Chapter 12: No Other Choice
TERESA'S P.O.V.
The mansion loomed ahead, all grandeur and coldness wrapped in one. I could feel it even before stepping inside—its walls suffocating, its air thick with the tension of years unspoken. The scent of polished mahogany and aged leather hit me as soon as I opened the door, making my stomach churn. I wasn't ready for this. But I had to be.
I took a deep breath, walking through the familiar hallways. They echoed with memories I'd rather forget, and as I approached my father's office, that sharp scent of his cologne hit me—bitter and commanding, like him. The door was slightly ajar, as if daring me to step inside and confront my fate.
When I entered, my father was sitting at his desk, looking as if the world outside this room didn't exist. His face was set in that familiar, emotionless mask, one that said he wouldn't care how much I begged or pleaded.
"I'll do it," I whispered, my voice trembling despite my best efforts to sound composed. "I'll do as you ask. But please... just leave Luke and his family alone."
His eyes flicked up from his papers, and I saw the tiniest smirk curl at the corner of his mouth. That smirk made my blood boil, but I swallowed it down, waiting for his response.
"Teresa," he began, leaning back in his chair, "your senseless pleas and tears won't move me. Luke is safe as long as you do what I tell you. No running away. No clever ideas. You'll follow through with the plan, or Luke pays the price. Understood?"
I nodded, biting my lip so hard I tasted blood. His indifference stung more than I thought possible.
"The man you're going to work for," he continued, as if we were discussing the weather, "is... difficult. He hates everyone. Stay out of his way, don't speak unless spoken to, and you'll survive the next five months just fine. Simple enough, isn't it?"