Chapter 9 A WHISPER OF CRIMSON

Just as Zara began surrender herself to the warm embrace eluded by the duvet, her breathe becoming steady as her body finally let go of the chaos while walking into the fragile realm of sleep, a loud shattering sound, pierced the silence like a thunderclap, making her eyes fly open, and her heart slamming against her rib cage. Looking trembled and disoriented, she sat up straight, as her mind searched for answers while panic sent shivers down her spine like ice water.

Throwing the duvet aside, in her barefoot, her soft robe trailing behind her, she ran out of her room, hailing to the grand staircase, two at a time. The mansion screamed danger with the eerie silence that traveled in the air. On reaching the bottom floor, she is turned to the corner trying to trail the noise, leading to the courtyard. On getting there she froze at the doorway as the sight of a pool of blood and a body on the ground came into view. Shattered glasses from a round table splattered on the ground like stars. Taking down the details of what was before her eyes, made her throat clog.

Then she saw him; a masculine figure standing in front of the body with a gun in his hand and splashes of blood ok his body and cloth, his back slightly hunched. The sky, dark velvet making Zara unable to depict whom this figure was, nor who was laying on the ground. Her presence went unnoticed until she let out a soft scream; her scream soft yet loud enough to be heard by the man standing meters away. He turned looking at her as their gaze fought to meet in the darkness. His aura strong, cold and blank, cause g her to stagger backwards, her knees buckling beneath her. Immediately after, her vision spun widely, as her heart couldn't meet up with her breath, causing her to be consumed by darkness and collapsing on the ground.

Waking up, she was greeted by the orange of late evening sun as it settled, yet creeping into her room, as it stretched across the room like a warm finger. Her eyes blinking slowly as it began adjusting to the soft light and quietness. And for a split moment, she lost track of where she was and what was happening, later understanding where she was and how she got here. Zara carefully sat up, expecting a banging headache, but to her surprise, it wasn't so, she did in fact feel well-rested. Suspiciously, there wasn't any single sound coming from outside her room, except the chirping of the birds from her room window. Moving slowly to the edge of the bed, she noticed a try a of food that was carefully placed and untouched by the door. It was as if the house was engulfed in a plague of stillness while she slept.

Moving out of the bed, she had a long lasting shower, after which she dried her hair in the bedroom. Two of the housemaids downstairs had already noticed she was awake, making them nervously steal glances toward the staircase.

"I think she is awake." The older housemaid murmured.

"I think she is, we have to be as quiet as possible.... So we Don't make any noise to disrupt her peaceful moment." The younger housemaid responded

"She slept for almost a whole day though." The older housemaid said.

"Who wouldn't, I can't even imagine what she has been through, it must have been a sole trigger to her losing consciousness yesterday." The other housemaid added.

The stillness that had lingered around the house didn't feel ominous but watchful. Dressing herself into something simple and beautiful, as Micheal already prepared a wardrobe filled with clothes and accessories. She set out to particularly clear her mind by exploring the mansion. The hallway stretched endlessly and it was laced with paintings. Hallway to hallway she walked until she stumbled upon a huge door at the extreme of the east wing; the door crafted from a thick wood and embroider with bronze details. Turning the handle slightly, the door creaked open as it revealed a grand library. From floor to ceiling, it had shelves lined up and all filled with book that smelled of ink and time. The silenced inside depicted warmth and sacredness. Taking the place in, Zara felt a flicker of peace, one she has not felt in days. Walking deeper into the room, her hand made trails across the spine of shelved books as her soul searched for the one that was fitting. Deeper into the library, a corner by the window, was a dusty blue armchair, and a side chair with a book open mid-sentence. As she sat down, she dived into the book, letting the words drown her soul, as minutes turn into hours. For the first time since her accident, she wasn't haunted by dreams or even by the pressure of pretending to know the man she's supposed to get married to. Hours into her book, she head footsteps inside the library, and as it's a gigantic room, she couldn't really trail the footstep but decided to keep mute. After a short while of hearing the footstep echo, it halted and audible voices began to fill the air.

"What in the world are you doing here?" A masculine voice asked

"That is Micheal." Zara said in her mind.

"I have missed you, and I thought of seeing your face again." The unknown lady replied with a sweet voice. .

"Oh a lady interesting." She thought to her self.

"You will ruin everything before it even starts, you have to stick to the plan and not show up in this house like you aren't even aware of what is happening. Zara is here and I don't want you ruining things for me, I've worked too far to just let you foolish emotions get into my way." Micheal angrily spat out.

"You don't have to sound mean to me, she isn't here." The lady responded.

"I know, but things would have gone really south if she had seen you." Micheal said, his tone calm and soothing.

"And the workers?" The lady asked.

"That has been taken care of, I fired all of them and replaced them with new ones. And these ones have a strict policy of no communication with her only when spoken to. You don't have to worry I have everything under my control." Micheal replied.

Everywhere goes mute in a split second, followed by am echoing kiss. While Zara sat still processing what she had just heard, as the footstep fades away.

Meanwhile

Stepping into the house, Micheal wore his usual unreadable expression. Ascending the stairs to Zara's room, he found it empty, this left a crease in between his brows, as he wondered where she would have been. Worried, he began searching, from her bathroom to the guest rooms, and he found nothing. Tension making his steps quicken as unease began to boil in his chest. His room and private study empty, making panic begin to settle in.

"Where is she?" Micheal yelled from the staircase, making the house staffs to scramble into attention as confusion choked them.

And there was no response, because none had seen her , until the butcher arrived to the gathering who spoke up.

"I saw her." The butcher said, as he pointed towards the end of the east wing hallways.

And with immediate effect, and no response, Micheal stormed toward the library with a thunderous footstep against the floor. Opening the library door, he walked towards where he knew the chair and desk were situated and there she was, curled up in the chair by the window, with a book placed in her lap as she tilted her head to read, with her hair strand fallen across her face. Crossing the room to meet her, their eyes meet, locking gaze. Zara seemed shock to see him back here again after what she had just heard and his coming back felt like a salt in the already created wound, making her to wear a huge frown on her face as if ready to burst.