Chapter 5 THE SHADOW THAT BINDS.

CHAPTER 5

"It's Pierre... call me Pierre," he bellowed.

Harper found herself pondering, "Strange, but he's cute." She turned around, only to find that he had vanished into thin air. "So strange..." she muttered, scratching her head nervously.

"Ryan, I'm home!" Harper yelled, slipping off her slippers effortlessly.

"Hey, Harper, you're early," Ryan said, tossing her a slice of bread.

"What's for dinner?"She asked hastily .

"Cavatto," Ryan replied, stretching and slumping into the sofa.

"Wow, nice,glad I thought you how to cook so you won't have to be here for nothing" Harper exclaimed, devouring the bread quickly. She dashed to the kitchen, drawn in by the aroma of the food.

"Always hungry," Ryan growled, staring at the ceiling.

Harper exhaled, savoring the aroma. She dished out some food and joined Ryan in the living room.

"Harper," Ryan called out lazily.

"What's up?" she asked, her mouth full.

"Can I have two cans of beer?" Ryan requested, blinking rapidly.

Harper's eyes widened in surprise. She swiftly hit his head hard, "When did you start drinking?"

Ryan winced, frowning. "Arggh, you hit me hard. I never said I was drinking; I only asked if I could have two cans."

Harper replied firmly, "You can't."

An uncomfortable silence enveloped the room for several minutes, with both Harper and Ryan avoiding eye contact.

"Why do you need beer, though?" Harper asked, breaking the silence.

Ryan groaned, "I just need to clear my head; it's frustrating."

"What happened? Did your girlfriend break up with you?" Harper asked curiously.

Ryan responded, "No, not that. I never had a girlfriend in the first place."

Harper pressed on, "Okay, what happened, then?"

Ryan's expression turned grave. "A strange girl spoke to me today, Harper you have to be there. It's scary."

Harper's eyes seemed to glaze over, lost in thought. "Me too, but it wasn't that scary. They were cute."

Ryan asked, puzzled, "What are you doing?"

Harper stood up, "Nothing. Suit yourself, but you're not getting any beer."

As Harper headed for her room, Ryan called out, "Hey, who's going to wash the dishes you used?"

Harper quickly shut the door behind her, leaving Ryan to his frustration.

As she collapsed onto her bed, Harper sighed, "What a stressful day."

Memories of her earlier encounter flashed through her mind, and Logan's scent wafted through her nostrils once more. She had been thinking about the expensive cologne all day.

"He sure is Madam Sharon's grandson," Harper mumbled to herself. She only knew Madam Sharon as a wealthy and influential figure, but she wasn't aware that she was the chairwoman of RIVE GAUCHE Groups.

"They must be incredibly rich. Why did I slap him back then? He's definitely going to hunt me down; he looks scary."

Harper lay in bed, her thoughts consumed by her encounter with Pierre. Despite his intimidating demeanor, she couldn't help but find him attractive.

•

Logan stood at the rooftop of the building, his favorite sanctuary. The cool breeze refreshed him, but his senses were still reeling from the cocaine he had just consumed. The white particles were still visible on his nose, and his veins bulged in a network of greenish and purple lines. His lips were pursed, and despite the chilly atmosphere, he felt an intense heat coursing through his veins.

"Yes, that's what she's turned me into – a drug addict, a bandit, maybe even a devil," he thought to himself. He had managed to keep this dark secret hidden from everyone for years, putting on a facade of normalcy even when he was shattered and broken inside. Memories of her haunted him, triggering a maelstrom of emotions within.

"I just can't hold it in anymore; I just can't," he muttered under his breath, his eyes narrowing in dissatisfaction. He was never content with anything, except for her.

As the night wore on, Logan's drug-induced haze intensified, and he stumbled back to his room. He vowed to uncover the truth about the girl who had slapped him in broad daylight.

•

"Still got my charms _"Pierre sneered lustfully as he pierced the innocent cat's heart with his dagger. The cat whimpered, struggling to free itself from his grasp.

The adorable feline belonged to Calixte, Pierre's younger sister. It was her cherished possession, but unfortunately, it had met a gruesome end.

The hot, red blood of the cat splashed Pierre's face, and a new wave of excitement washed over him. He licked the blood around his lips, his face contorting in a twisted grin.

Meanwhile, Calixte crept silently down the creepy, silent hallway, calling out for her pet. "Kaisy... Kaisy... where are you?" she whispered, her voice trembling with worry. She had been searching everywhere for her missing cat, but to no avail. As a last resort, she had to venture upstairs to the forbidden hallway, where Pierre's room was located. The hallway was always silent, ghostly, and eerie.

Calixte whispered again, "Kaisy... come out. Pierre won't like it if you're hovering around him." She crept silently on her toes, trying not to alert Pierre.

Suddenly, something dropped behind her, making a thudding sound. Calixte turned around to see what had fallen, and her eyes widened in horror. Kaisy lay stiff and lifeless, covered in her own pool of blood.

Calixte's screams echoed through the large, magnificent building. "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!"

Minutes later.

Calixte remained frozen, sweating profusely, as she struggled to process the gruesome scene before her. Her beloved cat, Kaisy, lay lifeless, a victim of a brutal murder. Her family, including her mom, Gaspard, and Elise, gathered around her, attempting to offer comfort.

"He... he killed Kaisy," Calixte stammered, her lips trembling in horror.

Gaspard tried to console her, "Take it easy, Calixte. You can always get a new cat."

Calixte's response was laced with despair, "No... no... I only want Kaisy. There's no cat that can match her energy, and she was pregnant."

Elise gasped, "Wow, that's massive."

Calixte's mother tried to soothe her, but Calixte jerked her hands away, her anger boiling over.

"Mom, I'm so disappointed in you. How can you still behave this way? Can't you guys just have a talk with him? Sometimes I feel like he's the owner of this place, the boss, the alpha of this house."

The room fell silent, with only Calixte's tears breaking the stillness.

"He controls you, and you all obey like loyal fools, even you, Dad," Calixte lashed out, her voice dripping with venom.

Aimee cautioned, "Mind your words, Calixte."

Calixte sneered, "I don't care. I don't care about any of you. You're all just smug cowards trying to make ends meet. I hope you meet your downfall in the end."

With that, Calixte stormed out of the house, leaving her family in an uncomfortable silence.

Pierre, who had been watching the scene unfold from a corner, smirked devilishly.

Gaspard mumbled sadly, "She's right, though," before retreating to his room.

Elise added, "Accept the fact, Mom. She's always been right."

Henri merely smiled, his eyes still fixed on the paperwork in his hands.

The atmosphere in the house remained tense, with an undercurrent of unease.

TBC....