The Shepherd house was unusually quiet, the kind of silence that felt heavy and oppressive. Steve sat on the edge of the leather couch, his elbows resting on his knees, his hands clasped tightly together. His jaw was clenched, his eyes fixed on the clock above the fireplace. The ticking of the seconds seed to grow louder with each passing minute.
Stefan, his younger brother, paced back and forth across the living room, his boots thudding against the hardwood floor. Stanley and Stafford’s fists were clenched, their face flushed with a mix of anger and frustration. Celeb stood abruptly, turning to Steve with a glare.
"I can’t believe you just let him take her," Celeb snapped, his voice sharp. "You didn’t even try to stop him. I wanted to follow them, but you said no. Why, Steve? I thought you hated Ethan. I thought you’d do anything to keep him away from Stefania."
Steve exhaled slowly, his gaze never leaving the clock. "I do hate him," he said, his voice low and steady. "But Stefania isn’t a child, Celeb. She’s a grown woman. She can make her own decisions. If she wanted to go with him, we couldn’t stop her."
"But she didn’t want to go with him!" Celeb shot back, his voice rising. "He practically dragged her out of here. I saw the look on her face. She was scared, Steve. Scared! And you just stood there and let it happen."
Steve’s hands tightened, his knuckles turning white. He knew Celeb was right.
He’d seen the fear in Stefania’s eyes when Ethan had shown up at the gate, his presence as commanding and intimidating as ever. He’d seen the way she’d hesitated, the way she’d looked to her brothers for help. But Steve had told himself perhaps it was ti Mara put an end to Ethan’s fantasy. She was strong, independent. She could handle herself. Or so he’d thought.
But as the hours stretched on and Mara didn’t return—or even call—Steve’s resolve began to waver. Doubt crept in, gnawing at the edges of his mind. What if he’d made a mistake? What if Mara was in trouble? What if Ethan had—
"Steve," Stanley said suddenly, his voice cutting through Steve’s thoughts. He was holding his phone, his face pale, his eyes wide with shock. "You need to see this."
Steve stood, crossing the room in a few quick strides. He took the phone from Stanley, his stomach twisting as he read the notification on the screen. It was a post on social dia, shared by Ethan Anderson himself. The caption was short, but it hit Steve like a punch to the gut:
"Proud to introduce my wife, Mara Anderson, at tonight’s company celebration. The future of Anderson & Co. has never looked brighter."
Below the caption was a photo of Ethan and Mara, standing together in what looked like a grand ballroom. Ethan’s arm was wrapped around her waist, his smile smug and triumphant. Mara stood beside him, her expression unreadable. She was beautiful, as always, but there was sothing in her eyes—sothing that made Steve’s blood run cold.
"Wife?" Celeb choked out, his voice trembling with rage. "What the hell is he talking about? Stefania would never—she wouldn’t just—"
Steve didn’t let him finish. He handed the phone back to Stanley, his mind racing. This wasn’t right. None of this was right. Mara wouldn’t forgive Ethan not like this. Sothing was wrong. Sothing was very, very wrong.
"Get the car," Steve said, his voice low and dangerous. "We’re going to the old Anderson house."
Stanley didn’t argue. He grabbed his keys and stord out of the house, Steve, Stanford, and Stefan close behind him. Celeb drove in his own car. The drive to the Anderson mansion was a blur, the brothers silent except for the occasional muttered curse from Stanley. Steve’s hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly his fingers ached, his mind racing with possibilities—none of them good.
When they finally pulled up to the mansion, the sight of the grand, imposing building only fueled their anger. The lights were on, the sound of music and laughter spilling out from the open windows. It was a party—a celebration. And Mara was sowhere inside, trapped in a nightmare they hadn’t been able to protect her from.
Steve parked the car and turned to his brothers, his expression grim. "Stay calm," he said. "We’re here for Stefania. Nothing else matters."
They nodded, but the fire in their eyes said otherwise. Together, they stepped out of the car and marched toward the mansion.
The party at the Anderson mansion was in full swing, the air thick with the hum of conversation and the clink of glasses. Lucy could no longer control her emotions.
Desperation burned in her eyes as she moved through the crowd with practiced ease, her smile bright but her eyes sharp. She had a job to do, and she wasn’t about to let Mara steal her Ethan, her hands trembled slightly as she adjusted the strap of her dress, the weight of what was about to happen pressing down on her.
She spotted Ethan near the grand staircase, his attention divided between a group of associates and the glass of whiskey in his hand and the washroom door. Lucy took a deep breath, steadying herself, and walked over to him. She touched his arm lightly, her voice soft but insistent.
"Ethan," she said, forcing a smile. "Can I borrow you for a mont? There’s sothing I need to show you."
Ethan raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Can it wait? I’m in the middle of—"
"It’s important," Lucy interrupted, her tone leaving no room for argunt. "It won’t take long."
Ethan hesitated, then nodded. "Alright. Lead the way."
As Lucy guided Ethan toward the study, Louisa stood by the washroom door, her expression calm but her eyes darting nervously. She gave Lucy a subtle nod as they walked in the opposite direction.
Inside the washroom, two large n stood waiting, their faces obscured by shadows. Mara, who had been trying to slip away unnoticed, froze when she saw them. Before she could scream or run, one of the n lunged forward, clamping a white handkerchief over her mouth and nose.
Mara struggled, her eyes wide with panic, but the drug on the cloth worked quickly. Within seconds, her body went limp, and the n caught her before she could collapse to the floor.
Louisa opened the door just enough to peek inside. "Hurry," she whispered. "Take her upstairs. The room on your left. And make sure no one sees you."
The n nodded, hoisting Mara’s unconscious form between them. They moved quickly but quietly, slipping out of the washroom and into the hallway. Louisa followed at a distance, her eyes scanning the crowd for any signs of suspicion. So far, so good.
anwhile, Lucy kept Ethan occupied, her laughter ringing out as she recounted so aningless anecdote. Ethan, though visibly impatient, played along, unaware of what was happening just a few feet away.
---
Steve Shepherd and his brothers had finally managed to sneak inside unnoticed. They moved through the shadows, their eyes scanning the crowd for any sign of Stefania. Steve’s instincts were on high alert, his gut telling him sothing was very wrong.
As they reached the base of the staircase, Steve caught sight of two n carrying a limp figure up the stairs. His blood ran cold when he realized it was Stefania. He turned to his brothers, his voice low but urgent.
"Did you see that?" he hissed. "They’ve got Stefania. We need to move. Now."
The brothers nodded, their expressions grim. They split up, Steve and Stefan heading upstairs while Stanley and Stanford stayed behind to keep watch. Steve moved quickly but quietly, his heart pounding as he followed the n to the room.
Inside the room, the two n laid Mara on the bed, her unconscious form looking small and vulnerable against the crisp white sheets. One of the n checked his watch, then turned to the other.
"We’ve got about ten minutes before we bring the other guy in," he said. "Then we wait for the signal."
The other man nodded, and they left the room, closing the door behind them. Steve and Stefan waited until the hallway was clear before slipping inside. Steve’s blood boiled as he looked at Stefania, his fists clenching at his sides.
"What the hell did they do to her?" Stefan whispered, his voice tight with anger.
"No ti to figure it out," Steve said, his tone sharp. "We need to get her out of here. Now."
Steve moved to the bed, gently lifting Stefania into his arms. She was still unconscious, her head lolling against his shoulder. Stefan kept watch at the door, his eyes darting down the hallway.
"Let’s go," Steve said, his voice low. "Stay close."
As they made their way back downstairs, Stanley and Stanford fell into step behind them, their expressions tense. They’d overheard Louisa giving instructions to the n, her voice cold and calculating.
"She’s planning sothing big," Stanley muttered. "Sothing involving Stefania."
"Yes," Steve said, his jaw tight. "First, we get Stefania out of here. You two deal with the rest."
Stanley and Stanford watched from the shadows as Steve and Stefan slipped out the back door with Stefania, her unconscious form cradled in Steve’s arms. The brothers exchanged a grim look, their suspicions confird. Soone had set their sister up, and they weren’t about to let it slide.
"We need to find out who’s behind this," Stanley muttered, his voice low and dangerous.
Stanford nodded, his jaw tight. "And make them pay."
They turned and made their way back to the room where Mara had been drugged. Stanley’s sharp eyes caught sight of a small vial on the floor near the bed. He picked it up, examining the label. It was the sa drug they’d used on Stefania—fast-acting and potent. His fists clenched around the vial, his anger simring just beneath the surface.
As they searched the room for more clues, they heard the faint sound of whispering outside the door. Stanley gestured for Stanford to stay quiet, and they crept closer, their movents silent, they found the woman they had overheard earlier, still lurking in the shadows. They exchanged a look, silently agreeing—she wasn’t leaving unscathed.
Lucy was directing two n, her voice cold and calculating.
"Bring him in," she said, her tone sharp. "And make sure he’s too drunk to rember anything. This has to look convincing."
The n nodded, dragging a stumbling, half-conscious man into the room. They dumped him onto the bed next to the still-unconscious woman, arranging the scene to look scandalous. Lucy smirked, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction.
"Perfect," she said. "Now, shut the door and wait for my signal. When I give the word, make sure the sound system picks up everything."
The n obeyed, closing the door behind them as they left. Stanley and Stanford exchanged a look, their anger boiling over. They knew what Lucy was planning, and they weren’t about to let her get away with it.
---
Downstairs, the party was in full swing, the guests oblivious to the drama unfolding above. Lucy moved through the crowd, her smile bright but her eyes sharp. She glanced at Ethan, who was deep in conversation with his grandfather, and felt a thrill of anticipation. Soon, everyone would see Mara for the cheap, manipulative whore she really was.
Just then, the sound system crackled to life, and the room was filled with the unmistakable sound of loud, passionate moans. The music screeched to a halt, and the guests froze, their faces a mix of shock and disgust. Lucy’s hand flew to her mouth, her eyes wide with feigned horror.
"What is that?" she gasped, her voice carrying over the stunned silence. "Who would do sothing so vulgar in this house?"
Mr. Anderson Sr. looked furious, his face turning red with anger. "This is unacceptable!" he barked. "Who has the audacity to disgrace my ho like this?"
Ethan’s eyes narrowed, his mind racing. He scanned the room, his gaze landing on Lucy. "Where’s Mara? I don’t see her anywhere."
Lucy’s expression shifted, her feigned innocence slipping for just a mont. "The last ti I saw her, she was with Bruce. He was heading upstairs..."
Ethan’s jaw tightened, his fists clenching at his sides. Without another word, he turned and stord toward the staircase, the crowd parting before him. The guests followed, their curiosity outweighing their discomfort.
---
Upstairs, Stanley and Stanford watched from the shadows as Ethan approached the locked door. The moans from inside grew louder, more exaggerated, and Ethan’s face darkened with rage. He grabbed the doorknob, twisting it violently, but the door wouldn’t budge.
"Bruce!" he shouted, his voice echoing down the hallway. "Open this door!"
Lucy rang out, dripping with malice. "Mara, Ethan is mine! You had this coming the mont you stole him from . He’ll never forgive you!" almost whispering to her own hearing.
Bruce’s voice. Ethan’s blood ran cold, his mind spinning with a thousand thoughts. He turned to the crowd, his eyes blazing. "Soone get this door open. Now."
As the maids scrambled to find a key, Stanley and Stanford slipped away, their mission clear. They’d found the main culprit, and they weren’t about to let her escape. Lucy would pay for what she’d intended to do to Stefania.
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