Chapter 4

TWO WEEKS LATER

For two weeks, Adrian had not returned to the mansion, according to the butler, he had left for a business trip in China.

The mansion no longer felt as foreign as it once had. Carolina had memorized every hallway, every staircase, every silent corner of the estate. In the afternoons, she wandered through the gardens or disappeared into the library for hours.

A library Adrian had built for her, she still remembered the conversation.

“What do you like to do when you're alone?” he had asked one evening.

“Read.” She had reply him that day and the next morning, an entire room on the second floor had been transformed into a library.

Dark shelves stretched from floor to ceiling, a ladder stood by the shelves, the scent of polished wood and paper filling the room. Every book she had ever mentioned every favorite novel, every author she loved was there.

Even the rare editions she had once stared at through bookstore windows were all present in the library.

Carolina sat curled up in the velvet armchair beside the fireplace, a book open in her lap but she had not turned the page in ten minutes.

Instead, she stared at the words without seeing them. “How am I supposed not to fall for him,” she whispered to herself pressing the book against her chest, “when he notices things like this?”

She hated that her heart softened for him, she hated it because Adrian was cruel, cold and dangerous.

And yet somehow, he remembered the exact edition of her favorite book, that alone makes her stomach growled.

With a sigh, she placed the book down and headed toward the kitchen but she slowed when she heard voices.

The voices were coming from the kitchen, it was from the maids.

“I still don't understand why Master married her,” one of them said quietly. “She's too soft for him.”

“Too naive,” another agreed. “Master deserves someone better.” She said and Carolina froze outside the kitchen doorway.

“I heard she's forbidden from going near the West Wing too.” Another said. “Maybe Master doesn't even care about her that much.”

“No, seriously,” a third maid whispered, lowering her voice even further. “Only Butler and the maids assigned there are allowed inside, the servants who work there aren't even allowed to leave the wing. They've been there for years.” She said and Carolina's fingers tightened around the edge of the doorway.

“Who do you think is in there?”

“I don't know, maybe Master is hiding someone.”

“Someone sick?” Another asked.

“A doctor goes there almost every day.”

“Maybe he's keeping someone prisoner.”

The maids heard footsteps behind them and suddenly they went silent.

“You all seem very interested in things that do not concern you.” The butler's voice was calm, but the warning beneath it was sharp.

The maids went paled immediately as they bowed their heads.

“Butler!” They chorused and scattered immediately.

The butler turned and face Carolina, For a second, something unreadable crossed his face.Then he bowed slightly.

“My apologies, ma'am. They spoke out of turn.” He said but Carolina just forced a smile.

“It's alright.” She muttered even though it wasn't, Because now she could not stop thinking about the West Wing.

That evening, Carolina stood by her bedroom window, the West Wing sat across the courtyard.

"Is he really hiding someone there?" She thought as she bit the inside of her cheek.

But again, she shrugged it off, It was none of her business cause Adrian had warned her very clearly not to go into the West Wing, she should leave it alone.

Then she saw the doctor. An older man in a black coat stepped through the front doors of the West Wing, carrying a leather bag, she wanted to look away but her chest tightened.

"Someone really was in there?" She thought but then she shrugged it off again.

“Whatever,” she muttered, stepping away from the window. “It's none of my business, curiosity kills the cat.” She said as she crawled into her bed.

NIGHT

Carolina tossed and turned in bed, shifting from one side to the other, she tried to stop thinking about the West Wing but she couldn't.

With a frustrated sigh, she sat up and pushed the blankets away.

"Maybe some fresh air would help" She thought as she stepped out of her room quietly.

She was walking around the garden, trying her best not to look toward the West Wing, but the moment she lifted her eyes, they landed on the West Wing across the courtyard.

Carolina sighed as she held her head. “Curiosity kills the cat,” she whispered to herself as she stared at the Wing.

“Good thing I'm not a cat.” She said as she crept down the hallway, she stopped in front of the doors to the West Wing.

Her heart hammered painfully, one thought telling her to go back, the other one urging her to go ahead. Slowly she pushed the door open and stepped inside.

The inside of the West Wing was nothing like the rest of the mansion.

The air smelled faintly of medicine, and something soft and sweet she could not place. There were no expensive decorations, no cold marble and no dark luxury.

The mansion felt lived in, it was warm and cozy. She walked more deeper carefully.

And the first room she entered was empty, same as the second one but the third one was different, it wasn't empty like the rest, there are shelves filled with children's books and that made her confusion deepened.

Then she saw the staircase, she walked towards it and climbed it slowly, the upstairs hallway was dim.

The first door stood slightly open and she pushed it gently without hesitation and she froze.

The room looked like it belonged to a child, It was filled with toys, only toys, no bed, nothing, just kid toys

The toys were everywhere, a train set in one corner, tiny cars lined neatly across a shelf, plush animals arranged perfectly, colored pencils and even picture books.

Everything was organized with unnatural precision, the walls of the room were painted blue, there were stars on the ceiling.

For a moment, Carolina forgot to breathe. “What” she whispered and was about to step more in when something small wrapped around her leg.

She gasped and stumbled back, only to see a little boy standing beside her, he looks no older than five.

He had dark brown hair, pale skin, and ocean blue eyes just like Adrian's.

The resemblance hit her so hard that her chest physically hurt, the little boy looked up at her silently. His fingers twisted in the fabric of her nightdress without letting go.

He looked half asleep, as if he had followed the sound of her footsteps.

“Hey” Carolina whispered, kneeling slowly in front of him as the little boy stared at her face, he was not shy, neither was he afraid, he was just staring blankly at her. Like he was trying to memorize her face.

“What's your name?” she asked softly but he did not answer, Instead, his tiny hand reached up and touched her cheek, immediately their skin came in contact Carolina body went still, the little boy fingers were warm, very warm, but his voice was more warmer.

“Mummy,” he whispered and her breath caught.

“Mummy?” She muttered, the word was so quiet she almost thought she imagined it, she was still in shock when a more shocking voice sounded behind her.

“What are you doing here?” The voice was thunder and she flinched so hard she nearly fell, she turned immediately and Adrian stood in the doorway.

He looked terrifying, his eyes were dark with fury, his jaw was clenched so tightly she thought his teeth might crack. Behind him stood the butler.

“What the fuck do you think you're doing here?” Adrian snapped and Carolina stumbled to her feet.

“I......I...." She stammered as she tried to talk but no word came out.

“You disobeyed me.” His voice was cold as ice as he stared at her.

“Young master,” the butler said quietly, stepping toward the boy, he wanted to take him away from the whole chaos. “Young Master, come with me." He said again but the little boy tightened his grip around Carolina's leg.

“Mummy,” he whispered again and everything stopped as Adrian stared at him. The butler looks shocked too.

Adrian's expression changed, the anger was still there but beneath it was something else, shock.

“Justin” Adrian's voice was gently now. “What did you say?" He asked in a low voice but the boy buried his face in Carolina's dress.

“Mummy.” He said again and the butler pressed a hand to his mouth.

“Oh my God" He muttered, his eyes filled with tears. “Young Master spoke.”

Carolina looked between them, she looks more confused than before.

"Why were they acting like this? Why were they looking at him like he had done something impossible? Kids his age are expected to talk after all" She thought as she stare at them.

“Justin,” Adrian said more gently, kneeling in front of him. “Look at me." He said and the little boy finally lifted his head.

Adrian's entire body looked tense, like he was afraid to breathe too hard and ruin the moment. “Can you say it again?" He said but Justin only looked at Carolina.

“Mummy.” He muttered again and Adrian shut his eyes. For one second, Carolina saw the crack in him, the relief. Then it was gone.

“Take him back to his room,” Adrian said abruptly, standing up to Carolina and at that moment she knew she was doomed.