The weight of silence hung heavily in the air, a thick blanket smothering the study where old Mr. Knight sat, his hands clasped together as if in prayer. Each breath he drew was a battle against the tightening vice of grief. His eyes, usually sharp and assessing, now brimmed with an unspeakable sorrow as he contemplated the empty future without his granddaughter's laughter echoing through the halls.A knock shattered the quietude like a hammer to glass, and the door creaked open. Xavier loomed over the threshold, his presence darkening the room. The old man observed him—a tower of control now crumbling, a man who commanded empires yet stood defeated by loss."I hope you know what you are doing." Old Mr. Knight's voice sliced through the tension, each word a pointed blade aimed straight at his son's heart.Xavier stiffened, his steely facade showing cracks. "What are you talking about, Father?" Confusion warred with the torment etched on his features."You can fool me, Xavier; this is
The morning light crept through the curtains, casting a golden glow on the polished staircase that Cathleen descended with deliberate grace. Clad in a tailored suit that hugged her slender frame, she moved like a panther—sleek and poised despite the storm that raged within her.Xavier sat at the breakfast table, his posture rigid, exuding an aura of control that belied the turmoil he felt. The sight of Cathleen, so composed and so fiercely alive, unsettled him. He watched her pour coffee with hands that didn't tremble, and his voice betrayed a hint of surprise. "You look well.""Good morning to you too, Mr. Knight," she retorted, the edge in her tone sharper than the knife beside his plate. Xavier cleared his throat, grappling with an unfamiliar unease. "Morning, sorry; it's just that you look good.""I don't look like my problems, Mr. Knight." Cathleen shot back, her coffee as dark and bitter as the reality they faced.He tried to pierce her armor with concern. "So, Cat, how are you
Xavier's throat tightened, and a lump formed, constricting his breath as he watched Cathleen cradle the porcelain doll. She rocked it back and forth with a vacant stare, her fingers gently stroking the smooth surface of its face.The doll's glassy eyes gleamed in the dim light of their opulent bedroom, casting an eerie glow that matched the emptiness in Cathleen's gaze. It was a grotesque mimicry of the daughter they had lost. Each night since Bella's death, Cathleen has clung to the eerie surrogate, her grief manifesting in this haunting ritual.Xavier wanted to reach out and shatter the illusion, to tell Cathleen the grim reality of that fateful day. But fear held him back—fear of losing his only lead on the assassin who had taken their daughter from them. And so he remained silent, watching quietly as his wife retreated further into her delusional world. This has been happening since Bella’s death, and surprisingly, during the day, Cathleen doesn’t even remember what she was doing
The early morning sun had barely crested the horizon when Xavier's black SUV pulled into the driveway of their sprawling mansion. He stepped out, his form casting a long shadow on the gravel as he moved with purpose toward the imposing front door. This dawn-lit return had become an unwelcome ritual, ever since Cathleen crumbled under the weight of their loss, clutching a doll to her chest instead of their baby Bella.He entered the quiet living room, where the scent of freshly brewed coffee hung in the air like a veiled accusation. Cathleen was there, as expected, perched on the edge of their plush cream sofa, which now seemed more like a throne of judgment. She took measured sips from her porcelain cup, eyes fixed on some distant point only she could see."Cat, it's not what you think," he began, the lie tasting bitter on his tongue, "I had a late meeting I needed to attend to." His voice betrayed him, rough with unspoken truths.Cathleen's laugh was a sharp crack in the silence; her
Xavier's pulse throbbed in his ears as he eased the bedroom door shut behind him, careful not to let the latch click. Cathleen's measured breathing filled the space he'd left, her chest rising and falling with the rhythm of undisturbed slumber. He hesitated, casting a shadow against the dim moonlight seeping through the curtains, before turning away.His footsteps were ghosts on the plush carpet of the hallway, silent vows to return before dawn. The drive was a blur, and his mind was a whirring machine of possibilities, each darker than the last. When Xavier pulled into the driveway of his father's imposing estate, the sight of an unfamiliar car sparked a flare of alarm in his gut."Fuck," he muttered under his breath, parking with a screech of tires that broke the stillness of night. His exit from the vehicle was swift—a predator's lunge toward uncertainty. It wasn't fear that propelled him—it was the need for control, for dominance over whatever chaos awaited within the walls that h
The morning light sliced through the blinds, casting long shadows across the polished floors as Xavier stepped into the sterile silence of his living room. Cathleen perched like an ice queen on her minimalist throne and didn't even glance up. Her fingers curled sensuously around the porcelain mug, the steam from her coffee mingling with the frost in her gaze."Welcome home, Mr. Knight," she drawled, her voice a silken threat."Cat, I—" His words were clumsy, tripping over the tension and thickening the air.She cut him off as sharply as a whip's crack. "I believe we have to take care of that name, Mr. Knight. It's Cathleen or Mrs. Knight to you."His jaw was clenched, muscles working beneath stubble. The fight had drained from him; every inch of his body screamed for a reprieve, but none was coming. He was a man on the edge and Cathleen... Cathleen was the abyss staring back.He sighed, a sound heavy with the weight of unspoken battles. "Mrs. Knight, we need to talk."A smile played o
Xavier's eyes snapped open as the shrill ring of his phone shattered the night's silence. Lying next to him, Cathleen's silhouette was tense even in sleep—like a coiled spring, ready to unleash fury at the slightest provocation. He slipped out of bed, careful not to disturb her precarious serenity."Talk to me," he rasped into the phone, his voice laced with gravelly slumber."Sir, you need to come downstairs. I found the woman who delivered the juice to Cathleen." Caleb's voice was urgent, a tinge of excitement belying his professional facade.Xavier grunted an acknowledgment, his pulse quickening. The door clicked shut behind him, sealing away the deceptive tranquility of the bedroom as he descended into potential chaos.The dim glow of the foyer cast ominous shadows on the walls, where Caleb stood flanking a trembling figure. Xavier's gaze narrowed, predatory and cold, as he assessed the petrified maid before him."Sir, I didn't know the juice was going to hurt, madam. I am so sorr
William's towering silhouette cast a menacing shadow over the motionless form of his wife. Despite her best efforts to deceive him, he saw through her pretense. He had grown tired of her games and was no longer fooled by her feigned slumber. He knew very well that it was all an act."I know you're awake," he stated, his voice flat with a simmering edge. "You have visitors, and they don't look happy."The bed rustled under Dora's feigned movements, a poor imitation of awakening. "Dora." His tone sharpened, like a knife against a whetstone. "Mmm." Her hum is as fake as her concern for others."Get up. You have visitors." This time, William's command brooked no disobedience.She bolted upright, eyes wide, feigning confusion. "At this hour? Can't they come back tomorrow?""Sleeping beauties don't check clocks," he snapped, worn out of her charades. "Get up and follow me."Dora's feet hit the carpet, slippered and slow. She trailed behind him, down the hall that felt more like a corridor t