CHAPTER TEN : STRANGE DOOR

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He said as he walked out of the room, leaving Sophie standing there,'What have I gotten myself into?' she wondered, staring at his figure as he left her standing alone in the vast open space of the grand living room. She looked around, her eyes scanning the room aimlessly, catching glimpses of the workers and staff who now stared at her with pitiful expressions, their gazes filled with sympathy that felt like a weight on her chest.

Sophie quickly rushed to her room, her heart pounding, the panic in her chest growing. She grabbed her phone, immediately thinking of calling Daisy to share everything that had just happened, to tell her friend about the nightmare she had stumbled into. But then, she hesitated, discouraging herself from making the call. She didn't want to burden Daisy with her problems, especially when everything felt so fresh and chaotic. What could Daisy even do to help? Sophie knew she had to figure things out on her own.

*I need to get out of here*, she repeated over and over in her mind. The thought became a mantra, growing louder and more desperate. She began pacing around her room, her eyes landing on the small suitcase that she had brought with her. She contemplated packing her things, but then the realization hit her—she had no belongings here. She wasn't allowed to bring anything with her; the clothes she had on were all provided for her by the house. Every material thing she might need had already been chosen for her, making her feel even more trapped.

She gathered her courage and stormed downstairs, heading straight for the main door. "Open the door," Sophie demanded, her voice filled with anger and frustration as she faced the large, bulky man stationed in front of the door. His massive frame blocked her path like an impenetrable wall.

"Madam, I'm sorry, but you are not allowed to leave the house," the man said in a calm yet firm tone, his face expressionless, his stance unwavering.

"Who gave you orders to stop me?" Sophie demanded, her anger bubbling to the surface. "Open the door, or I swear this will not end well for you," she threatened, her voice shaking with a mix of rage and desperation.

"I have been given specific orders not to allow you to leave this place," the man repeated, his tone as steady as before.

"Who gave you those orders?" she asked, her eyes narrowing as her frustration grew.

"The young master of the Collens house," he replied, still standing like a statue, unbothered by her demands.

Sophie clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms as she struggled to keep herself from screaming. "I'm sorry, madam, but I cannot let you pass. I cannot break my orders," the man continued, staring directly into her eyes, his expression showing no hint of sympathy or emotion. Then, without waiting for her response, he averted his gaze, looking past her as if the conversation was already over.

Realizing she couldn't force her way out, Sophie took a deep breath and turned on her heels, rushing back to her room in frustration. *There has to be a way out of this*, she thought, her mind racing for a solution.

Sophie grabbed her laptop, the only personal item she had with her, and began typing furiously. She searched for information on Shane Collens, hoping to find something—anything—that could help her understand the man she had unwittingly married. But to her dismay, there wasn't much to be found. He seemed to live a very private life, his name rarely appearing in the media. Just when she was about to give up, an article caught her attention.

The headline read: "The Mysterious Heir to Collens Industries, Shane Collens, Spotted at the Adams Closing of the Cities Hill Project." Sophie's eyes widened as she clicked on the link. The article displayed a photo of Shane shaking hands with her father, Mr. Robert Adams. She zoomed in on the picture, her heart pounding as she studied it closely. Shane stood stiffly, his body rigid, with his signature black mask concealing most of his face. His black blazer perfectly complemented his mysterious aura, and his hand was tightly clasped around her father's in what seemed like a formal handshake. But there was something else—something unsettling. If you looked closely, there was a faint, barely noticeable smirk on Shane's lips, while her father's expression looked more rigid and tense than usual.

Sophie's thoughts spiraled as she recalled that day. It had been one of the most significant moments in her father's career, the day he signed the largest deal of his life. But it had also been the beginning of his downfall. Sophie remembered the day he came home after the event—angry, more so than she had ever seen him. He had locked himself in his room for hours, refusing to talk to anyone.

*What is going on?* Sophie's mind raced as she connected the dots. She never imagined her father had crossed paths with Shane before this marriage. The memory of that day seemed to shift in her mind, taking on a darker tone.

Desperate for answers, she picked up her phone again, scrolling through her contacts until she found the name *Ben Hudson*. Ben had been her father's most trusted assistant, someone who knew everything about the inner workings of Adams Industries. But ever since her father's death, Ben had vanished. He didn't show up at the funeral, and no one had heard from him since. Sophie dialed his number, her heart racing, but the call didn't go through. She tried again. Nothing. Her eyes widened as she tried several other contacts, only to find that all of them were out of service. A grim realization settled in her mind and she sneered .

Without wasting any more time, Sophie hurried downstairs. She needed to talk to someone—anyone. She spotted Madam Sandra walking through the hallway, her usual warm smile on her face.

"Madam Sandra!" Sophie called out, rushing toward her. "Can I speak to you for a moment?"

"Of course, dear. What is it?" Madam Sandra replied kindly, her voice gentle as she always seemed to be.

"Can I borrow your phone?" Sophie asked, her voice laced with urgency. "I seem to have misplaced mine, and I need to make an important call."

Madam Sandra frowned slightly but maintained her kind demeanor. "I'm afraid I don't have mine with me right now, dear. But you can ask Lucy. That girl is always glued to her phone."

Sophie's heart leapt with hope. "Thank you!" she said, turning to leave, but then she stopped, realizing she had no idea where Lucy might be. "Do you know where I can find her?" she asked quickly.

Madam Sandra smiled again. "Yes, she should be on the second floor, to your left," she said before walking away.

Without wasting a second, Sophie dashed up the stairs, heading for the second floor. As she reached the hallway, she found herself in an unfamiliar part of the house. She hadn't realized there were more rooms beyond her own and Shane's. The corridor felt eerie, the silence amplifying the sound of her footsteps.

She approached an old door that seemed out of place in the otherwise modern mansion. The door looked ancient, as if it had been there for years untouched and unchanged. Her hand rested on the doorknob, her curiosity piqued. Just as she was about to turn the handle, a deep, masculine voice echoed through the hallway.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Sophie froze, her heart skipping a beat.