knew the answer."Nothing," Winifred sighed as she typed in a reply. "It is not like Orlanda to just disappear like this. She promised she would be online tonight."Flourish, lying on her bed, stared at her phone screen, feeling the same uneasy knot in her stomach that had been growing for the past hour. Orlanda was always punctual and never missed their late night chats, especially after a long day at work. If ever she was gonna miss it, maybe as a result of some unseen circumstances, she was gonna drop a voicenote or call to that effect. Something felt off. Winifred couldn't shake her own sense of worry. She opened her call log, scrolling through the missed c
EVENING finally came, and Oswald returned home from a long day at work, his mind still preoccupied with the incident that happened at the office. The cold, calculating demeanor he usually wore had cracked, if only for a moment, when Dwayne had taken Orlanda away. The memory of her pleading eyes as she was cuffed and escorted out played on a loop in his head, but he quickly shook it off.He had learned to control his emotions. Emotions made people weak, and weakness wasn't something he could afford, especially not with someone like Orlanda, a mere maid in his house. His mind briefly flicked back to the meal she had brought. He had even been too busy to eat it, coupled with the fact of it being poisoned or not, and also engrossed in the meeting, phone calls and reports that had flooded his office after the incident. The food had sat there on the desk, untouched. He wasn't sure if it was the distrust or something deeper, but something had kept him from taking even a bite. The thought cr
THE sound of boots echoing on the polished marble floor signaled Dwayne's arrival. Oswald stood behind his desk, his back to the room, gazing out of the large window overlooking the vast cityscape. Nathan had called Dwayne at Oswald's order, and he wasted no time obeying.Dwayne strode in, a figure of authority and calm efficiency. He gave a respectful bow to Oswald, who did not turn around but simply gave a slight nod in acknowledgment. His attention remained fixed on the view outside, the morning light casting a cold glow on his sharp features, as his thoughts raced on the scenario unfolding.Orlanda stood frozen near the door, her heart hammering against her chest. Already having an idea of what was about to unfold, something in the atmosphere chilled her to the core, this was more reason for her to say they were acting on a tip off. Dwayne wasn't always around at the company, he was always at the mansion, but for Nathan to ring him and he quickly showed up, spelt something.Then,
ORLANDA'S hand froze mid air, the fork hovering just above the food as Oswald's voice commanded, "Stop." Her heart raced as she looked up at him, fear pooling in her eyes. She didn't understand why he halted her, was he toying with her? Or was there something else?Oswald's cold, calculated stare pierced through her, making her feel small and powerless. He took another step forward, the room shrinking under the weight of his presence. "How did you get into my office?" He asked again, his voice low but dangerous, every word laced with suspicion.She gasped, not expecting that at all."I have asked this question, and a series of other questions and till yet, no reply from you Orlanda," he added.Orlanda's mind scrambled for an answer as she slowly dropped the fork and turned her back to the food, fear choked her, leaving her stammering, unable to form a coherent sentence. "I- I... I just... I was-"Her words trailed off into gibberish, her thoughts a chaotic mess. She had no valid ex