Chapter 5 — Unexpected Visitor
The morning sun barely touched the edges of the mansion when Lina was woken by a sharp, insistent knock at the door.
Her heart skipped. Who could it be this early?
She opened the door cautiously — and froze.
Standing there was a woman dressed in black, tall, confident, and with eyes that seemed to pierce straight through her.
"Lina Hart?" the woman asked, voice calm but with an edge that made Lina step back instinctively.
"Yes… who are you?"
The woman smiled faintly, almost cruelly.
"You don't know me yet, but I know a lot about you. And about Adrian Vale."
Lina's stomach twisted. Adrian? She didn't even know what to think.
Before she could respond, the woman's gaze swept past her.
"Let's just say… some marriages come with secrets. And some people don't survive them."
Lina took a step back, but the woman was already moving toward the door.
"Who are you? What do you want?" Lina demanded.
The woman stopped at the threshold. Her smile widened slightly.
"Consider this… a warning. Keep your eyes open, Lina. Or the game will swallow you whole."
And with that, she turned and disappeared down the mansion steps like a shadow slipping into the morning light.
Lina's hands shook. Her thoughts were spinning.
What did she mean by "the game"?
And why does Adrian know her already?
She wanted to run to him, tell him everything — but she paused. Something in her gut told her: this was only the beginning.
And as she watched the mansion doors close behind the mysterious woman, a chill ran down her spine.
This marriage… was far more dangerous than she had imagined.