Chapter 15 – The Forbidden Wing
The mansion was unusually silent that evening, the kind of silence that made footsteps echo like thunder. Catty moved slowly down the corridor, her tray of linens clutched tightly in her hands. Her curiosity tugged at her again, toward the east wing—the part of the mansion that Logan had forbidden her to enter.
"Catty," Sofia whispered from the shadows, "please, don't go near the east wing tonight. Something isn't right."
Catty's green eyes narrowed. "I know," she whispered back. "But I feel like… I need to see."
Sofia shook her head, worry etched on her face. "Curiosity can be dangerous. Be careful."
Catty nodded, though her pulse quickened. Every step closer to the forbidden wing felt like stepping into a memory she couldn't fully recall.
---
Meanwhile, in the shadows, Lara observed silently. Her maid uniform allowed her to blend perfectly, but her gaze never left Catty.
"She doesn't know yet… but she will," Lara thought. She adjusted her movements, careful not to trigger any of the mansion's security. Her mission was simple: observe, record, and report. But curiosity had made Catty a wild card—unpredictable, intriguing, and dangerous.
---
In the kitchen, Isabella watched from a distance, her jaw tight. The sight of Catty edging closer to the forbidden east wing made her blood boil.
"She doesn't belong there," Isabella muttered. "And Logan… he isn't protecting her the way he should."
Her eyes narrowed. "I'll make sure she learns her place. Tonight."
---
Catty reached the doorway to the east wing. It was slightly ajar, a cold draft brushing her face. She pressed her hand against the doorframe, hesitating. A faint metallic smell lingered, sharp and unfamiliar.
Before she could enter, a soft voice whispered: "You shouldn't be here."
Catty spun around. Lara emerged from the shadows, her eyes sharp and calculating.
"I… I'm just looking," Catty stammered.
"Curiosity can be dangerous," Lara replied. "And in this house, danger hides in plain sight."
Catty swallowed hard. "I… I'm just a maid. I don't know anything."
Lara's smirk was cold. "You know enough. And someone's watching you very closely."
---
Suddenly, the sharp click of heels echoed down the hall. Isabella stormed forward, her tray rattling as she grabbed Catty's arm.
"Back off!" Isabella hissed at Lara.
Lara's eyes flicked to Isabella, and then back to Catty. "This doesn't concern you," she said.
"It concerns me because she's in my house," Isabella snapped. "And I decide who touches her."
The tension between the two women made Catty step back, heart racing.
"You're safe now," Isabella said softly to Catty. "But don't think I won't intervene next time."
Lara's thin smile was like a blade. "Next time, perhaps I won't be so polite."
---
Meanwhile, in the study, Logan watched the monitors, his amber eyes sharp and calculating. He could see everything—the confrontation, the tension, the subtle threat Lara represented.
"She's pushing boundaries," Ethan remarked quietly.
"She doesn't know who's watching," Logan replied, his voice low and controlled. "But soon she will. And when she does… everything changes."
---
Later that night, Catty returned to her quarters, clutching the crimson lotus note in her pocket. Her mind raced with fragments of her past: shadows, hands gripping hers, a door she couldn't fully remember.
A soft knock on her door startled her.
"Catty?" Lara's voice whispered from outside.
"I'm busy," Catty replied, heart hammering.
"Just a word," Lara said softly. "You don't know what you're in yet, but you will. Be careful who you trust."
Catty pressed herself against the door, swallowing. She didn't understand why this girl was so fixated on her—or why she felt instinctively that Lara's presence meant danger.
---
Hours later, a message appeared on one of Logan's encrypted monitors. The Crimson Lotus—the rival mafia group—had sent a warning:
"She is important. Keep her safe, or we intervene. Your patience is noted, Logan."
Logan's amber eyes flickered with both amusement and anger. He leaned back, thinking carefully. This wasn't just about the mansion or Catty anymore; outside forces were closing in, and everything he controlled was being tested.
Ethan glanced at him. "Shall we respond?"
"No," Logan said quietly. "Let them watch. Let them think they have the advantage. But not for long."
---
Back in her quarters, Catty finally sat on her bed, exhausted and tense. The events of the evening—the near confrontation with Lara, Isabella's protective glare, the fragments of her memory—pressed down on her mind. She didn't understand everything yet, but one thing was clear: the mansion held secrets that could change her life forever.
Somewhere in the shadows, Lara was already planning her next move. Isabella remained vigilant, protective in her own harsh way. And Logan, sharp and calculating, watched them all.
The mansion's web of intrigue was tightening, and tonight, every step Catty took brought her closer to discovering its darkest secrets.