Chapter 6

Shadows Beneath the Surface

Bella pov 

I stood in the middle of the lavish guest room, my eyes wandering over the ornate furniture and luxurious decor. It was beautiful yet suffocating. The silence felt heavy, almost oppressive. I opened the door and stepped out, curiosity guiding me through the grand hallways. But as I explored, unease settled in my stomach. The house was fully secured, with CCTV cameras peering down from almost every corner. The feeling of being constantly watched crawled under my skin.

"So much security… and only Sam and his assistant around?" I muttered under my breath, my mind racing with questions.

As I continued down the hallway, I noticed the walls adorned with intricate paintings. Some were landscapes, others abstract swirls of color, but most were portraits, many in grayscale, exuding an eerie intensity.

"Does he like drawing that much?" I mused, my fingers grazing one of the frames. I approached a large, imposing door and instinctively reached for the handle.

"Mam?" A female voice interrupted from behind.

Startled, I turned to see two young women, dressed in simple yet elegant white gowns, standing at attention.

"Good evening, ma'am," they greeted me in unison.

I forced a smile. "Good evening."

"We were sent to dress you for dinner," one of the maids said.

"Dinner?" I echoed, confusion washing over me.

"Yes, we're having dinner with my grandfather soon," Sam's voice cut in as he approached from down the hallway. The maids greeted him with a bow. "So get dressed and prepare," he added nonchalantly before brushing past them and opening the large door I had been about to explore.

Peeking inside, I glimpsed a massive library, its towering shelves filled with books. The air seemed thick with the scent of aged paper and leather-bound tomes.

"Can we go, ma'am?" one of the maids asked gently, drawing my attention back to them.

I hesitated. I had so many questions bubbling inside me, but none found their way to my lips. Without another word, I followed the maids. As we walked, I couldn't shake the feeling of urgency. *Meeting his family already? This seems too fast.*

Standing in front of a tall mirror, I admired my reflection in the beautiful gown the maids had dressed me in. It was far more extravagant than anything I'd ever worn sleek, floor-length satin in a deep emerald green, with delicate embroidery along the bodice. My hair had been styled elegantly, and the maids had applied subtle makeup, enhancing my natural beauty.

I barely recognized myself. For a moment, I almost felt like someone else, someone who belonged in this strange, luxurious world. But that feeling faded as quickly as it came.

"Are you ready?" Sam's voice cut through my thoughts. He stood in the doorway, dressed sharply in a tailored black suit. His eyes swept over me, unreadable as always.

I nodded, though inside I was still reeling. I followed him outside, and we both entered a sleek black car that drove us to the towering castle we had passed earlier.

The moment we pulled up in front of the grand estate, Sam stopped abruptly and turned to me. His expression was unusually serious.

"No matter what my uncle and aunt say, don't talk back. And don't take anything from anyone," Sam instructed, his tone leaving no room for argument.

I blinked, surprised by the sharpness in his voice. "What? Why?"

He didn't answer. Instead, he took my hand, guiding me up the steps toward the castle's grand entrance. The warmth of his hand contrasted with the coldness of his demeanor. My mind spun with questions. *What kind of family is this?*

The moment we entered the living room, I felt like I had stepped into another world. The walls were adorned with rich tapestries, the floor covered in intricately woven rugs, and chandeliers cast a golden glow across the room. Everything screamed wealth and power.

But there was something else—an oppressive energy that made the air feel thick.

I tried to take it all in, my gaze drifting over the luxurious furnishings, but Sam's voice cut through my thoughts again. "Don't look too much," he whispered. "If you do, you'll attract attention."

"Attention?" I echoed, confused. Before I could ask more, a man entered the room, holding a glass of wine. His steps were slow and deliberate, and the moment he saw us, he paused.

Sam greeted the man with a respectful nod, but the man barely glanced at us, choosing instead to walk right past as if we didn't exist.

I frowned, the tension in the room growing thicker by the second.

As we stood waiting, the sudden sound of glass shattering behind us made me jump. I turned to see a woman berating a maid, her voice dripping with cruelty as she insulted the poor girl. The maid flinched with every word, bowing her head in shame as the woman slapped her hard across the face.

My eyes widened in shock, but before I could react, Sam leaned close and whispered harshly, "Don't look."

The woman, dressed in a lavish gown, finally turned her attention toward us. "Sam," she said, her tone suddenly sweet, her demeanor shifting in an instant. She walked over, her heels clicking against the marble floor. Sam greeted her formally, and she embraced him as if the violent scene from moments ago had never happened.

I attempted to greet the woman, but before I could get a word out, I was met with a cold, dismissive glance. She snubbed me completely, leaving me standing there awkwardly.

"You shouldn't have come for dinner," the woman said, glaring at me with thinly veiled disdain. "Not with *her*," she spat, pointing directly at me. "Can't you ever say no?"

"I have to fulfill Grandfather's wishes," Sam replied evenly, though I could hear the tension in his voice.

The woman scoffed, her eyes narrowing. "I see. Well, let's wait and see how this plays out, shall we?"

With a final glare in my direction, the woman turned on her heel and strode away.

As my thoughts raced, trying to make sense of everything happening around me, Sam suddenly excused himself, leaving me alone in the opulent yet suffocating room. I felt even more out of place without him by my side.

Moments later, a couple walked in, arm in arm, their presence commanding attention. They stopped in their tracks the moment they saw me, exchanging quick glances before approaching.

I stood up, nerves running high as I greeted them politely.

"Oh, you're Sam's wife?" the woman asked with a sly smile, her eyes scanning me from head to toe.

I hesitated, caught off guard by the directness of the question. I wasn't sure what to say, but I knew that denying it would raise even more questions. "Yes," I answered, my voice barely steady.

The woman's smile widened as she leaned in to hug me. "Wonderful!" she exclaimed, though there was something in her tone that made me uncomfortable. She then sat beside me while the man gave a curt nod before walking away, leaving the two of us alone.

"So, how long have you two been married?" the woman asked, her voice dripping with curiosity.

Before I could answer, she fired off another question. "Did he propose romantically? Where did you two meet?"

I barely got a word in edgewise before another question followed. "Do you enjoy living here? It must be overwhelming."

The barrage of questions made my head spin. I hadn't answered the first when she threw yet another at me. The intensity of the interrogation, combined with the suffocating atmosphere of the house, made me feel dizzy.

"You're sweating," the woman pointed out, her tone almost mocking. "Let me get you a cup of water."

I tried to protest, but she was already up and disappearing down the hall. She returned swiftly, holding a delicate crystal glass filled with water.

I hesitated for a moment but then reached for the glass, grateful for something to distract me from the awkwardness. As I brought it to my lips, a hand shot out from behind me, snatching the glass away just before I could take a sip. The water spilled onto the floor, and I turned in shock to see Sam standing there, his face hard as stone.

He threw the glass aside without a word, the crystal shattering as it hit the floor.

The woman let out a soft, amused laugh, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "You didn't train her well, did you?" she teased, her voice thick with mockery. With a smile that sent chills down my spine, she stood up, straightened her dress, and glided out of the room, leaving me more confused than ever.

I stood frozen, my heart pounding in my chest. I turned to Sam, searching his face for answers, but his expression gave nothing away.

"Don't drink anything from anyone here," he said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper but laced with warning. He didn't explain further, but the weight of his words hung heavy in the air.

As the door swung shut behind th

e woman, a single, terrifying thought echoed in my mind: What kind of twisted game had I just been dragged into?