Chapter 6 – The Enemy Inside the Mansion
Chapter 6 – The Enemy Inside the Mansion
The Blackwood mansion had always been built like a fortress.
High walls.
Private security.
Encrypted systems.
Guards watching every entrance.
Nobody entered without permission.
Nobody left without being noticed.
At least...
That was what Victor Blackwood believed.
But after Serena Montigue walked out of his life, one thought kept repeating in his mind.
Someone helped her.
Serena had not erased security footage alone.
She had not hidden financial records alone.
She had not learned the weaknesses of his family by herself.
Someone inside the mansion had opened the door for her.
And Victor hated one thing more than enemies.
Betrayal.
Three days after Serena's removal, Victor stood in the security room.
The footage from the foyer played again.
Serena grabbing Ethan.
Lily running toward them.
Serena pushing Lily.
The image was clear.
But Victor wasn't watching Serena anymore.
He was watching the background.
A shadow moved near the hallway.
A person passing through.
Victor paused the recording.
"Zoom in."
Marcus, his head of security, adjusted the screen.
The image became clearer.
A person standing near the staff entrance.
Victor narrowed his eyes.
"Who is that?"
Marcus checked the system.
His expression changed.
"Sir..."
"What?"
"That's impossible."
Victor turned.
"I don't like that word."
Marcus swallowed.
"The person was not recorded entering the mansion."
Silence.
"Then how was he there?"
Nobody answered.
Because that meant only one thing.
Someone inside the mansion had access.
Victor immediately called a meeting.
Every employee gathered in the main hall.
Maid.
Driver.
Chef.
Security team.
Assistants.
Everyone.
Lily stood near the stairs holding Ethan.
She looked uncomfortable.
Victor noticed.
"You can leave if you want."
She shook her head.
"No."
A pause.
"I need to know too."
Victor looked at her.
Then nodded.
She deserved answers.
More than anyone.
"Someone in this house helped Serena."
Victor said.
The room went silent.
"No one leaves until we know who."
Fear spread across the employees.
Not because Victor threatened them.
Because they knew what betrayal meant in the Blackwood world.
The first person questioned was the head maid.
Mrs. Alvarez.
She had worked for the Blackwoods for fifteen years.
"Did you notice anything unusual?"
Victor asked.
She shook her head.
"No, sir."
"Serena had access to restricted areas."
"No."
Victor looked at her.
"You are certain?"
Mrs. Alvarez hesitated.
Only a second.
But Victor saw.
"You know something."
The older woman looked nervous.
"I..."
Victor waited.
Finally, she spoke.
"Miss Serena was meeting someone."
The room changed.
"When?"
"At night."
"Where?"
Mrs. Alvarez looked down.
"The west wing."
Everyone froze.
Because the west wing had been closed for years.
The west wing was where Ethan's mother, Isabella Blackwood, had lived before her death.
Victor never allowed anyone there.
Not even staff.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Victor asked.
Mrs. Alvarez looked ashamed.
"Because she threatened me."
Victor's expression darkened.
"What did she say?"
The maid's voice trembled.
"She said if I spoke..."
A pause.
"She would make sure my granddaughter lost her medical care."
Lily looked shocked.
Serena had done the same thing to everyone.
Found their weakness.
Used it.
Controlled them.
Victor closed his eyes briefly.
He had underestimated her.
"Who was she meeting?"
Mrs. Alvarez shook her head.
"I never saw his face."
"But?"
She hesitated.
"But I heard her call him by a name."
Victor leaned forward.
"What name?"
The maid whispered:
"Adrian."
The room became silent.
Victor's face changed.
Because that name meant something.
Something from his past.
Later that evening, Lily found Victor in the west wing.
She wasn't supposed to be there.
But neither was he.
The hallway was covered in dust.
Old photographs lined the walls.
The mansion felt different here.
Less like a home.
More like a memory.
"You shouldn't be here."
Victor said without turning.
Lily stopped.
"You knew I was coming?"
"I heard you."
She smiled slightly.
"You're impossible."
Victor almost smiled.
Almost.
Then his expression returned to seriousness.
"This was Isabella's side of the house."
Lily looked around.
"Your wife's?"
Victor nodded.
"My son's mother."
The way he said it told Lily everything.
Not anger.
Not sadness.
Regret.
"Who is Adrian?"
Lily asked.
Victor became still.
"You heard."
"Yes."
A long silence.
Finally, Victor answered.
"My brother."
Lily froze.
"You have a brother?"
"Had."
The word carried pain.
"What happened?"
Victor looked toward an old photograph.
"Adrian was supposed to inherit the family."
"But you did."
Victor nodded.
"Because he betrayed us."
Years ago, Adrian Blackwood had tried to take control of everything.
The company.
The family.
The empire.
He had failed.
And disappeared.
Everyone believed he was dead.
But now...
His name had returned.
"Serena was working with your brother?"
Lily asked.
Victor's jaw tightened.
"That's what I need to know."
Suddenly...
A sound.
A small crash.
They both turned.
Footsteps.
Someone was inside.
Victor immediately moved in front of Lily.
Protective.
Instinctive.
"Stay behind me."
Lily whispered:
"I'm not helpless."
Victor glanced at her.
"No."
A pause.
"You're not."
But he still kept her behind him.
They entered the room.
Empty.
Almost.
On the desk was an envelope.
Victor picked it up.
No name.
No address.
Inside was a photograph.
A photograph of Ethan.
Taken yesterday.
Victor's blood went cold.
Someone had been watching his son.
Behind the photograph was a message.
YOU FAILED TO PROTECT HIM ONCE.
Another line appeared.
DON'T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE AGAIN.
Lily looked at Victor.
For the first time...
She saw fear in his eyes.
Not fear for himself.
Fear for Ethan.
The next morning, Victor increased security.
New guards.
New systems.
Background checks on everyone.
But the damage was already done.
The enemy was not outside the walls.
The enemy had been living inside them.
That afternoon, Ethan was playing in the garden with Lily.
For the first time in weeks, he laughed.
A real laugh.
Victor watched from the balcony.
For a moment, everything felt normal.
Then Ethan suddenly stopped.
He looked toward the trees.
His smile disappeared.
"Lily..."
She turned.
"What is it?"
The child pointed.
Someone was standing beyond the garden fence.
A man.
Watching.
Victor saw him too.
His expression changed instantly.
Because even from a distance...
He recognized him.
Adrian Blackwood.
The brother who was supposed to be dead.
The man who had returned.
And the man who now knew exactly where Victor's greatest weakness was.
His son.
That night, Adrian stood in the darkness outside the mansion.
He watched the lights inside.
Victor.
Ethan.
Lily.
A small smile appeared.
"Serena was right."
A man beside him asked:
"About what?"
Adrian looked toward the mansion.
"The nanny."
A pause.
"She is the reason Victor will destroy himself."
Inside the mansion, Lily held Ethan while he slept.
She didn't know why.
But she felt it.
Something worse was coming.
Serena had been dangerous.
But Serena was only a piece of a much larger game.
May you like
And now the person who started it all...
Had come home.
