Nathan was hungry, and he was determined not to eat with his brother, no matter what. Since the afternoon, he had been holding back, whether out of pride, bad habit, or just to prove he could take care of himself. So in the middle of the night, he crept out of his room, sure everyone was asleep. He walked quietly, almost silently, as if the walls could expose him at any moment.
He headed to the kitchen and saw an old maid still cleaning. The woman was surprised to see Nathan, almost dropping the rag she was wringing.
"Oh, young master. You haven't gone to bed yet?" she asked with a friendly smile. Her smile was warm, like someone who had worked in the house for years and knew how to handle its residents. "Do you need anything?"
Nathan looked hesitant, but he was very hungry. He shouldn't have cared about pride at this point, but part of him still tried to act strong. "Can I have some bread?" he asked softly.
The woman nodded right away. "Of course. You must be hungry." She had heard people talking about how Nathan hadn't eaten since noon. She quickly prepared food, moving nimbly even though her body looked tired from age.
Instead of bread, Nathan got warm meat soup with potatoes. The aroma filled the room and calmed his heart. Even though he resisted, the woman guided him to the kitchen table.
"Eat a lot. I warmed it up," she said with a smile, as if she knew he needed more than food, maybe a little attention.
Nathan swallowed hard at the sight of the delicious meal. He ate everything, not leaving a single bite. He kept his head down while the woman prepared drinks and cookies for him, feeling awkward at being treated so kindly.
"Thank you," Nathan said after finishing the small plate of cookies. His voice was softer than usual, almost shy.
The woman smiled. "My name is Isabel. You can come to me anytime. If you're hungry, just look for me. If you don't want to eat outside, I'll save food for you."
Nathan felt embarrassed, but he nodded. "Can I have some bread and cheese?" he asked, trying to sound calm even though his cheeks were red.
"Oh, you want to take it to your room?" Isabel took some ready-made sandwiches from the refrigerator, along with biscuits. She also grabbed some juice, caring for him like a grandmother with her grandchild.
"Keep it in the refrigerator in your room," Isabel said. It was clear she understood that Nathan didn't want to see his siblings or anyone else at the dinner table.
Nathan nodded, thanked her, and carried the food with both hands. He refused Isabel's help and walked slowly toward his room on the second floor. Because his hands were full, he had to go back to get the juice. He sighed, feeling stupid for carrying too much.
As he went downstairs to get the juice, he saw a shadow and heard a scream. The sound echoed through the walls, sharp and sudden, making his hair stand on end.
What was that?
Because of his curiosity and bold spirit, instead of thinking about danger, he followed the scream. Fear and curiosity mixed together, pushing him forward.
The sound was faint now. But he was sure the shadow had moved away from the kitchen. So he stepped into the opposite corridor.
The further he went, the colder and darker it felt. Silent. The corridor looked like a part of the house that was purposely neglected or hidden.
The atmosphere was completely different from the hallway near the bedrooms, even though it was still part of the same building. The dim lights created long, shifting shadows on the walls.
Nathan stood at the end of the hallway and found a fork. He had to choose left or right. The left seemed to lead outside. The right looked gloomy and untouched.
He stepped to the right. Around the corner, he found a stone staircase leading down. He couldn't see anything at the bottom. It was pitch black, as if it swallowed the light.
The screams sounded a little clearer. He was sure they came from below. Should he go down? What was happening? Was someone in trouble?
What if one of his injured siblings was there? Even though he didn't want to care, he needed to know. He told himself his future money depended on them, but deep down, his curiosity was what drove him.
Feeling nervous, he went down the uneven stone steps.
Although the area looked dark from above, dim lights turned on automatically after he descended. In front of him was a long, silent corridor.
The basement was cold, damp, and filled with a metallic smell. Nathan swallowed hard when he heard faint sounds: crying, heavy breathing, and thumping.
He walked slowly until he found a slightly open steel door. It felt like a scene from a mafia movie. With the corridor, the basement, and the atmosphere, his imagination ran wild.
Without thinking about the risks, Nathan pushed the door open slowly.
His eyes widened.
There was no bloody scene. It wasn't what he expected. But what he saw still made his heart pound.
In the middle of the room, two men in black were tied up, their hands and feet bound. They groaned and struggled. Their eyes were covered with black cloth.
Nathan trembled. Who were they? Why were they tied up? Should he call the police? Should he pretend he saw nothing?
He stepped back, feeling he had seen enough. But as he turned, a hand grabbed his shoulder, making him jump.
He held his breath. "I... I didn't see anything!" Nathan said in a shaky voice.
"You shouldn't have seen anything, young master," the man said calmly but firmly.
Nathan swallowed as his body was pulled out. Once in the hallway, he immediately pulled away and turned around. The man was one of Alexander's guards.
Before Nathan could speak, two men approached from the other direction. Nathan swallowed when he recognized two of them, Huan and another whose name he didn't know.
Huan looked shocked. "Stev, why is he here?" he asked sharply.
The man named Steven shrugged. "Maybe he got lost." His lips curled into a small smile that made Nathan uncomfortable, as if he was hiding something.
Huan looked at Nathan. "Go back to your room, Nathan. If Mr. Alex sees you, he won't like it. And forget what you saw. We're preparing a show," he said, clearly making something up.
Nathan didn't need to be told twice. He ran out of there, his legs shaking. He had no idea what they planned for the two men.
He forgot his juice and went straight to his room. He was panting when he opened the door.
Then, his eyes widened when he saw Alexander already inside.