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Catherine stopped in front of the mansion, her eyes narrowing as she observed the luxurious exterior. Audrey, catching up to her, was visibly confused, still thinking Catherine was merely distracted by the surroundings.
“Why are we stopping here, Kathy?” Audrey asked, trying to make sense of it all. “We need to hurry. You’re going to be late!”
But Catherine didn’t respond right away. Her gaze lingered on the mansion, her mind working silently. The place was imposing, the architecture lavish but restrained, and it struck her as an unusual location to visit in the middle of a Monday morning. Something about it felt familiar, and it tugged at her mind—like a puzzle she needed to solve.
After a moment, Catherine turned toward Audrey, her expression unreadable. “I’m not going to school right now,” she said, her tone calm and deliberate.
Audrey’s eyes widened in shock. “What do you mean you’re not going? The school is waiting for you, Kathy! What’s going on?” she pressed, clearly flustered.
Catherine sighed and looked at her sister with a faint, almost imperceptible smile. “You go on ahead. I have something to take care of first.”
Before Audrey could protest, Catherine turned and walked up to the front door of the mansion, her heels clicking sharply on the pavement. Audrey stood frozen for a moment, too stunned to move.
It wasn’t like Catherine to act impulsively or without clear intent. Audrey’s mind raced, wondering what had prompted this sudden detour. As she hesitated, a sense of unease settled over her. Something was off, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.
Reluctantly, Audrey watched Catherine ring the doorbell, her heart pounding in her chest. Was this a mistake? Was she about to witness her sister do something even more reckless?
The door opened moments later, revealing a sharply dressed man in a suit—someone Audrey didn’t recognize. Catherine spoke with him briefly, her posture confident and commanding. Audrey strained to hear, but the exchange was too quiet from where she stood.
Finally, Catherine gave a nod, and the man stepped aside, allowing her into the mansion. Audrey’s pulse quickened as she wondered what Catherine was up to now. Was she really going to skip school for this? Audrey couldn’t just stand by; she had to figure out what was going on.
Just as Audrey was about to follow, she heard a car pull up behind her. It was a black sedan, sleek and silent. The window rolled down, and she saw a familiar face—Paxton, Branden’s right-hand man. His eyes met hers with a polite but distant expression.
“Miss Audrey,” he said with a slight nod, his tone neutral, “Mr. Duncan requests your presence. He wants to speak with you.”
Audrey’s stomach twisted. She didn’t want to be dragged into whatever game Branden was playing, especially not right now. But Paxton’s presence was insistent, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that her day was taking an unexpected turn.
Catherine’s choice to visit the mansion, her sudden detour—everything was connected in ways Audrey couldn’t understand. And as she hesitated, Paxton’s gaze never wavered. There was no escape from this now.
Sighing, Audrey glanced back toward the mansion, wondering if Catherine had any idea what she was stepping into. Then, with reluctance, she climbed into the car, already dreading what the rest of the day would hold.