The silence in the mansion tonight felt different. From behind the sheer curtains of her third-floor room, Anna watched Finley’s motorcade disappear into the darkness beyond the outer gate.
Two hours ago, she had overheard Lexi’s hurried conversation in the hallway. Finley had to leave town on short notice to oversee a major business deal on the black market. This was Anna’s only chance. If she didn’t get out tonight, she would never breathe free air again.
Anna moved quickly and silently. Her back still throbbed with pain from the whip marks, but the rush of adrenaline burned away the pain.
It was 1:00 a.m. As usual, all the main doors were automatically locked during curfew. However, Anna remembered the food-supply route that led directly to the kitchen area.
She made her way down the back stairs barefoot, gripping the banister tightly so her footsteps wouldn’t echo. The main kitchen was dimly lit, illuminated only by moonlight streaming through the glass windows. Anna walked toward the service door—a thick wooden door used by the staff to take out the trash and receive deliveries of raw ingredients.
Her hand reached for the metal latch. The sound rang out loudly in the silence. Anna held her breath, frozen for a few seconds. There was no reaction, so she carried on with her plan.
She pushed the door open slowly, feeling a blast of cold night air sweep across her face. The side yard lay wide open before her. Only a tall concrete wall separated her from freedom.
Anna stepped outside. But before her feet touched the ground, the silhouettes of two men emerged from the darkness.
“Where are you going, Mrs. Maxwell?”
Anna jumped in surprise and took a step back. Standing before her were two heavily armed guards dressed entirely in black. One of them immediately pressed a small button on the device in his ear.
“I… I was just looking for some fresh air,” Anna stammered, her voice trembling violently.
“Mr. Finley anticipated this. He took advantage of his departure to set a trap,” the guard said with a cold smile.
That threat brought Anna back to her senses. Without a second thought, she turned around and ran as fast as she could back inside. Her chest felt tight, and a burning sensation spread down her back as she gasped for breath.
“Catch her!” the guard shouted from behind.
Anna kicked the kitchen door shut, trying to lock it from the inside. But before the metal bolt could engage, a powerful shove from outside sent the door flying open. The guard’s body slammed into Anna, sending her flying onto the marble floor. The porcelain plates on the table fell, shattering with a loud crash.
“Let me go!” Anna shouted, trying to punch and kick with all her might.
“Be quiet!” One of the guards grabbed both of Anna’s wrists and twisted them behind her back.
“I told you, Miss Anna. Your every move is being watched. You made a huge mistake tonight.” Lexi’s firm voice echoed from the kitchen hallway. She stepped inside with a homemade pistol in her hand, glaring at Anna.
“Lexi, please…” Anna whimpered, her eyes brimming with tears. “Let me go. Finley is going to kill me!”
“Mr. Finley isn’t going to kill you,” Lexi interjected flatly. She stared toward the kitchen’s main entrance. “Mr. Finley is just going to make sure you can’t walk anymore.”
The sound of hard-soled footsteps echoed. A tall figure with six-pack abs slowly approached. His black shirt was slightly rumpled, and his long coat hung loosely from his shoulders.
Finley had never left town. It was all just a decoy.
Finley’s piercing gaze blazed with deadly rage. His face hardened when he saw Anna still trying to struggle.
“You think you’re pretty clever, Anna?” Finley asked in a deep voice that echoed coldly throughout the kitchen.
Anna froze. All her courage evaporated instantly, replaced by overwhelming fear. “Finley…”
“Take her to the basement now!” Finley ordered his two bodyguards without once taking his eyes off Anna’s terrified face.
“No! Finley, forgive me! Finley!” Anna screamed as two burly men dragged her forcefully down the kitchen corridor. Her feet scraped across the floor as she tried to find something to hold onto, but the guards’ grip was too strong.
The thick iron door at the end of the basement hallway swung open. The smell of dampness, dust, and rust stung Anna’s nose. She was simply thrown onto the cold, dirty floor. The iron door slammed shut, locking her in total darkness.
Anna crawled backward until her back hit the damp concrete wall. Her chest rose and fell erratically, her sobs echoing in the cramped room.
A few minutes later, the dim hanging lamp above her head flickered on, blinding Anna. Finley stood before her, clutching an iron chain in his right hand.
“You crossed the line, Anna,” Finley hissed, filling the room with an aura of pure intimidation.
“I want to get out of here!” Anna screamed with what little courage she had left.
Finley suddenly crouched down, yanking the back of Anna’s hair until she was forced to look up. Their faces were only a few centimeters apart.
“Your brother killed Feya!” Finley snapped, his breath coming in ragged gasps against Anna’s trembling lips. “And every time you try to run away, I’ll make sure the pain doubles in your body!”
“Alden didn’t do it!” Anna shouted, her gaze growing even more defiant. “One day… the truth will destroy you, Finley. You’re hating the wrong person.”
“Shut your mouth!”
A hard slap landed on Anna’s right cheek, flinging her face to the side so that the corner of her lip—which had just begun to heal—tore open again and bled. Before Anna could regain her senses, Finley wrapped an iron chain around her ankle, locking it to an iron post in the center of the room.
The cold iron seared her bruised skin. Anna curled up on the floor, stifling a whimper as Finley stood watching her like a monster.
“You’ll stay here until you realize your place. Don’t expect any food or water until I decide you deserve it,” Finley said coldly. He turned toward the exit.
“Finley!” Anna called out in a hoarse voice. “Just you wait—I’ll kill you.”
Finley paused briefly in the doorway, then—without turning around—burst out laughing. “If you can break those chains, I’ll get you a gun.”
The iron door slammed shut again with a heavy thud. The sound of a key turning from the outside signaled the end of her escape attempt.
In the darkness and silence of the basement, Anna hugged herself. Her body shivered violently from the cold and the physical pain crushing her entire body. Yet beneath her deep despair, a burning determination filled her chest—she had to stay alive. For Alden’s sake, and to uncover the truth hidden behind Feya’s death.