Agnes, a woman whose weathered face held the weight of unspoken stories, knew the torturing Anna must have gone through inside. Whenever Paul returned from a failed business venture, Anna bore the brunt of his fury. Today, he crossed his limits yet once again and brutally put off his wrath on her, and now the silence worried Agnes more than the screams.
Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself. Knocking softly, she called out, "Anna? It's Agnes. May I come in?"
A long, shaky sigh was the only response. Agnes knew better than to push. With practiced gentleness, she announced, "I've drawn a warm bath, Mrs. Wilson. And I made your favorite chamomile tea."
Another pause, then a weak, "Thank you, Agnes."
Agnes took this as her cue. Unlocking the door, she was met with a sight that twisted her heart – Anna, a beautiful woman reduced to a trembling figure on the floor, her designer dress lingered on the corner, with bruises all over her body, marking the spanks with the belt and reddish marks left behind on her hands and legs by the handcuffs, stains of tears left on her cheeks and eyes lifeless. Shame and a flicker of defiance flickered in her eyes.
"Come, Anna," Agnes said, her voice a soothing balm. "Let me help you."
Covering her with a blanket, Agnes led her to the bathroom. The plush white towels and steaming water are a stark contrast to the harshness of the Red Room. As Anna sank into the tub, Agnes began to work, washing away the physical marks of Paul's cruelty with practiced efficiency.
“These things don't define you Anna," said Agnes.
A watery smile played on Anna's lips. "Easy for you to say, Agnes. You're not trapped in this gilded cage."
Agnes's gaze softened.
“But I’m thankful that you still chose to stand by me to date within this cage. You made me less vulnerable in this haunting mansion where memories of the past are pulling me down no matter how hard I try to raise” Anna said with tears brimming in her eyes.
"We all have our cages, Anna. But you are stronger than you think. Look at you, still standing after all this time." Agnes confronted Anna.
There was a truth in Agnes's words that resonated with Anna. Taking a sip of the calming tea, she closed her eyes, a flicker of determination replacing the despair.
"You're right, Agnes," she whispered. "I can't control Paul, but I can control how I react. I won't let him break me."
After the bath, Agnes helped Anna to her room. After helping Anna to bed Agnes left the room. The Red Room might have been a symbol of Paul's power, but within its walls, a seed of defiance had been planted, a seed that Agnes hoped would one day blossom into freedom for Anna.
Author’s POV
A beautiful sunrise painted the Pacific Ocean in pink and gold. Christian stood on his huge balcony, the cool air a nice change from his warm bed. He breathed in the salty air, a reminder of the wildness beyond his perfect life. He held a fancy cup of coffee with a citrusy smell, another contrast to the cool air.
He leaned on the railing, looking out at the view. His huge, successful mansion stood behind him, a fortress overlooking his private beach. But today, he didn't feel as good as usual. He'd won a business fight yesterday, taking over a project from Mr. Paul Parker. However, his victory felt empty, like ashes in his mouth. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy competition anymore, but it wasn't giving him the same satisfaction.
He sipped his coffee, the bitterness grounding him. Only the waves crashing and a seagull's cry broke the silence. The sun rose higher, casting long shadows on the beach. He watched, captivated, as the sunlight danced on the water, making it sparkle like diamonds. It was a stunning view, yet his insides felt anything but calm.
A movement at the corner of his eye drew him back. A figure stood hesitantly in the doorway leading to his bedroom. It was William, his Uncle.
Christian’s POV
Mom, Dad. Ethan and I, our family was perfect, then everything changed in a blink. We lost Mom and Dad, and it felt like the world went dark. Not only did we deal with the immense pain, but their business, which was supposed to be our future, was about to fail. We were lost and scared.
Then, Uncle William came along. Unlike distant relatives we barely knew, he was a smart businessman with a kind heart. He saw our situation and became our savior. We were like kids lost at sea, but Uncle William didn't just throw us a life jacket, he jumped in with us. He spent hours teaching us everything about running a business, from dealing with finances to negotiating deals. He saw something special in us, a potential we couldn't even see ourselves.
It wasn't a walk in the park. We stayed up late, faced setbacks, and sometimes just wanted to give up. But Uncle William never gave up on us. He believed in our abilities even when we didn't. He pushed us to be our best selves and showed us how to survive in the competitive business world.
Slowly, things started to improve. Ethan, with his natural charisma, connected with clients and built strong relationships. I, on the other hand, absorbed everything Uncle William taught me like a sponge. I learned the ins and outs of running a company and became more confident.
"Christian!" the deep voice boomed, jolting me back to the present.
"Yeah, William," I mumbled, annoyed by the sudden interruption. "You don't need to yell, I can hear you perfectly well."
I could practically feel him rolling his eyes, even though I couldn't see him. "There I was, calling your name for ages, and you were staring at me like I was some kind of ghost haunting you. Anna's ghost, maybe?" he muttered under his breath.
He lowered his voice, and I knew the playful jab was over. "Listen, Christian. Yesterday was a good win, a fair one, I'll give you that. But don't get too comfortable. Remember what we're here for? Our real target is still in that very house."
Christian’s POV
He lowered his voice, and I knew the playful jab was over. "Listen, Christian. Yesterday was a good win, a fair one, I'll give you that. But don't get too comfortable. Remember what we're here for? Our real target is still in that very house."
His words hit me like a cold shower. I couldn't afford to get lost in memories, not now. We had a mission, a game we were playing, and yesterday's win was just a small step. The real challenge was still ahead of us. There is an enemy out there, someone we both considered a target. Somehow we both are after the same thing, Anna!. This wasn't some friendly competition; this was a high-stakes game, and losing wasn't an option. William was right. I had to focus. Now, it was all about taking down this target, whoever it was, and achieving the goal we had set out for.
He then slowly made his way towards the chaise lounge and I joined him soon.
William was worried. "This mess must have angered whoever is behind it," he said. "They're probably planning revenge already. Everyone's talking about Grey Industries buying up all these companies, but we can't trust them to keep our secret plans quiet. The sudden spotlight can be harmful for us."
I understood what he meant. "Parker was always our main target, William," I said calmly, but with a serious undertone. "At least now it's clear someone else is controlling things, not Parker himself. He wouldn't be able to pull something off this fast."
We needed to find out who it was – someone powerful and clever enough to strike back quickly. Parker wasn't known for being strategic, so this was a new and more dangerous enemy.
"We need a new plan, William," I said, already thinking of options. "Things can change in a snap. We need to figure out who they are and why they're doing this. Until then, we have to be extra careful, even ruthless if needed. It’s time that we get things the way we want and settle the things that happened years before."
“What about getting her out of their grip? It's been almost 4 years they have been using her.” William shared his concern.
“I know William, I’m too cautious about that, but we can’t take things in a hurry. We’ll have to get her under us. She is the only weapon we can use against them. One single wrong step can get her far away from us.” I said with many unplanned events turning up in my mind. Uncle drifted off his thoughts to all the mishaps that were gonna take place within a few days.
In the mansion…
Author’s POV
Anna stared out the window, watching raindrops streak down the glass like tears she wouldn't let fall. Outside, the green lawn looked washed out and gray, matching her mood. The driveway, usually filled with fancy cars, was empty today. Loneliness was a familiar feeling, but today it felt especially heavy.
Suddenly, a splash of red caught her eye. A bright red car, unfamiliar to her, pulled up the driveway. A spark of curiosity flickered within her, but years of forced indifference quickly smothered it. Who could it be? Visitors, welcome or unwelcome, were rare in their isolated world.
Just as Anna started to lose interest, Agnes' voice came through the intercom. "Mrs. Wilson, you have a visitor. Mr. Abel, he says he's an old friend."
Anna's heart jumped. Abel? The name was a reminder of a happier time, and it brought a forgotten warmth to her. A flicker of hope ignited – maybe this unexpected visit wasn't just a break from the usual boredom. Maybe it offered something more.
Abel’s POV
The door creaked open, revealing Agnes, the housekeeper. With her usual warm smile she welcomed me, "Mr. Abel," she greeted, her voice hushed. "Come in, come in”
"Hello, Ms.Agnes. Long time no see. I heard that you too moved in with Anna. Where Is Anna?" I said.
Ms. Agnes took me to the mansion's grand library. I remembered how much Anna loved books, and how she would happily spend hours surrounded by them. But once we were inside, Agnes excused herself and left me alone.
The library in the mansion felt magical. Sunlight poured through a giant window on the top floor, shining on dark wooden shelves overflowing with books. The air smelled like old paper and leather, a cozy scent. The library was amazing and had two floors. A fancy, curved staircase made of dark wood took up one wall. The steps were wide and looked like they led to a secret world of knowledge upstairs. Downstairs, comfy chairs in dark green velvet were arranged around fireplaces on opposite ends of the room. Beautiful rugs with red and blue patterns, like the stained glass window above, covered the shiny wood floor. Between the chairs were small tables with interesting things on them, like old globes, carved chess sets, and cool statues. Downstairs, comfy chairs in dark green velvet were arranged around fireplaces on opposite ends of the room and there she was, Anna.
The library reflected her taste, a testament to the one who loved her. Lucky she is, was all I could think of at the moment.
Write a comment ...