Chapter 5 Five

Alexis woke up really tired, her head pounding as if it bore the weight of the entire world. The events of the previous night replayed in her mind, each scene more unbelievable than the last. Someone had tried to murder Cody. The thought echoed in her head , accompanied by the haunting memory of his face after he was hit by the van

Her heart clenched with a mixture of fear and anger. How could something so vile happen in a place as supposedly safe as the Carrington mansion? She felt her breath quicken. She knew she needed to calm down; panic wouldn't help her give her any answers. Taking a deep breath, she tried to push the thoughts away and get out of bed .But as she came down the grand staircase towards the breakfast room, the unease only grew.

The Carrington family sat around the long, polished oak table, the morning sun casting a golden hue over the tableware and delicate china. The room felt heavy,

There was totally silent everybody was too busy doing there own thing the only sounds were the ones coming from the cutlery clicking with the glass China

Victoria sat at the head of the table, casually flipping through the morning paper as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Katherine, her expression unreadable, poured herself a cup of coffee with her usual grace, her eyes briefly meeting Alexis 's before looking away. Diego was lost in thought, barely touching the food on his plate. And then there was Cody, the picture of innocence, happily munching on his toast as if the entire household hadn't been on edge barely twenty four hours ago

Alexis took her seat, each movement deliberate, the scrape of her chair on the polished floor loud in the stillness. She wanted to scream to demand that someone acknowledge the terror she'd witnessed, but the atmosphere was stifling, her voice lost before it even left her lips.

Finally, unable to bear the silence any longer, Alexis spoke up. "Does no one have anything to say about what happened yesterday afternoon?" Her voice was steady, though she could feel the tension tightening in her chest

Victoria responded not looking up from her newspaper. "These things happen, darling. It's hardly worth discussing over breakfast."

Alexis 's hand curled into a fist beneath the table "Someone was almost murdered! And no one here seems to care!" Her voice rose,she said banging on the table

Victoria raised an eyebrow, setting the newspaper down at last. Her expression was one of mild annoyance, as though Alexis had brought up a minor inconvenience rather than a near-death experience. "Alexis , we've all had our share of murder attempts. This is hardly new to any of us. It's part of being a Carrington people want you dead but you look them in the eye and you say 'not today' and you move on. That's that"

There it was, the cold, hard truth of it. To them, this was normal. Attempted murder was just another part of their lives. She felt a shiver run down her spine. What kind of family considered assassination attempts as part of everyday life? Before Alexis could respond, Mrs. Carrington interjected her tone warm and soothing.

"Alexis , my dear, I understand your concern," Mrs Carrington said, her voice soft and motherly. "We will double the security around the estate. You need not worry. I'll personally ensure that Cody is well taken care of."

She looked at Mrs.Carringtona trying to read the sincerity in her eyes. There was something so comforting about Mrs. Carrington's demeanor, her gentle reassurances. But Alexis couldn't shake the feeling that beneath that kind, loving exterior might lay a well of secrets she was not yet privy to.

Mrs.Carrington's voice broke into her thoughts again. "Why don't you let me feed Cody this morning? You look like you could use a moment to yourself. Take some time, dear. Relax. Clear your mind."

Alexis hesitated, but Mrs Carrington's hand was already on Cody's shoulder, guiding him to another part of the table. "Go on," Katherine urged with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "He'll be fine with me."

With a sigh, Alexis rose from her seat. She knew she wouldn't find peace in this house, but she needed air, space, anything to escape the oppressive weight of the breakfast room. She slipped out of the house and made her way to the stables, the smell of hay and horses a welcome change from the tension-laden atmosphere she had just left.

The stables were Alexis 's sanctuary. She ran her hand along the smooth wooden door of one stall, her fingers brushing against the velvety muzzle of a bay horse named Storm. He nickered softly, sensing her distress, and she found comfort in his calm presence. She rested her forehead against his, closing her eyes as she took a deep breath. For a moment, she could almost pretend everything was normal.

"What's a pretty lady like you doing in a place like this?" Diego's voice broke through her thoughts, smooth and teasing. Alexis turned to find him leaning casually against the stable door, his usual smirk in place.

She rolled her eyes but couldn't help the small smile tugging at her lips. "Just needed some fresh air," she replied. "It's suffocating in there."

Diego's eyes softened as he walked over to her, his hand reaching out to stroke Storm's hair. "I get it. This place can feel like a prison sometimes. But you'll get used to it eventually."

Alexis raised an eyebrow. "Get used to it? How do you get used to living in a house where murder attempts are shrugged off as casual events?"

Diego's gaze darkened, the playful glint in his eyes replaced by something more serious. "You don't," he admitted. "You just learn to survive. This house... it has a way of changing people. You have to find your own way to stay sane."

"So someone's tired to kill you before"

She said looking at him with genuine concern in her eyes.

" Yes , last month to be exact they tried to stab me but they got a guard instead"

' I'm sorry about that"

He heaved a sigh, looking at Storm, his hand absently running through the horse's hair. "This guy was my favorite," Diego said softly. "When things got tough, I used to come out here and talk to him. Tell him things I couldn't tell anyone else. This stable was the one place that felt real."

Alexis watched him, sensing the depth of his words. There was more to Diego than he let on, more pain and secrets hidden behind his charming facade. "What happened, Diego? Why are things like this?" she asked gently.

Diego shrugged, a sad smile playing on his lips. "Power. Money. The usual reasons people do terrible things. This family... It's built on secrets and lies. And once you're in, there's no getting out. You just have to find a way to live with it."

His words hung in the air, heavy with truth. Alexis nodded slowly, understanding more about Diego and the reality of the life she had married into. As they stood in silence, the only sound was the soft rustle of the horses in their stalls, the world outside the stable feeling a million miles away.