The Underworld

chapter twenty five

A/N: this chapter will contain verbal and physical abuse, and gore towards the end of it. Read with caution.

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As I ate, Hayley stood by the entrance of the kitchen beside another maid. It wasn't just the silence in the room that made me uncomfortable, but also how they both stood. I couldn't see their faces because they gaze was on the floor. Their wrists were crossed in front of their lower stomachs. Not only that, I remembered every other maid I came across on the way here stand the same way until I had passed them. Everything about it was disturbing.

As I sat there, bringing a spoonful to my lips every so often, I realized that the rest of the mansion was just as silent. No footsteps. No opening or closing doors. Nothing. It was as if there was nothing living besides us three here. As if anyone made a sound, it would be their last. A chill ran down my spine.

I stood with my plate in hand. Hayley and the girl beside her immediately looked up, horror plastered onto the girl's face. "No please," she stepped forward. "I'll take care of it." I let her take my plate and glass from my hands, and watched her walk to the sink.

My insides twisted. What happened to them?

Louis was the answer I knew. He was the reason for a lot of things that had happened to me. But was he the one who directly placed fear into everyone under this roof or did he send someone else to do it for him?

"What's your name?" I asked the girl, immediately regretting when I saw her shoulders tense. She put the plate and glass away before turning to me. Her eyes wandered to the floor.

"Z-Zoe, Mrs. Coldwell." I almost grimaced at my new title. As much as I wanted them to stop calling me that, I knew they wouldn't and somehow Louis would hear about it and do something to me. I focused on the girl. She was afraid of me, I could tell. She probably thought she did something wrong.

"Thank you for the food, Zoe. If you haven't already, go eat." It was my first order, and although I hated having done so, I knew the Zoe wouldn't unless I said so or she was done with whatever chores she was given.

Her eyes briefly met mine. She gave me a curt nod. "Thank you, Mrs. Coldwell." Zoe excused herself and quickly made her way out of the kitchen.

Hayley stepped forward, "what would you like to do now, Mrs. Coldwell?" They were watching us, I figured. Someone was watching us. Hayley wouldn't refer me to that if we weren't. A new reason to hate this place, to hate Louis. I didn't turn to see where the cameras were. I just wanted to get out of here.

"Rest," I answered. Hayley nodded and guided me to my bedroom. There weren't many guards from what I could see, only two standing at each of the two main entrances. There were probably more within the property but outside the house. My forehead creased a little bit when I didn't see Markus anywhere. Was he working right now? If so, where was he?

Now that I thought about it, I didn't know where Markus slept. While he was with me for part of the night, where was his bed at? Did he sleep somewhere within the mansion? Did he sleep at the other? Or did he have his own place to travel to and from work? I didn't know what days he worked. I didn't know what his usual tasks were, other than guarding me.

I slept with Markus without knowing much about him. I pushed those thoughts away. I was not about to get attached to any man.

I stepped out of the hallway and into my room. "Do you need anything?" Hayley asked. She stayed on the other side of the door.

"No," I shook my head. "When dinner is ready, send someone up with my food. I don't feel like leaving my room for the rest of the day." I gave her a small smile. As she walked away, I closed the door. I took my shoes off and placed them beside my bed.