chapter 17: The Reach Of Harrington

After Marcel's appearance at the press conference, the days that followed were a haze of whirling media, constant interrogation, and increasing pressure from all sides. The Harrington name weighed heavily on me in a way I never would have thought possible. The stakes were much higher than I had imagined, and what had begun as an apparently simple contract marriage had quickly turned into a full-scale conflict.

Although his tactics were frequently a convoluted combination of well-considered choices and covert intentions, Williams appeared committed to protecting me despite his icy and aloof manner. But despite his constant assurances, I couldn't shake the sensation that I was being drawn more into the vicious web of the Harrington family and that they were playing a game I didn't comprehend.

I received another summons to the estate that morning. By this point, the scene was recognisable: a car waiting outside, the driver dutifully obeying commands without ever questioning them. My thoughts were racing as I sat down in the backseat and gazed out the window.

What would we see today? Greater public scrutiny? Marcel again? Or would this perverse family drama need me to take on a new role?

The enormous gates of the grand estate swung open in front of us as the car arrived. As we passed the well-kept lawns and tall walls, I let out a sharp breath. I could no longer ignore Williams' universe, although I hardly comprehended it.

A manservant met me as soon as I got out of the car and escorted me inside. Williams, as dominating as ever, was already waiting in the sitting room. His piercing, evaluating eyes gave me the impression that he knew something I didn't.

He said, "Freda," in a tone that seemed neutral, but I could feel tension in it. "We need to talk."

I tried to hide the uneasiness that was starting to creep up my spine by nodding. "About what?" Despite my dreadful suspicion that I already knew the answer, I enquired.

"The family," he stated, his face tense. "They've reached out to you."

I blinked. "The Harringtons?" I said it again, just above a whisper.

Williams gave a nod. "They would like to see you. Freda, it's time for you to join the family company. You won't be able to escape this any further."

I sensed a change in the floor under me, as though it had suddenly become unstable. After first refusing to engage with me, the Harringtons were now offering me an olive branch, or possibly something far darker. With me, what did they want?

Before I could answer, the room's door opened and a tall, graceful figure stepped inside. Sophia was there, smiling as piercingly as usual, but her eyes had a darker look to them today.

"Ah, Freda," she replied with ease, her sweetness evident in her voice. "I see you're finally getting the full picture."

"What do you mean?" With a sickening feeling that I already knew, I enquired.

But the rest of the family... "Marcel has his plans, of course," she added, her eyes hardening a little. “They have determined that it is time for you to join them.,”

I looked at her, perplexed. "Join them?" With my heart pounding, I repeated. "What are you talking about?"

"You’ll see soon enough," Sophia remarked, smiling broadly as she moved in closer. "Freda, the Harrington legacy is based on more than just wealth and influence. It comes with a certain amount of responsibility. You have also been selected.”

Her remarks weighed heavy on me, but before I could react, Williams interrupted with a stern and icy tone.

"Enough, Sophia. Right now, she doesn't need your showmanship."

Sophia's face wavered, but she immediately covered it up with a sharp nod. She said, "Of course," then pivoted and walked out of the room.

Williams turned and looked directly at me, his eyes hardening as he did so. "You must be ready for this," he said in a more acerbic tone than usual. "The Harringtons will expect you to follow their rules because they are brutal. Weakness has no place here. Errors are not tolerated.”

I took a deep breath. "And what if I don’t want to play their game?"

Although Williams didn't recoil, I could see a glint of annoyance in his eyes. "Freda, you have no other option. This is your role, and we all have ours. This is the life you desired. You must now accept it.”

I wanted to argue. to inform him that I had not chosen this life and that I had been thrown into it without any prior planning. Instead, though, I said nothing, my mind a confused tangle.

At that moment, I heard a voice behind me.

"I wouldn’t be so sure of that, Freda."

I turned immediately, surprised by the unannounced entrance. Standing in the doorway was Marcel, his posture easy but his eyes glittering with something deadly.

"What do you want?" I snapped, my irritation bubbling to the surface.

Marcel smiled, a slow, calculated grin. "I think you’ve forgotten who holds the power here, my dear."

I glanced at Williams, but his expression remained unreadable, a wall of stone. His quiet left me unsure of how to interpret it. Did Marcel agree with him? Or was he just waiting for the ideal opportunity to attack?

"I don’t care about your games, Marcel," I said, my voice shaking from the intensity of the moment. "I’m not a pawn in your little family feud."

For a brief while, Marcel's smile wavered before he chuckled quietly and shook his head. As he entered the room and softly clicked the door shut behind him, he said, "You still don’t get it, do you?" "You've gone too far already. Whether you like it or not, you have been selected.”

I didn't answer. I was unable to. I felt as though the truth of what he had spoken was weighing me down. I had assumed that the worst of it had been signing the marriage contract, but now I was being drawn into something much more sinister, something that went far beyond the power battles between Sophia, Williams, and Marcel.

The walls seemed to be closing in on me.

"We’ll see how long you last," Marcel said in a barely audible voice. "Because, Freda, in this world, the Harringtons don’t forgive weakness."

While he was speaking, I heard something far away—a low, guttural sound followed by a faint sound that sounded almost like a muffled thud. My heartbeat accelerated as I turned involuntarily towards the window. That was a noise I had never heard before.

Marcel followed my eyes after noticing my distraction. His expression darkened in an instant, and his smile disappeared.

"That’s not good," he mumbled under his breath.

Suddenly, the room seemed to shift. The air was thick with tension, as if the planet itself had just taken a perilous turn.

Before I could react, Williams’ voice blasted out, sharper than I had ever heard it before.

"Get to the safe room. "Now."

The urgency in his command sent a chill down my spine. Something was wrong, terribly wrong.

With my heart racing, I turned to face him. "What’s happening?"

However, the sound of rushed footsteps reverberated from the hallway outside before he could respond. I saw his jaw clench as he stepped fast to the door, blocking my route.

"Stay here," Williams replied, his voice low and forceful. "Do not leave this room."

I wanted to protest and demand answers, but I was stuck since I had a thousand questions running through my head. What was happening? Why had Marcel suddenly looked so worried? What did Williams fail to tell me?

I didn't have time to reflect.

The room's door slammed open, revealing a black figure with a mask covering his face.

I went cold.

Then everything darkened.