Chapter 2 - The Golden Cage
Norah did not sleep a single wink during her first night in the master wing.
Her new bedroom was larger than the entire apartment she used to share with her brother.
The silk sheets felt foreign and slippery against her rough, calloused skin.
She kept staring at the locked bedroom door, waiting for heavily armed men to drag her away.
Morning arrived with a sharp knock that made her jump out of bed.
Enzo stood in the hallway holding a fresh white chef’s uniform.
He told her that the boss was awake and requesting breakfast immediately.
Norah rushed down to the massive, empty kitchen.
She decided to make a simple oatmeal with a pinch of sea salt and a drizzle of honey.
It was exactly what her mother used to make when her stomach was upset as a child.
She carefully stirred the bubbling pot on the expensive commercial stove.
The kitchen was completely silent, except for the humming of the massive refrigerators.
Norah turned around to grab a clean porcelain bowl from the overhead cabinet.
When she turned back to the stove, her blood ran completely cold.
A tiny, unmarked glass vial was sitting directly on the stainless steel counter next to her spoon.
It had absolutely not been there five seconds ago.
Norah panicked and spun around to search the empty room.
There was nobody hiding in the pantry or crouching behind the island.
She cautiously picked up the small glass vial.
It contained a few drops of a thick, odorless clear liquid.
Someone had silently slipped into the room just to leave this terrifying warning.
She quickly shoved the vial deep into her apron pocket as the kitchen doors suddenly swung open.
Vincent stood in the doorway wearing a dark silk robe.
He looked slightly better today, though his frame was still heartbreakingly thin.
He asked her if his breakfast was finally ready.
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Norah stared at the pot of oatmeal, suddenly paralyzed by a terrifying realization.
The person who left the vial might have already poured the poison into the food while her back was turned.
