Chapter 6

Lila realized she was going too far. She realized it the instant she chose to disregard Ethan's advice and Mrs. Havers' worried looks. But she couldn't shake her ravenous thirst for the truth, which was hidden beneath a mountain of secrets and falsehoods. She had been plagued by questions ever since that encounter in the garden, questions that Ethan had refused to address.

She had always found the forbidden room fascinating. Ethan had insisted she stay away from it without ever giving a reason.

Lila was unable to resist any longer,  since Ethan had left and the house seemed strangely silent. With a racing heart from a mix of anxiety and fear, she headed down the dim hallway. She stopped in front of the door, reaching for the lock with shaky fingers. After several attempts, the lock finally gave way with a gentle click.

There, was a room full of shadows when the creaky door opened. Lila stepped inside after a brief moment of hesitation, her eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness. Nothing about the room was inviting or sumptuous, in sharp contrast to the rest of the home. It had minimal furniture and a large desk in the middle, making it chilly and somewhat clinical. Lila's breath caught in her throat as she walked up to the desk. It was covered in scattered papers, some fresh and bright, others yellowed with age. Her hands trembling, as she sorted through the papers.

The images, letters, and contracts that described the life that Ethan had concealed from her were unsettling. A life where danger, treachery, and shadows that appeared to reach back into the past were all present. She was particularly drawn to one picture. The image showed a youthful, yet distinctly, Ethan standing with a group of individuals who radiated strength and intimidation.

Compared to the man she believed she knew, he had a somber and determined expression on his face. As Lila attempted to put the puzzle together, her mind raced.

Who are these people? What had Ethan become involved in? More so, how did it affect their marriage?

Lila's heart jumped in her throat as she heard footsteps echoing across the corridor. With little time for her to adjust, the door flew open, revealing Ethan standing in the doorway, his expression a mask of rage.

“What in the hell are you doing here?" His voice was deep and menacing.

Lila turned to look at him, her hand still holding the photo tightly. “You must tell me what this is, Ethan. Now, not later.”

For an instant, Lila noticed a flicker of dread, regret, or possibly even grief, as his eyes fixed onto the picture. But in an instant, it vanished and was replaced with a harsh, icy anger. His voice taut with barely contained wrath, he added, "You were never supposed to see that."

Lila shot back, matching his rage with her own, "But I did. And are you going to tell me the truth now? Ethan, stop leaving me hanging in the dark.”

With a dark and intimidating gaze, Ethan stepped toward her. "You're not aware of what you did. What you're up to.”

“Then explain that to me!" Lila asked, her voice shaking with a combination of determination and dread. "You can't continue to ignore me and treat me as though I'm a delicate object that needs to be kept safe."

The papers jumped as Ethan lost his cool and smashed his hand down on the desk. "Do you think I desired this? Do you really believe that I intended for any of this to affect you in any way? Lila, I've been attempting to protect you!"

Despite trembling from the impact of his remarks, Lila did not back down. "Safety? From what? From who?”

With obvious frustration, Ethan raked a hand over his hair. "From those who seek to undermine all of my labors. And people that would take advantage of you in order to get to me. The contract you signed is not just some business transaction. It's a covenant, bound by powers outside our realm of influence.”

Lila's breathing became difficult. “What kind of forces are they? What does that mean for us and what chances do we have against them?”

With the pressure of the circumstances bearing down on him, Ethan hesitated for a moment. “That implies that they will pursue you if we violate the agreement and if they discover our marriage isn't what it seems.” His voice slow with a sound of worry in it.

“To get what they desire, they will do just anything and go at any length.”

As the seriousness of his remarks set in, Lila's eyes grew wide. "Why didn't you inform me? Why not inform me in advance?”

With a raw and vulnerable voice in place of his angry one, Ethan answered softly, "Because I didn't want you to live in fear. I believed I was capable of managing it alone. But now, there isn't really a choice. Since we're in this together going forward, you have to know the truth.”

A thick quiet descended upon the room as the weight of Ethan's confession hung over everyone. Fear, wrath, and confusion were all swirling around in Lila's mind, but there was more than that. Even though it was terrifying, there's a feeling of unity and connection that they have each other. She could see it in his eyes as Ethan gazed at her.

Their convenient marriage was no longer the only factor in this. It was about the two of them standing up to whatever was coming next, about surviving, and about fighting the threats that hid in the shadows. No more secrets and lies from now on. They were going to take it on head-on from now on.