Chapter 5 The Mansion's Thorns

CHAPTER FIVE – FLORA'S POV

The mansion was bigger than any place I had ever stepped foot in. Marble floors, chandeliers dripping with crystals, and hallways so long they echoed my every footstep. But none of it felt like home. Not even close.

Lucas hadn't said much after I signed the contract. He simply gave me the keys, handed me a printed list of expectations, and made it clear this arrangement wasn't going to be some fairy tale. Fine by me. I wasn't here for romance. I was here for my grandmother.

And thankfully, things were getting a bit better. The private hospital Lucas had arranged was unlike anything I could've afforded. The doctors were attentive, the room warm and comfortable. Gran looked more like herself each day. Every time I visited, she squeezed my hand and said, "You did the right thing, Flora." But I couldn't tell her the truth-that this marriage was paper-thin and temporary.

Living with Lucas, though, was a test I hadn't anticipated.

He was hardly around, which was a relief, but when he was, he filled every inch of the house with his quiet intensity. He'd nod at me occasionally, maybe offer a curt, "Good morning," but beyond that, we lived like polite strangers. I should've been grateful. Instead, I felt watched. Judged.

Especially by Clarisse-the housekeeper.

She was beautiful in that effortless way rich people often were. All designer clothes and cold stares. From the moment I moved in, she made it her mission to remind me I didn't belong. She never said anything outright, but the glances, the raised eyebrows, the deliberately missed laundry... it all built up like a slow burn.

This morning was the worst.

I walked into the dining room to find the table set for breakfast. I wasn't used to having someone do that for me, and I felt awkward just sitting down. Clarisse appeared out of nowhere, her heels tapping across the tile.

"Oh," she said with a condescending smile. "Did you want to eat with Mr. Kenneth today? Or will you be dining alone again?"

I forced a smile. "He left early, I think."

She shrugged and began clearing one of the place settings anyway. "Pity. You'd think a new wife would want to spend more time with her husband."

I clenched my jaw. "He's busy."

"Mmm." She wiped the edge of the table slowly. "And yet, he still has time to ask for his coffee in bed every Sunday. But I suppose you wouldn't know that."

I stood up. "Excuse me?"

She smiled wider. "Nothing. Enjoy your toast."

I left the room before I said something I'd regret. Upstairs, in the guest room that was now mine, I slammed the door and let the mask fall. Every day in this house felt like walking on broken glass. I wasn't Lucas's real wife. Everyone knew it. And Clarisse was going to make sure I never forgot it.

But I was here for Gran. That was all that mattered.

Or at least, that's what I kept telling myself.

---

That night, I found an envelope on my vanity. It wasn't there before.

No name. No handwriting. Just a thin white envelope sealed shut.

I opened it slowly, my heart thudding.

Inside was a photograph.

Me. At the hospital. Holding Gran's hand.

And another.

Me. In the kitchen. Reaching for the top shelf.

A third one. Me and Lucas. At the courthouse the day we signed the contract.

No notes. No explanations. Just the chilling realization that someone had been watching me.

I swallowed hard, clutching the photos to my chest. Was this a warning? A threat?

I ran down the hall and knocked on Lucas's study door.

He opened it wearing a fitted shirt, sleeves rolled up, tie loosened. His eyes immediately scanned my face. "What happened?"

I held out the envelope. "These were left in my room. Someone's watching us."

He took the photos, flipping through them silently. His jaw tightened.

"Clarisse?" I asked.

"Maybe. Or someone worse." His tone was clipped. Cold.

"Worse?"

He looked at me, and for the first time, I saw something flicker behind his eyes-concern.

"You're not safe. From now on, you don't go anywhere alone. Understand?"

My breath hitched. "Lucas, what's going on?"

He hesitated. Then: "Nothing you need to worry about. I'll handle it."

But I was already worried. Because for the first time since signing that contract, I realized this might not be just a fake marriage.

This was something far more dangerous.

(To be continued in Chapter Six...)

---

CHAPTER SIX – FLORA'S POV

I woke to the sound of heavy rain tapping against the windows and the distant hum of thunder rumbling like an omen. It mirrored the tension swirling in my chest. The envelope, now hidden under the loose floorboard in my closet, might've been the first warning, but it wouldn't be the last. I could feel it.

Clarisse was unusually quiet that morning. She didn't make any snide comments when I entered the kitchen. Didn't even look at me. Just kept drying dishes, her back turned, shoulders stiff. It was unsettling.

Lucas was gone again, leaving nothing behind but the scent of his cologne and a silence that seemed to follow me wherever I went in the house.

I took the car and went to see Gran at the hospital. The doctors smiled when they saw me. Her condition had improved drastically since she was admitted. I could finally breathe a little easier.

"You look tired," Gran said softly, brushing a curl behind my ear.

"I'm okay."

She frowned. "It's the city. It drains people."

Or maybe it was the fact that I was pretending to be married to a man who barely spoke to me. Or that someone was watching my every move. Or that I wasn't sure who I could trust in that enormous mansion.

Before I left, I kissed her forehead and promised to bring her favorite books next time. She held my hand a moment longer than usual.

"Don't let them change you," she whispered.

I didn't know who she meant-but I knew exactly who I was afraid would.

---

Later that evening, Lucas finally came home.

He looked tired, his tie loosened and his hair slightly out of place. It was the first time I saw him less than perfect.

"Can we talk?" I asked, stepping into his study without waiting for permission.

He looked up from his desk. "Of course."

I sat across from him, legs crossed tightly. "Do you know who might be watching us?"

He hesitated before answering. "I have people looking into it."

"That's not what I asked."

He sighed, leaning back in his chair. "There's a possibility someone wants to use you against me. Business rival. Maybe someone from your family. Your uncle, perhaps."

My blood ran cold. "My uncle?"

"He stands to lose everything if you take over your parents' company."

I hadn't thought of that. It made too much sense.

"Shouldn't I know if I'm a target?"

"You're safer not knowing everything."

I stood. "Don't do that. Don't shut me out. You brought me into this, remember? At least let me be prepared."

Lucas stood too, suddenly close, his height towering over mine. "I'm trying to protect you."

"Then trust me to protect myself too."

His jaw tightened, but he nodded once. "Fine. I'll arrange a private security detail."

Great. More people watching me.

I walked out of his study before I said something stupid. Like how for a second, I actually believed he cared.

---

That night, as I settled into bed, I heard Clarisse's voice echoing down the hallway.

"I'm telling you, she doesn't belong here. You know it as well as I do."

A low murmur followed. I crept to the door, heart pounding. I cracked it open slightly.

She was talking to someone. But not a staff member.

Lucas.

He said something I couldn't hear. Clarisse scoffed.

"She's not worth the risk. Not after everything we've built. You know what your father would say."

"She's my wife," Lucas said sharply.

Clarisse's voice dropped into a bitter whisper. "But for how long?"

My breath caught in my throat. I closed the door before they could hear me, my heart racing.

Lucas had defended me. But why did it sound like he wasn't sure how much longer he could?

(To be continued in Chapter Seven...)