Chapter 101 Chapter 101
Hailey’s POV
I woke up that morning to the sound of low, urgent voices coming from somewhere in the house. For a moment, I lay there disoriented, my hand instinctively moving to my stomach where the baby was growing, then I registered what I was hearing.
Damien’s voice. Kai’s voice. And Louis responding to both of them.
I got up carefully, wrapping a robe around myself, and made my way toward the sound. I found them in the main living area Damien and Kai standing close to Louis, speaking in hushed but stern tones, going over what looked like schedules and protocols.
“The perimeter needs to be checked every two hours,” Damien was saying, his finger pointing at something on the paper Louis held. “Not every three. Every two. No exceptions.”
“Yes, boss,” Louis said, nodding seriously.
“And the guards rotate in shifts of six hours,” Kai added, his voice hard. “I want them fresh and alert at all times. No one gets complacent.”
“Understood,” Louis said, making notes.
That’s when I realized what was happening. Damien was giving Louis final instructions because he was leaving. Going back to the city.
My stomach dropped.
“Damien?” I said from the doorway, and all three men turned to look at me.
“Hailey,” Damien said, his expression softening slightly when he saw me. “You’re awake. I was going to come say goodbye before I left.”
“You’re leaving? Now?” I asked, trying to keep the disappointment and fear out of my voice.
“I have to,” Damien said, moving toward me. “There’s an emergency meeting with the elders.”
“How long will you be gone?” I asked.
“I don’t know,” he admitted. “A few hours at least. But you’ll be safe here. Louis is in charge of security.”
He pulled me into a brief embrace, kissing my forehead. “I’ll call you I promise.”
“Be careful,” I whispered against his chest.
“Always,” he said.
And then, almost before I could process it, he was gathering his things. Kai was giving Louis more last-minute instructions. Guards were preparing vehicles.
It didn’t even take more than thirty minutes.
And boom. He was gone.
I stood in the driveway watching the convoy of black SUVs disappear down the long, tree-lined road, and felt the absence of his presence like a physical weight.
The safe house suddenly felt larger. Emptier. More isolated.
I wrapped my arms around myself and went back inside.
Louis immediately got right into executing the orders he’d been given. I watched him move through the house with focused efficiency, checking in with each guard, reviewing their posts, adjusting the rotation schedules.
He took his responsibilities seriously. That much was clear.
In the kitchen, I found Benita and my mother working alongside one of the maids, preparing what looked like an elaborate breakfast spread.
“What’s all this?” I asked, surprised by the amount of food being prepared.
“We’re making something special for you,” my mother said with forced cheerfulness.
But I could see the truth in both their faces. This wasn’t about making me feel special. This was about them having something to do. Something to occupy their minds.
Boredom and joblessness. That’s what this was.
We were all trapped in this beautiful house with nothing to do but wait and worry.
“Thank you,” I said, even though I wasn’t particularly hungry. “That’s really thoughtful.”
I left them to their cooking and wandered through the house, feeling restless and anxious.
That’s when an idea occurred to me.
The torn note. The warning to Elena. My mother’s theory that the book it came from must still be somewhere in this house.
If I was going to find it, I needed access to all the rooms. Including the ones that were locked.
I found Louis in the security office, reviewing camera feeds.
“Louis,” I said from the doorway. “Can I ask you something?”
He looked up immediately, his expression attentive. “Of course, Miss Hailey. What do you need?”
“I need the keys to all the rooms in the house,” I said, trying to sound casual.
Louis’s expression immediately became hesitant. “Miss Hailey, I’m not sure that’s a good idea. Some of those rooms are meant to be kept locked for security reasons.”
“I know,” I said quickly. “But I’m feeling really cooped up. Really trapped. And I thought maybe exploring the house more might help. You know, familiarize myself with everything.”
“I understand, but…” Louis started.
“Actually,” I interrupted, remembering what Isabella had said on my first day here. “I want to go to the attic. The one upstairs that Isabella told me to avoid.”
Louis’s eyes widened slightly. “Miss Hailey, Mr. Alejandro specifically said the attic is off-limits. It’s structurally unsafe.”
“I know what he said,” I replied, using my pregnancy as leverage. “But I’m pregnant and feeling really anxious being told there are places I can’t go in my own home. It’s making me more stressed, which isn’t good for the baby.”
I saw Louis waver. The mention of the baby and my stress clearly affected him.
“Please, Louis,” I pressed. “I just need to feel like I have some freedom here. Some control over my own movements.”
Louis was quiet for a long moment, clearly struggling with the decision.
Finally, he sighed and reached into his desk drawer, pulling out a large ring of keys.
“These are the master keys,” he said reluctantly, handing them to me. “But please, Miss Hailey, be careful. And stay away from the attic. Mr. Alejandro wasn’t exaggerating about it being unsafe.”
“I will,” I promised, taking the keys and feeling a thrill of success. “Thank you, Louis.”
I left quickly before he could change his mind.
The first thing I did was go straight to Sophia’s room.
She was still inside I could hear movement through the door. Probably sulking after yesterday’s confrontation with my mother.
I quietly inserted the key into the lock from the outside and turned it.
Click.
Sophia’s door was now locked from the outside. She was trapped in her room.
I felt a small surge of satisfaction. She couldn’t interfere with what I was about to do. Couldn’t follow me or cause problems.
Then I moved quickly through the house, checking to make sure no one was watching me.
My mother and Benita were still in the kitchen with the maid, their voices carrying down the hallway as they chatted about recipes.
Louis was back in the security office, focused on the monitors.
The guards were all at their posts outside.
Nobody was paying attention to me.
Perfect.
I made my way to the east wing, to the hallway where Louis had stopped Benita and me on the tour.
To the door marked as off-limits.
Elena’s room. The one that had been sealed since her death three years ago.