Chapter 4: A Dark Turn

Lucy sat by the window in her room, The gloomy sky seemed to reflect her mood as the reality of her life settled around her like a suffocating blanket. She had known that this marriage wasn’t going to be easy, but she hadn’t expected it to feel so... lonely.

Her mind drifted back to the dinner party from the previous night—Isabel’s cruel words still echoed in her ears. Every time she saw her stepsister, it was a reminder that she wasn’t welcome in this world. And William… his cold indifference was wearing her down, slowly but surely.

A soft knock on the door interrupted her thoughts, and Lucy turned to see Brad standing in the doorway.

“William wants to see you in his study,” he said, his voice as smooth and unreadable as ever.

Lucy nodded, standing up and smoothing her dress. She followed Brad through the long, winding halls of the mansion, her steps heavy with the weight of anticipation. She had no idea what William wanted to talk about, but she doubted it would be pleasant.

When they reached the study, Brad gave her a nod before leaving, shutting the door quietly behind him. Lucy’s eyes found William immediately. He was seated behind his large desk, his expression hard as ever, though there was a tension in his posture that made Lucy’s stomach twist.

“Sit,” William said, gesturing to the chair across from him.

Lucy obeyed, sitting down in the stiff leather chair and clasping her hands in her lap. She waited for him to speak, but he remained silent for a moment, his eyes scanning her face as though trying to read her thoughts.

“You’ve been careless,” William finally said, his voice low and cold.

Lucy frowned, confusion swirling in her mind. “Careless? What do you mean?”

“You’ve been asking questions,” he replied, his tone sharp. “Questions you have no business asking.”

Lucy’s heart sank. He was referring to her brief conversation with Brad the day before. She hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, but now she realized that William knew everything. Of course, he did.

“I wasn’t trying to—”

“You weren’t trying to what?” William interrupted, his eyes narrowing. “To dig into things that don’t concern you?”

Lucy swallowed, feeling the sharpness of his words cut through her. “I didn’t mean to pry.”

“But you did.” William’s voice was quiet now, dangerously quiet. “You need to understand something, Lucy. This is not your family’s little world of secrets and manipulation. You’re in my world now, and there are consequences for crossing lines.”

Lucy’s breath hitched, but she didn’t respond. What could she say? William was right. She had been curious—too curious. But the more time she spent in this house, the more she felt like something was terribly wrong.

William leaned forward slightly, his blue eyes locked onto hers. “Stay in your lane, Lucy. You’re here because I allowed it. But that can change.”

His words sent a chill through her, though she kept her face as neutral as possible. She didn’t want to show him how much his words affected her. She didn’t want to give him the satisfaction.

“I understand,” Lucy said quietly, lowering her gaze to her lap.

William leaned back in his chair, his expression cold and unreadable once again. “Good. Now go. I have work to do.”

Lucy stood up without a word and walked out of the study, her mind reeling from the conversation. As she made her way back to her room, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of dread creeping into her chest. William’s warning was clear—she was walking a fine line, and one wrong step could send everything crashing down.

---

Hours later, Lucy found herself in the kitchen, helping the staff prepare for another event that William was hosting later that evening. She wasn’t sure why she had offered to help—perhaps it was her way of trying to feel useful in a world where she had no real place.

As she chopped vegetables in the kitchen, she felt a presence behind her. Turning around, she saw her stepmother, Mirabel, standing in the doorway, watching her with a calculating gaze.

“I didn’t expect to see you here, Lucy,” Mirabel said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Playing the role of the dutiful wife, are we?”

Lucy’s jaw clenched, but she kept her voice steady. “I’m just helping out.”

“Helping out?” Mirabel’s eyes glinted with amusement. “How noble of you. But I’m afraid that won’t change anything. You’re still nothing more than a placeholder.”

Lucy looked away, refusing to let Mirabel’s words get under her skin. She knew that her stepmother enjoyed tormenting her—always had. But here, in William’s house, it felt even more oppressive.

“Don’t you have something better to do, Mirabel?” Lucy asked, her voice tight with frustration.

Mirabel took a step closer, her presence looming over Lucy like a dark shadow. “Oh, darling, I’m just here to remind you of your place. You see, I know how these things work. You may be Mrs. Ashcroft for now, but that doesn’t mean you’ll keep that title forever.”

Lucy turned to face her stepmother fully, her chest tightening with anger. “I’m not interested in playing your games, Mirabel.”

Mirabel smirked, her green eyes gleaming with cruelty. “Oh, but you are. You just don’t know it yet.”

Before Lucy could respond, Mirabel leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. “William may tolerate you for now, but he doesn’t love you. He never will.”

With that, Mirabel straightened up and walked away, leaving Lucy standing there, her hands shaking with the effort it took to keep herself composed.

---

That evening, as Lucy prepared for the event, she couldn’t shake the heaviness that hung over her like a storm cloud. William’s harsh words, combined with Mirabel’s cruel taunts, left her feeling more isolated than ever.

She stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the straps of her black evening gown. The dress was elegant, sleek, and fit her perfectly, but no amount of finery could cover up the fact that she was playing a role she didn’t belong in.

A soft knock on the door made her turn. Isabel entered the room without waiting for an invitation, her smug expression making Lucy’s stomach churn.

“You look... decent,” Isabel said, her tone dripping with false kindness. “But then again, it’s not about how you look, is it?”

Lucy turned back to the mirror, refusing to engage with her stepsister. She knew what Isabel was here for—to gloat, to remind her that she didn’t belong. And she wasn’t going to give Isabel the satisfaction of seeing her react.

“Don’t worry, Lucy,” Isabel continued, her voice silky. “It won’t be long before William tires of this little arrangement. After all, he’s not the kind of man who settles for mediocrity.”

Lucy’s fingers tightened around the edge of the vanity, but she remained silent. She knew that Isabel’s goal was to break her, to make her feel small and insignificant. But she wouldn’t give in.

“You’ll see,” Isabel said with a smirk, turning to leave the room. “It’s only a matter of time.”

As the door clicked shut behind her, Lucy let out a slow breath, her chest tight with the weight of everything that had happened. She felt trapped, not just by her marriage but by the people around her—Isabel, Mirabel, even William. They all wanted something from her, and she wasn’t sure she had anything left to give.

---

The event that evening was much like the others—glamorous, filled with powerful people, and suffocating in its extravagance. Lucy stood beside William, her arm linked with his as they moved through the room, greeting guests and making small talk.

But tonight, something felt different. William’s grip on her arm was firmer than usual, almost possessive. His demeanor, always cold and distant, seemed sharper, as though he was on edge.

As they made their way through the crowd, Lucy caught sight of Brad across the room, his eyes watching them closely. There was something in his gaze that made her uneasy, but she couldn’t quite place what it was.

“William,” Lucy said softly, glancing up at him. “Is everything okay?”

William’s jaw clenched, but he didn’t respond. Instead, he steered her toward a quiet corner of the room, away from the prying eyes of the guests.

When they were finally alone, William turned to face her, his expression hard. “You need to be more careful.”

Lucy frowned, confusion swirling in her mind. “What do you mean?”

“You’ve been too visible,” William said, his voice low and cold. “People are starting to notice.”

Lucy blinked, taken aback by his words. “Notice what? I haven’t done anything wrong.”

William’s eyes narrowed. “You don’t understand. You’re drawing attention—attention we don’t need.”

Lucy swallowed hard, her chest tightening. “I’m just trying to...”

“To what?” William interrupted, his voice sharp. “To play the perfect wife? This isn’t about you, Lucy. This is about keeping up appearances. And right now, you’re not doing a good job.”

Lucy’s breath caught in her throat, the weight of his words drove her crazy. She had known that William’s feelings for her were cold at

best, but hearing him say it so plainly still hurt.

“I’m trying my best,” Lucy said quietly, her voice barely heard.