It was late at night. The mansion was quiet, the corridors dimly lit, and only the distant ticking of clocks broke the silence. Sophia stormed into the kitchen, slamming the door behind her, they had just finished dinner.
Her mother, Agnes, was there, casually tidying up and preparing to retire for the night. She looked up, her sharp eyes catching Sophia's stormy expression.
"Mother! Can you believe her? Olivia actually had the audacity to speak back to me wgen i arrived earlier, she was acting all high and mighty, also brother was ignoring me at dinner today and am sure it's because of that sly vixien!" Sophia exclaimed, her voice trembling with fury. "Who does she think she is?!"
Agnes set down a plate with deliberate calm. "I heard, dear. That girl is far too bold for her place… but boldness can be corrected."
"She's just a… sold object! And yet she acts like she owns this mansion!" Sophia fumed.
Agnes smiled thinly, a calculating glint in her eyes. "Exactly. That's why we need a plan. Observe her, provoke her, and then strike. One mistake, and the blame will fall on her. By morning, no one will question our judgment."
Sophia's eyes gleamed with malicious excitement. "Yes, Mother! How do we do it?"
Agnes leaned closer, her voice icy and precise. "We'll make it appear as though she's stolen something… something she doesn't even know exists. By morning, she'll be trapped, and there will be no way to defend herself."
Sophia's lips curled into a wicked grin. "Perfect. She won't know what hit her."
---
Meanwhile, Lily, sent to fetch strawberry juice for Olivia, passed near the kitchen and froze. Faint voices—low, sharp, and full of malice—filtered through the slightly open door.
"…she thinks she can defy us," Sophia hissed.
"She'll regret it tomorrow. We'll make sure of it," Agnes replied, her tone cold and cutting.
Lily's heart pounded. She rushed to Olivia's room, breathless. "Ma'am! I… I overheard Sophia and your mother! They're plotting against you!"
A sense of dread washed over Olivia as the news settled in her chest. Her mind raced, trying to imagine what scheme the duo could be planning. She looked at Lily, her eyes hard but composed. "Alright. You've done well. Now go retire to your room—it's time for all the maids to rest."
Lily hesitated but obeyed, quietly leaving the room as Olivia lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling. She tried to stay awake, trying to anticipate the plot that was being spun against her. But exhaustion eventually won, and sleep took her, though her mind remained restless with worry.
---
Moments after Olivia fell asleep, a shadow moved silently through the room. It paused at her vanity, reaching inside her drawer. Something small, precise, and deliberate was placed inside. Without a sound, the shadow melted back into the darkness.
A maid later sneaked out of Olivia's room and went to Agnes' room. "The job is done," she whispered.
Olivia, anxiously waiting for the maids return, smirked slyly as she heard the words. "Good job eunice," she whispered back, the corner of her lips curling. Eunice nodded and quietly returned to her own room, leaving Olivia to the silence of the night.
---
Morning came, sunlight spilling across the polished floors of the mansion. Servants bustled about, tidying rooms and preparing breakfast. Olivia woke, stretched, and headed to the bathroom. She took a quick, refreshing shower, letting the warm water wash away the remnants of sleep and worry.
Dressing in a simple oversized t-shirt and shorts that still highlighted her form, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. A shiver ran down her spine as she descended the stairs, unaware of the storm about to hit. As she moved gracefully toward the dining room, Soren already sitted at the table, swallowed hard when he saw Olivia, his sharp gaze briefly lingering on her figure.
---
But Olivia had little time to notice him. A maid burst dramatically into the dining hall:
"Young master! The… the necklace!"
Gasps filled the room. Olivia froze, dread curling in her chest.
"What necklace?" Soren's voice cut through the murmurs, sharp and dangerous. His eyes became piercing, cold, terrifying.
"Mrs. Madison's necklace—the one she left for you, young master," the maid announced, her tone perfectly dramatic.
Olivia's stomach twisted. A terrible feeling gnawed at her. This… this is about me.
Agnes and Sophia appeared behind the maid, their smiles hiding cruel satisfaction.
"Perhaps we should conduct a search," Agnes suggested, sweetly venomous, her eyes glinting.
The search was swift. Tension thickened the air, each step heavy with anticipation. And then—the necklace was found.
In Olivia's room.
Gasps echoed through the dining hall. Sophia's lips curled into a triumphant sneer. "A thief! I always knew you were nothing but a thief with those sly, vixen eyes," she spat venomously.
Agnes nodded, adding coldly, "How fitting… someone so bold, reduced to a liar and a thief."
Soren's fury ignited like wildfire. His usual icy composure shattered as he strode toward Olivia, eyes sharp, dangerous, terrifying. Before she could speak, he struck—slapping her across the face. Pain and shock froze her in place.
"Explain yourself!" she whispered, voice trembling. Lily, standing frozen nearby, dared not speak.
Soren's gaze swept the room, unflinching, icy, and furious. "Lock her in the dark room," he commanded, leaving no room for argument. "No food. No water. One week."
Strong hands grabbed Olivia, dragging her across the hall like an object. The last thing she saw before being thrown into darkness was Sophia and Agnes—smirking with cruel satisfaction.
Her sobs echoed in the cold, empty room. Outside, there was no pity. Soren's burning glare swept the dining hall as he stormed toward his study, fury coursing through him like molten fire. Servants shrank back, hearts racing, as the full weight of his wrath filled the mansion.