The Secret Marriage Pact

The morning started like any other at Lucas's grand estate, but the air felt different. Amelia, still shaken from the recent threats, noticed the staff avoiding eye contact. Whispers filled the hallways, and tension seemed to creep into every corner of the house. She knew something was wrong but couldn't put her finger on it.

Lucas, ever composed, seemed distracted. His usually sharp focus was clouded, his responses curt. Amelia knew he was carrying the weight of recent events, but this felt deeper. Something, or someone, was disturbing the delicate balance of his carefully controlled world.

Amelia was in the library, flipping through old books to calm her nerves, when Victoria appeared. Her presence was like a storm cloud rolling in, and Amelia braced herself.

"You should be more careful," Victoria said, her tone sharp. "Not everyone in this house is who they appear to be."

Amelia frowned, shutting the book in her lap. "What are you trying to say?"

"Let's just say there are people close to Lucas who aren't loyal to him," Victoria replied. "I wouldn't be surprised if one of them is feeding information to his enemies."

"Do you know who?" Amelia pressed, her heart sinking at the thought.

Victoria smirked, her expression as cryptic as ever. "That's for you to figure out. But if I were you, I'd watch your back."

As much as Amelia disliked Victoria, she couldn't dismiss the warning. The tension in the house suddenly made sense—there was a traitor among them.

Determined to find answers, Amelia decided to investigate. She started by observing the staff and paying attention to their behavior. Most seemed loyal and hardworking, but one person stood out—James, Lucas's long-time assistant. He had been acting strangely, avoiding eye contact and leaving rooms whenever Lucas entered.

Amelia decided to follow him. She stayed at a distance, her heart pounding as she trailed him through the estate. He entered the study, closing the door behind him. Amelia hesitated but leaned close to the door, straining to hear.

What she heard made her blood run cold. James was on the phone, his voice low but urgent. "Yes, I'll get the information you need," he said. "But you need to keep your end of the deal. If Lucas finds out, I'm dead."

Amelia's breath hitched. She stepped back, her mind racing. James was the traitor. He was working with Lucas's enemies, feeding them information from the inside.

Amelia didn't know what to do. She wanted to tell Lucas immediately, but what if he didn't believe her? James had been with him for years—why would Lucas trust her word over his? Still, she couldn't stay silent. She decided to confront James herself.

She waited until he left the study and cornered him in the hallway. "I know what you're doing," she said, her voice steady despite the fear bubbling inside her.

James froze, his eyes narrowing. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't play dumb," Amelia snapped. "I heard your conversation. You're betraying Lucas."

James's expression darkened, and he took a step closer to her. "You don't know what you're getting yourself into," he hissed. "Stay out of it, or you'll regret it."

Amelia refused to back down. "Lucas trusts you, and you're using that against him. You're a coward."

James's jaw tightened, but before he could respond, Lucas appeared at the end of the hallway. His eyes flicked between Amelia and James, his expression unreadable. "What's going on here?" he demanded.

Amelia hesitated, but she knew she couldn't back down now. "Lucas, I need to tell you something. James is working against you. I heard him on the phone."

James immediately denied it. "She's lying," he said, his voice steady. "She doesn't belong here and is trying to cause trouble."

Lucas's gaze hardened, and he stepped closer to James. "Is that so?" he said, his tone dangerously calm.

Amelia watched as Lucas's sharp mind pieced things together. He didn't need much evidence to act he trusted his instincts, and those instincts were telling him something was wrong.

Lucas ordered his security team to detain James and search his belongings. Amelia stayed close, her heart pounding as they searched James's quarters. They found a burner phone with incriminating messages, as well as copies of sensitive documents. It was all the proof Lucas needed.

James was brought before Lucas in the grand hall, where the rest of the household had gathered. Lucas's fury was palpable, his voice like ice as he addressed the man who had betrayed him. "I trusted you," he said. "For years, you were by my side. And this is how you repay me?"

James didn't deny it this time. "You don't understand," he said, his voice trembling. "They gave me no choice. They threatened my family."

Lucas's expression didn't soften. "You could have come to me," he said. "But instead, you chose to betray me."

James was escorted out of the estate, his fate left in Lucas's hands. The rest of the staff watched in silence, their loyalty now unquestionable.

Later that night, Lucas and Amelia sat in his study, the tension finally easing. "You did the right thing," Lucas said, breaking the silence. "If you hadn't told me, who knows how much damage he could have done."

Amelia nodded, but she didn't feel victorious. "It's scary, knowing someone so close to you could betray you," she said. "How do you trust anyone?"

Lucas sighed, his gaze distant. "You don't. Not fully. That's the price of this life."

Amelia looked at him, seeing the weight he carried. For the first time, she truly understood how lonely his world was. But she also knew she wasn't going anywhere. As dangerous as it was, she was in this with him no matter what.

As they sat in silence, Amelia couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't the end. James might have been dealt with, but the people he was working for were still out there. And they wouldn't stop until they got what they wanted.

Lucas seemed to sense her unease. "This isn't over," he said, his voice low. "But we'll face it together."

Amelia nodded, a newfound resolve filling her. The shadows might be closing in, but she wasn't going to let them win. Not while she had Lucas by her side.

But just as she turned to walk forward, she heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps behind her. She spun around, only to find the door slowly closing on its own, the faintest hint of a figure slipping through the crack. Her breath caught in her throat as a voice echoed from the darkness, "You're not as safe as you think."