Chapter 10 – Close Calls and Hidden Threats
Rain had returned in a light drizzle, tapping the tall windows of the mansion. Catty moved carefully through the corridors, carrying freshly folded linens, but the unease from the previous day lingered. Something in the east wing had drawn her attention, and she couldn't shake the sense that someone was watching her every move.
Sofia appeared beside her, voice low. "Be careful. The new maid isn't as harmless as she looks."
Catty frowned. "I don't understand. What do you mean?"
"Just… trust your instincts," Sofia replied before disappearing down the hall.
---
Lara, disguised perfectly in her maid uniform, crept silently along the corridors. Each step was calculated, her eyes scanning for movements, gestures, and patterns. She had memorized the routines of the household and now targeted Catty specifically.
"She's alert," Lara thought, observing Catty adjusting towels. Sharper than I expected.
A sound—too subtle for anyone but trained eyes—made Lara pause. She had almost been seen by one of the security monitors as she edged past the restricted east wing. A shiver of caution ran down her spine. Almost caught. Need to be more careful.
---
Meanwhile, Logan reviewed the internal logs from the east wing cameras. The flicker had been brief, but he noticed it. Amber eyes narrowed, sharp and unrelenting.
"Someone's inside," he said quietly to Ethan.
Ethan's expression remained unreadable. "Do you want me to handle it?"
"No," Logan replied. "Not yet. Let them make the mistake. That's when we act. But keep a close eye on Catty. She doesn't belong in the crossfire, yet she's too curious for her own good."
---
Later that afternoon, Catty carried the laundry to the east wing again. Her pulse quickened as she approached the slightly ajar door. Something about the faint metallic scent and the cold draft made her pause. Her hands trembled slightly as a fragmented memory surfaced: shadows, a hand pulling her through a doorway, a voice calling her name, something urgent.
A flashback: fifteen years ago, a dim room, muffled voices, fear, and the sudden loss of control. She shook her head violently, trying to push it away. It's nothing. Just a dream…
A soft footstep behind her made her freeze. Lara stepped from the shadows, voice smooth and polite.
"Good afternoon," Lara said, her eyes scanning the hallway. "You're very… observant for a new maid."
Catty's heart thumped. "I—I'm just doing my job."
"Of course," Lara said sweetly, though there was a sharp edge beneath it. "But curiosity in this house… can be dangerous."
Catty nodded, forcing herself to remain calm. Her eyes flicked toward the door. Why do I feel like I've seen her before?
---
Isabella had been watching quietly from the kitchen doorway, her jealousy simmering. Her sharp heels echoed as she approached. "You've been spending a lot of time with him… don't get any ideas, little maid."
Catty stiffened. "I don't—"
"You'd better not," Isabella hissed, stepping closer. "Curiosity gets punished here, one way or another."
Catty's hands trembled, but she stood her ground. "I'm only doing my job."
Isabella's grin was venomous. "We'll see."
---
Later, in Logan's study, he reviewed reports from the docks' previous mission. His minor wound had healed, but a tight knot of irritation remained. He sensed movement in the mansion, and his instincts told him Catty might be drawn into something far more dangerous than she realized.
Ethan leaned quietly in the doorway. "She doesn't know she's being watched."
Logan's jaw tightened. "Not yet. But if the spy makes a mistake…" His amber eyes darkened. "Then we act."
---
Night fell, heavy and silent. Catty sat in her quarters, examining the folded note from the rival group. The crimson lotus symbol stared up at her.
She pressed her hand to the edge of the memory that surfaced earlier—the faint image of a door, shadows, a sense of being pulled away. She shook her head, trying to dismiss it. But a soft knock at the door startled her.
"Catty?" Lara's voice whispered from the other side. "Are you alright?"
Catty froze. "I'm fine. You should go."
"I'm just checking," Lara said, stepping inside. Her gaze swept the room, calculating, evaluating. "This house is full of secrets. Be careful."
Catty felt her stomach tighten. "I am."
Lara's smile lingered faintly, too knowing, before she slipped out. Catty couldn't shake the feeling that she had just met someone far more dangerous than Isabella.
---
Outside, rain drummed against the tall windows. In the study, Logan's monitors flickered again—another anomaly in the east wing camera feed.
Ethan leaned in. "She's moving around again. Not Catty… someone else."
"Good," Logan murmured. "They're reckless. That's when we strike."
---
The night deepened, and Catty lay awake, the crimson lotus symbol in her hands. Outside, someone's shadow moved silently along the hallway.
She didn't know it yet, but the rival spy had begun crossing lines that could no longer be ignored. Every step brought her closer to the truth of the mansion's dangerous secrets.