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5. Dark secrets behind the door

I was totally dismayed by the attitude of my hosts. First there was the whole castle that was in inappropriate conditions as if it had already been abandoned a long time ago; it was as if no one sane lived in that place anymore; my groom, who looked like a schizophrenic; that ghastly dinner that gave me nightmares; and now those three women strangers who tried to forcefully brush my hair and dress me in that horrible dress... After all that, I needed an explanation.

What was the game they were trying to play with me? Did they want to see me lose my sanity? Did they want me to run away from this castle? Because if that was it, then they were almost done. The three strange women were left behind when I ran out of the room and down the halls after that earl who was driving me crazy. My long, flowing blonde hair was loose around my head, and I was holding the skirts of my long dress as I ran barefoot through the dark corridors of that castle. The cold, polished stone floor under my feet was starting to become slippery and treacherous, as if trying to prevent me from reaching my host's office, but it wasn't like I was going to give up.

I was feeling totally controlled and manipulated by that man; I was completely out of all my cognitive coordination. Although I was born and raised in a life totally subordinate to my bosses, now it was different. With my new identity, I could make some demands now; after all, I was a rich and influential woman, and even if it seemed to be spoiled, I was willing to enjoy the advantages that the name Crystal Allen gave me. I wanted to demand that Moretti let me leave this haunted place forever. If they wanted to play pranks, then let them play with a girl other than me.

When I reached the heavy office door, it was ajar, allowing me to hear the voices inside the room. They were yelling at each other, father and son. So I could hear what they were discussing.

"No! I will not allow that to happen." I could clearly hear Lucca's voice on the other side of the door; the light from the office was passing through the gap in the half-open door, the conversation seemed heated, I could tell by the tone of their voices.

"You don't have to allow anything, Lucca! I already told you to leave everything to me, and I'll take care of it." The father replied in an authoritative tone.

"Solve what? You never solve anything, my father! Are you going to arrest her here like you arrested everyone else?" Lucca's speech was interrupted by a clear slap in the face from her own father. I even jumped in fright and covered my mouth. Did the earl hit his own son? Stunned, I heard low growls like a rabid, cornered animal coming from within.

"I am your father; show some respect! Never forget that you're here today because of me, and I can make you leave when I don't need you anymore!" The earl's voice was gruff and hard as he addressed his own son, with a long sigh coming from the older man. Lucca, had been silent since the slap; I could just hear the low growl. Did the Moretti have a pet dog? "Whatever I'm doing... All of this is for you, my son." Now the older man looked softer. "I understand that your head must be completely confused with a lot of questions; it's normal for this to happen in puberty, but you have to stop asking questions and help me achieve this feat; after all, it's what your mother wants."

Puberty…? But what was this man talking about? Did he think Lucca was still going through puberty? But that didn't make the slightest sense, as Lucca was already a grown man. Was the count really crazy? And why was he referring to his dead wife as if she were still alive? Curious to hear more? I pressed my body a little closer to the door, stretching my neck a little more to reach their voice. I believed that if I had stayed a little longer, I could still discover the dark truths of that family, but to my bad luck, the heavy door that was unlocked and opened to me made me lose my balance and make my body fall to the office floor. Father and son turned their eyes to me at that very moment. I had been caught in the jump.

"What the… Holy shit!" The count was cursing, but Lucca was faster; he went to me, snatched me off the ground with impressive speed, and put me on his shoulder, leaving me almost flying through the corridors.

"What are you doing? Let me go!" I started to flail against his shoulder, so he could release me, but his arm was like claws slicing through my thighs; I was trapped in him.

What did he intend to do with me? Was he going to throw me in a dungeon for being a nosy bride? Was he going to punish me for standing behind his father's office door and listening to their conversation? Was he going to punish me for being disobedient?

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