Chapter six

1669 Words
Sierra’s POV I blinked, letting the memories of last night settle in as I got up and stretched, feeling the weight of my dad’s words still lingering. After a quick glance at the clock, I realized it was later than I’d planned to wake up. The morning felt oddly quiet, as if the house itself was holding its breath. I moved toward the bathroom, splashing some water on my face to shake off the last remnants of sleep, then pulled on a comfortable outfit, trying to decide what to do next. I didn’t want to wander aimlessly, but staying cooped up in my room wasn’t an option either. I couldn’t help but feel like there were secrets hidden in every shadowed corner of this place. After a moment’s hesitation, I opened my door, stepping into the hallway. The quiet stretched on, making me even more aware of how foreign this place still felt. The vastness of the house only amplified the feeling of being an outsider. Every hallway seemed to branch into endless options, doors leading to places I hadn’t dared to explore. Part of me wanted to turn back, but another part—the braver, maybe reckless part—wanted to push forward, to find out what was really going on. As I made my way down the corridor, the aroma of breakfast drifted through the air, leading me toward the dining room. Just as I rounded the corner, I nearly bumped into Jayden, who was standing in the doorway, smirking as if he’d been waiting for me. "Lost again?" he asked, a glint of amusement in his eyes. I rolled my eyes, though I couldn’t hide a small smile. "Not this time. I think I’m starting to get the hang of it." He gave a mock bow. "Well, if you need a guide, you know where to find me." Before I could respond, Mrs. Lawrence appeared behind him, her gaze settling on me with a warmth that somehow made me feel even more uneasy. “Good morning, Sierra. I trust you slept well?” "Yes, thank you," I replied, trying to match her tone. She gestured toward the dining room, her smile never faltering. “Come, have breakfast with us. We have much to discuss.” I followed her inside, finding my dad already seated, giving me an encouraging nod as I took my place beside him. The rest of the Lawrence family joined us, and as the meal began, I couldn’t help but feel as if there was something left unsaid—something simmering beneath the surface, waiting to emerge. As I reached for a piece of toast, my mind drifted back to the man outside my window. Had he followed us here? I had just started to relax, enjoying my breakfast, when the mood shifted. The door opened, and in walked a girl I hadn’t seen yet—striking, with piercing green eyes and perfectly styled dark hair that fell around her shoulders. Her gaze swept the room, settling on me with a coolness that sent a chill up my spine. Jayden shifted uncomfortably beside me, glancing between us. She strode over to him with a confidence that left no room for questions and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Hey, Jayden,” she cooed, her voice a little too sweet. Then, as if just noticing me, she raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow. "And you must be… Sierra," she said, drawing out my name as if it left a bad taste in her mouth. "Yeah, that’s me." I managed a small smile, though her unfriendly tone made it feel forced. She looked me over with an expression that bordered on disdain. "So, you’re the newcomer everyone’s been talking about. I hope you’re settling in," she added with a fake smile that didn’t reach her eyes. Before I could answer, she continued, "It must be a lot to take in, all this…" She waved a hand dismissively, her tone implying that someone like me wouldn’t belong here. "I’m sure it’s nothing like… wherever you came from." I bit the inside of my cheek, resisting the urge to snap back. I’d been here less than a day, and already I felt like I was being put under a microscope. "Actually, everyone’s been very welcoming," I replied, keeping my voice steady, even though I knew she wasn’t interested in my answer. Jayden cleared his throat, looking uncomfortable. "Zoe, come on. Let’s sit down and have breakfast." But she ignored him, her gaze still locked on me. "I just hope you know what you’re getting yourself into, Sierra. Not everyone fits in with us, and it can be… difficult for outsiders." Her words hung heavy in the air, dripping with an unspoken warning. My pulse quickened, and I couldn’t tell if it was out of anger or nervousness—or maybe both. She didn’t know me, didn’t know anything about what I’d been through. But she clearly didn’t see me as someone worth getting to know. “Zoe,” Mrs. Lawrence’s voice was calm, yet firm, cutting through the tension. “That’s enough. Sierra’s our guest, and she deserves our respect.” Zoe’s smile faded, but she quickly composed herself, sliding into a chair with a delicate shrug. “Of course, Mrs. Lawrence. I was only saying what I thought might be helpful.” She shot me another glance, her eyes gleaming with something cold and unsettling. I swallowed, focusing on my food. My appetite was gone, replaced by a new awareness of just how unwelcome I was in her eyes. I felt Jayden shift beside me, clearly wanting to say something, but instead he just nudged his plate toward me, offering a small, almost apologetic smile. The rest of breakfast was a blur, Zoe’s words echoing in my mind. I’d barely been here a day, but somehow, I felt I was already under attack. After breakfast, I tried to shake off Zoe’s cold stare and those unspoken threats hidden in her words. I didn’t want her to get under my skin, but the way she looked at me made me feel like I was trespassing, like I’d somehow invaded a world where I didn’t belong. When I finally had a moment alone, I decided to go for a walk around the house, hoping a change of scenery would help clear my head. Each hallway felt like a maze, the dim lighting and antique decor making it feel more like a gothic labyrinth than a home. I passed rooms with closed doors, hallways that twisted into shadows, and windows that looked out onto misty, fog-covered fields stretching endlessly around the mansion. I turned a corner and froze, realizing I’d stumbled upon the very door I’d almost opened yesterday—the one Mrs. Lawrence had stopped me from entering. Something about it seemed to pull me in, a strange, unsettling feeling twisting in my gut as I stared at the old wooden door. My hand reached out, fingers trembling slightly as I grasped the cold, tarnished handle. I could almost feel the weight of the house’s secrets pressing down on me. I turned the knob, and the door creaked open, revealing a narrow, spiraling staircase leading into darkness. Before I could take another step, I heard a voice, sharp and cold. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" I whipped around to find Jayden standing at the end of the hallway, his arms crossed, a look of disdain on his face. My stomach dropped. I hadn’t even heard him approach. “I… I was just—” I started, but he cut me off with a wave of his hand. “Don’t,” he snapped. “You shouldn’t be here.” His gaze flickered to the stairs, then back at me, his jaw tight. There was no warmth in his eyes, no softness, just annoyance. “You have no idea what you're getting into. Stay away from this door.” I opened my mouth, but no words came out. I didn’t know what to say to that. Part of me wanted to argue, to ask him why he was being so harsh, but something in the way he stood there, rigid and unyielding, stopped me. He took a step toward me, his expression still unreadable. “Don’t make me tell you again, Sierra. There’s nothing for you behind that door. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll forget about it and keep to the parts of this house you're actually allowed in.” I felt a chill run down my spine as his words sank in. His tone wasn’t kind, wasn’t reassuring—it was cold, commanding, and filled with a hidden threat. Jayden's eyes flickered down to my hand, still on the door handle, then back to me. “I don’t care what you're looking for, but that’s a place you don’t want to find it. Trust me.” Before I could even respond, he turned on his heel, his footsteps echoing down the hall as he walked away, leaving me standing there, my heart pounding. His words hung in the air like a warning. I couldn’t help but feel unsettled, as if there was something darker lurking behind his coldness. But before I could process it any further, a shadow passed by the doorway. The sound of footsteps grew faint, and then, just as quickly, everything was silent again. I was alone, but not really. Just then, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. It wasn’t just Jayden’s warning that bothered me—it was the way he’d said it. There was something he wasn’t telling me. And I was going to find out what. But would I like the answer when I did? I took one last glance at the door, the darkness beyond calling me. And for the first time since I’d stepped foot into this house, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to know what lay ahead.
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