"Leaving in a hurry, Samuel?

The tension was palpable as Samuel stormed out of Anna’s room, his footsteps echoing angrily down the hallway of the grand Edgewood mansion. His mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions—frustration, shame, and the unmistakable sting of Alice’s revelation. Lara. Pregnant. The words still buzzed in his head, and now, he had to find a way to regain control of the situation before it slipped completely out of his hands.

As he rounded a corner, his path was blocked by Henry, Mrs. Edgewood’s personal assistant and the man who handled much of the estate’s day-to-day affairs. Henry had always been an unassuming figure, quietly efficient and fiercely loyal to Mrs. Edgewood and her granddaughter, Anna. But there was something in his posture tonight—an edge to his gaze that Samuel hadn’t noticed before.

"Leaving in a hurry, Samuel?" Henry’s voice was calm, but there was a weight behind it, like a predator waiting to strike.

Samuel scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Not that it’s any of your busines