Chapter 9 Nine
Mira didn’t turn to give him a second glance till the door shut behind her.
Only then did she let out the breath she had been holding.
Her chest felt tight.
Not from fear but from disgust.
Victor Montez a grieving father.
And Salvatore had just talked about destroying him like it was nothing.
Mira’s jaw clenched as she walked back down the hallway, her steps quicker now.
She didn’t wait for Antonio this time. She already knew the way back to the room.
Back to a space that barely felt like hers but gave her the breather she needed.
The moment she stepped inside, she shut the door firmly and leaned against it.
She ran a hand through her hair, exhaling.
“God…” she muttered under her breath. “What a monster.”
Then she pushed herself off the door and reached for her phone.
Anna said, " Call.
So she did.
It rang once.
Twice.
“What now?” Anna answered, already sounding irritated.. it was past 10pm and Anna hated being disturbed when she was asleep.
Mira didn’t waste time.
“He approved the advice I gave him,” she said.
A pause.
“That fast?”
“Yeah.”
“What is it?”
Mira walked toward the window, lowering her voice instinctively.
“I used Victor Montez debt against,” she said. “That was my pitch.”
Silence.
Then…
“…I’m sure he’d love it.”
Mira’s grip tightened slightly on the phone.
“I told him I’d handle it,” she added.” Make sure he never hears of this issue again.”
Anna let out a breath. “What’s your plan?”
Mira stared out at the trees, her expression hardening.
“I’m going to call the father,” she said. “Victor Montez.”
“And say what?”
Mira’s jaw tightened.
“That’s the part I don’t like.”
A pause passed again.
Then, quieter Mira spoke
“I’ll offer compensation. Try to settle it clean first. If that doesn’t work…” she trailed off.
Anna finished it for her.
“You go haunting.”
Mira didn’t answer.
Which was answer enough.
Another silence stretched.
Then Anna spoke again, more serious now.
“Look no matter how much we want that animal caught … you be careful with this. That man lost his daughter.”
“I know,” Mira said softly.
“And you’re about to threaten him.”
Mira closed her eyes briefly.
“I know.”
A beat of silence passed.
Then she straightened slightly.
“But I need to do this,” she added. “I need Salvatore to trust me.”
Anna didn’t respond right away.
Then..
“…So what’s next?”
Mira opened her eyes.
“By nightfall, I’ll look around the house,” she said quietly. “See if I can find anything suspicious and get myself familiar with the environment and how the security works around here.”
A pause.
“And the call?” Anna asked.
Mira glanced at the file on the bed.
At Elara’s smiling picture.
Then looked away.
“I’ll make it,” she said.
Her voice was steady. Even if she didn’t feel it.
“Soon.”
Silence hung between them for a second.
Then Anna exhaled.
“Alright. Keep me updated.”
“I will.”
The call ended.
Mira lowered the phone slowly.
Then turned back toward the room.
Her eyes landed on the file again.
Victor Montez.
A father looking for answers.
And she was about to become the voice trying to take that away.
Mira swallowed hard.
“Yeah…” she murmured to herself.
“I hate the part of this job where I have to be the evil witch ”
But still.. she reached for her phone again.
Because the clock was ticking.
And ten hours… was almost gone.
The call didn’t go the way she wanted.
It was never going to.
“Mr. Montez, I advise you to take the cash, sir,” Mira said, forcing her voice to stay calm. “It’s the better choice. The money will be credited first thing tomorrow morning. Have a good night, sir.”
For a second—
Silence from the end of the line.
Then..
“You think I’m going to sell my daughter for money?” Victor Montez’s voice exploded through the phone. “You people are sick! All of you!”
Mira closed her eyes briefly, holding the phone tighter.
“You’re not selling anything,” she said carefully. “I’m offering a resolution—”
“A resolution?” he snapped cutting her off. “My daughter is dead! And your boss thinks he can bury it with money?”
His voice rose, anger bleeding through them.
“You tell him I’m not scared of him! I don’t care who he is! I will drag his name through every court, every paper—”
“Mr. Montez—”
“Don’t you ‘Mr. Montez’ me!” he cut her off, furious. “You’re just like him. Cold. Rotten. Working for a murderer—”
The line crackled with his shouting.
Insults followed.
Mira didn’t respond.. . She just listened.
Let him say all he had to say.
Because part of her knew… He had every right to be mad.
Eventually.. The call ended.
Not calmly. Not cleanly.
He hung up.
Mira lowered the phone slowly.
Then let out a long, loud sigh.
Her shoulders dropped.
She was exhausted.. drained physically and mentally at this point.
She dragged a hand over her face and walked toward the bed, dropping the phone beside the file.
“This is insane…” she muttered.
She hadn’t even planned for this. She had no idea she had to start working immediately. Didn’t come with any clothes just the one she had on.
Mira glanced toward the wardrobe.
It was already stocked. With neatly arranged clothes
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
“…Yeah, no.”
There was no way she was touching those.
For all she knew, they belonged to one of his wives.
One of the six.
A chill ran down her spine.
“Hard pass,” she whispered.
She turned away from it immediately.
What she needed right now— was a shower.
Hot. Long. Quiet alone time in the shower.
To wash away the disgust and guilt sitting in her chest.
She grabbed a towel and headed into the bathroom.
Steam filled the space within minutes, the hot water hitting her skin like a reset she desperately needed.
For a while… Her thought went blank. She just stood there, letting the water run through her body
When she finally stepped out, her body felt lighter.
But her mind didn’t.
Mira dried off and changed back into her tan top and pants.
Not ideal. But better than anything in that wardrobe.
She glanced at it one more time.
Then shook her head.
“Nope.”
She moved to the bed and sat down slowly.
Her eyes drifted to the window. It was past midnight. The mansion was already quiet.
Mira leaned back against the pillow, staring at the ceiling.
“Told Anna I’d look around tonight…” she murmured.
“This was the perfect time to do that .”