Chapter 6: Louis' Secrets

The next morning, the sun barely pierced through the thick curtains of the brothel, but Anna couldn't find sleep. Every thought kept returning to Louis Bernard and the life he led outside. She wondered why he was so mysterious, why he had never let her glimpse even a fragment of the truth about him. But most of all, she wondered what he expected from her.

She was ironing sheets in the common room, her hands damaged by the rough fabric, when the door suddenly opened. Louis stood in the doorway, his dark gaze fixed on her. As always, he was impeccably dressed, an aura of power seeming to surround him.

"Anna," he said simply, his voice calm but authoritative. "Come with me."

She looked up, a mix of confusion and fear in her eyes. He had never spoken to her like this. She set the sheets down and slowly stood up, wondering if she should really follow his orders. But she had no choice. Without a word, she walked toward him.

Down the dark corridor, Louis led her toward the back door of the house, where the employees and clients never crossed paths. He stopped for a moment, looking around as if ensuring no one was following them.

"Do you want to know why I protected you?" he asked finally, turning toward her.

Anna remained silent, her hands trembling. She dared not speak, but her curiosity was stronger than anything. She needed to understand.

Louis stared at her for a long time, then, in a voice almost whispered, he answered, "You have something the others don't. Something I wish to preserve."

Anna furrowed her brow, not understanding. "Something you want to protect? But why me, and not the others?"

Louis sighed, a brief flash of irritation crossing his dark eyes. "Because your mother asked me to."

Anna's heart skipped a beat. Her mother... the mere mention froze her. "My mother... You knew her?" The question escaped her lips before she could stop it.

Louis looked at her, a brief flicker of emotion passing through his gaze before he dismissed it with a gesture. "She was a very... perceptive woman. She knew what she was doing. She asked me to look after you."

Anna couldn't comprehend. She had never heard of such an arrangement. Why would her mother have turned to Louis Bernard? And why had he promised to protect her? Why had he left her in this situation, in this frightening place, without ever explaining anything?

"Why leave me here, in this brothel?" she asked in a trembling voice. "If you really cared about my safety, why leave me in this place?"

Louis remained silent for a moment, then his lips curled into a slight smile, one that didn't reach his eyes. "Because you had to learn certain things on your own. Because your mother knew that only time would make you realize what awaits you."

Anna clenched her fists, frustrated. "And what if I don't want any of this? What if I want to leave, escape?"

Louis shrugged, a cold gleam in his eyes. "You can't run away. Not now. You're here because it's your destiny, Anna. This is what you are meant to be."

A shiver ran down Anna's spine. Destiny. That word rang like a sentence.

"But that's not what I want!" she suddenly cried, unable to hold back her emotions any longer. "I don't want to be here, I don't want to be a pawn in your game!"

Louis stared at her silently, his dark eyes scrutinizing her intensely. Then, in a low, threatening voice, he replied: "You don't choose your destiny, Anna. It chooses you."

Anna took a step back, her heart racing. She realized that, despite everything, she didn't have the power to change things. She was a piece on a chessboard, manipulated by invisible hands.

But at that precise moment, a dull noise in the hallway interrupted them. A man entered the room, looking nervous. He was an employee of the casino, someone Louis seemed to know well. He bowed slightly before him.

"Excuse me, Mr. Bernard, but there's a problem with the accounts for tonight. A customer has made a complaint."

Louis turned his gaze toward the man, then gave him a commanding nod. "I'll handle it in a moment. Leave us."

The man quickly left, leaving Louis and Anna alone in the silence. Louis then turned back to Anna, his expression now serious again.

"You're lucky I'm here to protect you," he said, almost with a hint of harshness. "But don't forget that what I do, I do it for your own good. What your mother didn't tell you, I'll teach you in my way. You either learn to live in this world, or you disappear."

Anna felt a cold shiver run down her spine. She still didn't have the answers she was seeking, but one thing was becoming clearer and clearer: she could no longer stay in ignorance. She had to understand why Louis had chosen her, and most importantly, what he expected from her in this dangerous game.

She was no longer just a spectator in her life; she was now part of it, and she would have to fight to survive in this world where the rules were dictated by men like Louis Bernard. But she was certain of one thing: she would eventually uncover his secrets.