A MAZE OF GREED

Three days had passed since the celebration that was hosted by the O'Dell family. It was the only topic that one could hear all around. It was the only thing that interested people and they couldn't stop making furore about it every chance they got.

People who worked in 'the great manor' were bestowing the pride that they got to witness everything by their eyes. The nobles and rich class who got invited was discussing the arrangements. The gathering had done enough good for those who liked to thrust their nose in other's lives. The night provided them with many things to gossip about.

The ones who couldn't imagine being there only cursed their destiny. But some were not ready to feel pity. They made their fake stories based on what they have heard from the invitees. That was the thing with O'Dells. Everything they did, it meant to be spectacular.

That night had changed many things. Some of the guests got their hearts connected while some got their suitors. Elsie and Lester were the happiest people amongst them. Lester couldn't forget the time that he spent with her. He could still feel her small figure fitting perfectly in his arms. With a heavy heart, he had to take a leave that night but not before a silent promise of meeting soon to the woman that intrigued his mind and soul.

Elsie, on the other hand, was not going through anything different. A constant smile was plastered on her lips while her eyes twinkled with excitement. Every night was a torturous pleasure as her mind couldn't stop revisiting those beautiful moments of her life with Lester. What made her heart feel jittery was the fact that she had seen his unsaid feelings through his eyes.

"I see you are quite happy now adays, little sister." Eloise one day cornered Elsie when she was in the garden.

Her sister's tone of speech didn't fill welcoming to Elsie's ears. But she maintained her smile and answered. "There is nothing like that, sister Eloise." She tried to avoid her elder sister.

But Eloise was not someone to quit easily. "I guess you enjoyed the celebration night more than everyone. Did something special happened that I missed, Elsie?" She pestered with a cocked brow.

Elsie shuddered under her gaze. The thought of sharing her feelings with her sister crossed her mind, but one look at Eloise's eyes made her change her mind. Elsie knew that Eloise would never be happy after hearing the truth. But she also couldn't find it in herself to disrespect her elder sister in any way.

Elsie laughed uncomfortably. "No, sister. There is nothing that you have missed. You are right about the celebration part. It was refreshing to meet everyone after months. I had a great time with our family and friends. And if there was something to tell then I would have told you already. I have never kept a secret from you!"

Eloise observed her younger sister with a scrutinized gaze. She couldn't decide if her sister was telling the truth. Or was she had grown up faster than expected to disguise her feelings well. But what she said was true. Elsie had never kept a secret from Eloise.

Eloise hummed with not much satisfaction and left to her chamber. I will have to keep an eye on her, she thought to herself while passing the corridors to get back to her chamber.

Augustus and Theodora were buzzing with happiness as everyone was praising them for being the best hosts that one could ever get. The celebration had not just provided them with a good time to mingle in the upper social group, but it also exhibited their power to the common public, emphasizing their control over the region.

They were not the only people whose lives changed after that night. Ruth's heart still fastens its pace whenever she thought about her little adventure that led her almost to the prison. After barely escaping from the manor, she and her friend Thea, who was the brain behind the idea of sneaking into the manor, to witness the celebration didn't stop until they reached the Eastern part of the town where they lived.

Ruth was panting not only because of the running but also because of the fact that she got almost caught by Edwin O'Dell. Her eyes teared up while her cream coloured skin became pink with all the blood rushing up. She couldn't lift her head up, and her hands clutched each other tightly.

Thea inhaled an ample amount of air in her body and exhaled through her mouth. She dabbed the beads of sweat that broke on her forehead. She looked behind to make sure that no one was chasing them.

"Thank god! We are safe now!" She heaved a sigh of relief. But her face morphed with worry when she noticed Ruth's state.

"Ruth" She called with worry laced in her voice.

When Ruth didn't reply, Thea stepped closer to her cautiously and removed the loose strands of her toffee brown hairs which stuck to her sweaty face. Thea lifted her face to see her teary hazel coloured eyes. Her pink lips parted as her chin trembled.

Thea got worried by looking at her friend. She knew that Ruth was not made for adventures. She was a soft-hearted, hard-working woman who couldn't handle the thorns thrown by life. "Ruth, are you okay?" She asked in concern.

The question made Ruth sob loudly as her body shook under Thea's hands. Thea remembered how Edwin caught Ruth, and that made her more worried. "Ruth, Young Master caught you. Did he hurt…" The next words remained unsaid as Thea's eyes landed on Ruth's body.

She slowly removed Ruth's hands away from her body to see that her dress was torn, revealing her creamy, soft skin. Edwin must have caught her with force as during the act his nails scratched Ruth's neck, drawing a little blood and leaving the marks behind. A gasp of shock left from Thea's mouth, and she pulled Ruth in a hug.

They spent an hour or so in a nearby public garden until Ruth calmed down a bit. Thea made sure to drop Ruth at her room and left after making sure that she would be fine by herself. Thea apologised dozens of times as she felt guilty that her friend had to suffer because of her silliness. She promised Ruth to visit her in the morning before leaving for her house.

Edwin was in his library with a thick book opened in front of him. The pages left untouched for hours as his mind was not able to focus on a single word. His eyes zeroed on the brown cloth in his hand. He inhaled it for the hundredth time and still hummed in pleasure as the light flowery fragrance reached inside his nostrils.

According to Edwin, his aunt Lady Theodora had the most beautiful eyes, but he was proven wrong that night when that brave woman looked at him in shock and fear. The image of her hazel coloured eyes and toffee brown hairs got imprinted in his mind. And no matter what he did, his mind couldn't stop by going back to it.

After some more hours of thinking about the same thoughts, his head felt heavy. He finished more than half of the golden liquid in the glass bottle but to no avail. He put the cloth in his pockets after folding it neatly and stood up from his chair. He stretched his body then ran his hand through his coffee brown hairs.

"It's a time to find a prey or else I will go crazy!" He mumbled under his breath and left his library on a hunt.

Herold was satisfied that he got to mingle with the high class and his presence made the people remind that he was a close associate with the O'Dell family.

But not everyone was satisfied with the night. There was a person who expected more but had to face disappointment.

Footsteps echoed on the marble floor as someone walked in the direction of the residential part of the manor. Servants watched the person marching with head held high, but no one dared to stop that person. They were too scared to do so.

The person stopped in front of a chamber. The guards, who stationed outside the door, knew what they had to do. They bowed their heads and left without a word.. The person deeply inhaled and stepped into the chamber without taking efforts to ask for permission from the owner.