Chapter 5 The Locked Door

After what I heard yesterday my mind has not been settled. The fact that I couldn't think of anything to help yet hurt me more. I can't ask him to unmarry me and I definitely can't say anything to the press. It was stated clearly in the rules and I believe he has his reasons. I can't afford a refund that would crush me completely.

Even when I nurtured the determination that I would help him in my little way, his cold and bossy attitude kept me distanced from that decision. Life here was nothing I ever envisioned. After a few weeks, I realized it was the loneliest place I had ever been.

There was no warmth or laughter, it was all silence.

The staff were polite yet distant. They spoke like they were whispering and disappearing quickly after doing their tasks. I wasn't allowed outside without permission and Julian was barely even around. Even when he was home, he avoided me as if I were a plague.

I ate alone, wandered alone and slept in a bedroom that felt more like a hotel suite than a home.

Every time I walked down the hallway, I felt eyes on me. It always feels like someone is watching me. The cameras were well hidden, but I knew they were there, watching and recording my every move. Meanwhile, this doesn't feel like a camera to me.

Everything around me felt like a lie, even my smile did.

And to make matters worse, I couldn't talk to anyone. No calls to friends and no check-ins with Josh's doctor. Julian gave me a phone with limited access. I could only contact people on a pre-approved list, which doesn't even include my brother, who was the reason I was here in the first place. Bless Nina for looking after him for me.

Each time I asked him why I couldn't call my friends, he would shrug and say, "Temporary security measure."

Security, my ass. This was pure control and I hated it.

One afternoon, while I was trying to kill time, I explored the second floor where there lay dozens of guest rooms with each one decorated in a different colour palette. It was like walking through a luxury hotel. I opened doors, peeked inside and sometimes I sat on the edge of the beds just to feel less like a ghost.

While I was deep into my tour, I discovered a narrow hallway behind a heavy curtain. I had never seen it. I pushed it aside and stepped in.

The hallway was dim and quieter than the rest of the house. There was only one door at the end and it was black, unlike the others, it has no visible knob. Just a small keypad to the right.

"What's in here, and why is it hidden away from the other rooms in the mansion?" I muttered.

Curious, I moved closer. The keypad blinked red as I got near, it's as if it sensed me.

I reached out and gently touched the surface of the door but suddenly I heard a voice from behind.

"Don't." I flinched so that I nearly lost my balance.

Julian stood at the entrance of the hallway, his face as hard as stone.

"I...I didn't mean to.." I stammered.

He walked toward me with slow steps. "This part of the house is off-limits."

"I didn't know," I said. "There was no sign and no lock from this side."

"There is now." He stopped just a few feet from me. "Stay away from this hallway, Aria."

I folded my arms as I asked. "Why, what's behind that door?" I questioned, hardening my facial expression.

"Don't ask questions you don't want to know answers to," he answered, staring straight into my eyes.

"That's not an answer."

"And you don't need one," he said sharply. "All you need to do is follow the rules."

"I'm not your prisoner," I snapped.

"As if that could have fooled me," he muttered, then looked away like he regretted saying it.

I took a breath. "Julian, I'm not trying to make trouble. I just want to know what I walked into."

He gazed back at me as if he were about to answer my question. But he didn't.

"You walk near this door again, and we'll have a very different conversation." he spat coldly.

He turned and left without another word. I stared after him with my heart pounding vigorously.

Now I didn't just want answers, I needed them.

The rest of the day dragged but still, I couldn't focus on anything. Not on the book I tried to read or the fancy meal the chef made. I could not even focus on the new silk pyjamas someone had left folded on my bed.

All I could think about was the black door.

Why was Julian so protective of it? Why does that one door need a keypad? Why was the fear in his voice, too?

I tossed and turned in bed at night. Every sound I heard made me sit up. Around midnight, I finally gave up trying to sleep and walked to the window. I looked out at the dark gardens.

"I hate this place," I mumbled.

Then I heard a soft and quiet cry.

This made me freeze instantly where I was standing.

At first, I thought it was my imagination, but it was there and it was real.

I heard a sound which sounded more like a woman's cry. I listened closely and discovered it was coming from the isolated hallway where the strange door was.

I grabbed my robe and slipped out of the room.

The mansion was quiet, the air colder than usual. I tiptoed down the hall, toward the hidden corridor. The sound grew louder as I moved closer.

I reached the door and pressed my ear against it. My heart is pumping.

And yes, it was a woman, and she was whispering something I couldn't understand between her sobs.

I placed my hand on the keypad.

And suddenly, the panel lit up and BEEP BEEP BEEP it began to flash red.

I jerked back with a pounding heart.

And then, some footsteps were heavy and fast and it was coming down the stairs.

Panicked, I turned and ran as fast as I could, my bare feet were slapping the floor. I got back down the hall, around the corner, and into my room. I slammed the door shut, locked it, and leaned against it while I released the breath I had held while trying to escape.

Who could that be, and why was she crying? At this point, I could explode out of fear. What have I gotten myself into? I lay on the bed and forced myself to sleep.

The next morning, I woke up to the glow of sunlight as it poured through the windows and the scent of coffee that drifted through the air.

My mind drifted back to the incident last night and for a second, I wished it was a dream.

I sat at the bed's edge, staring blankly. I suddenly felt brave. I must find out what Julian concealed in that room.