Chapter 20

Sarah's POV

The heavy oak doors of the ballroom shut behind me, muffling the sound of the orchestra and the hum of conversation. I hadn't meant to step out again, but the weight of the evening was becoming unbearable. Eleanor's cryptic warning, Axel's stares, Eren's possessiveness—it all swirled in my mind like a storm I couldn't escape.

The hallway stretched before me, dimly lit by flickering sconces that cast dancing shadows across the walls. My heels clicked softly against the marble floor as I walked, my destination unclear. I just needed to breathe, to think.

The Blackwood mansion had a way of drawing you in, its endless corridors twisting and turning like a labyrinth. It was as though the house itself had secrets it wanted to keep hidden. I turned a corner and found myself in a part of the estate I didn't recognize. The walls here were lined with portraits, each one depicting a stern-faced ancestor whose eyes seemed to follow me as I moved.

One painting caught my attention—a man standing in front of the mansion, his expression severe, his gaze piercing. His resemblance to Eren was uncanny, though his features were harder, colder. Beneath the painting was a brass plaque that read: Victor Blackwood, Founder.

The man who had started it all.

I stared at the portrait for a long moment, a strange unease settling in my chest. What kind of legacy had this man built? And why did it feel like it was still haunting his descendants?

"Fascinating, isn't it?"

I spun around, startled, to find Axel leaning casually against the wall behind me. His dark suit blended into the shadows, but his eyes glinted with something sharp and dangerous.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, my voice steadier than I felt.

"I could ask you the same thing," he said, pushing off the wall and stepping closer. "The party's back that way."

"I needed a break."

Axel's lips curved into a smirk. "From Eren?"

I glared at him, but his expression didn't falter. If anything, he looked amused, like he was enjoying the tension between us.

"You shouldn't be wandering around alone," he said, his tone softening slightly. "This house has a way of... getting under your skin."

I crossed my arms, refusing to be intimidated. "I can handle myself."

He chuckled, low and quiet. "I don't doubt that."

For a moment, silence stretched between us. Axel's gaze flicked to the portrait behind me, his smirk fading.

"Victor Blackwood the first," he said, his voice tinged with bitterness. "The man who built this empire. And the man who damned us all."

His words sent a chill down my spine. "What do you mean?"

Axel's jaw tightened, his usual smugness replaced by something darker. "This family... it's not what it seems, Sarah. Eren won't tell you. Hell, no one will. But you're smart. You've already figured out that something's not right here."

Axel stepped closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Be careful, Sarah. The Blackwoods don't forgive mistakes. And they never forget."

Before I could respond, he turned and disappeared down the corridor, leaving me alone with the weight of his words.

---

Eren's POV

I found her in the library again, sitting in one of the oversized armchairs with a book open in her lap. She didn't look up as I entered, her gaze fixed on the pages as though she was trying to make sense of something that refused to be understood.

"Sarah."

She glanced up, her expression unreadable. "Eren."

I closed the door behind me and walked toward her, my footsteps echoing in the quiet room. "Why did you leave the party?"

"I needed some space," she said simply.

I frowned, crouching in front of her so I could look her in the eyes. "Did something happen?"

Her gaze faltered, and I knew she was hiding something. "I'm fine, Eren. Really."

I reached out, taking her hands in mine. "You can trust me, Sarah. Whatever it is, I'll handle it."

For a moment, she hesitated, as though she was weighing whether or not to confide in me. But then she shook her head, pulling her hands away. "It's nothing. Just... a lot to process."

I didn't believe her, but I didn't press the issue. Not yet.

Instead, I stood and offered her my hand. "Come back to the party with me. You shouldn't be alone tonight."

She looked up at me, her eyes searching mine. Finally, she nodded and took my hand, letting me pull her to her feet.

But as we left the library, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was slipping through my fingers.

Sarah's POV

The rest of the evening passed in a blur. The whispers in the ballroom grew louder, the stares sharper, as though everyone was waiting for something to happen. Eleanor watched me like a hawk, her presence a constant reminder of the expectations I was supposed to meet.

But it was Axel's words that lingered in my mind.

"The Blackwoods don't forgive mistakes. And they never forget."

What had he meant? What secrets was this family hiding? And why did I feel like I was standing on the edge of a precipice, with no way to turn back?

As Eren led me back to our room that night, his hand resting protectively on the small of my back, I couldn't shake the feeling that the real danger wasn't lurking in the shadows.

It was already inside the house.