Eleanor’s eyelids fluttered, heavy with exhaustion. Summoning the last remnants of her strength, she whispered faintly, “Don’t let… anyone know…”
Her words faded into the still air, and with that, her body succumbed to the overwhelming strain. Her eyes closed, and she slipped into unconsciousness.
“Boss!” Luciano’s voice cracked with desperation as he knelt beside her crumpled form.
Panic surged through him, but he acted swiftly. He removed his coat and wrapped it tightly around Eleanor’s fragile body. Without wasting another moment, he hoisted her into his arms and strode purposefully toward the main door.
.........
The sun sank lower on the horizon, casting the manor in the golden hues of twilight. The day had ebbed away unnoticed, and silence blanketed the sprawling estate.
Robert lay in his bed, his breathing even and steady. He had been asleep since the previous night, his body demanding respite from the ordeal he had unknowingly endured.