Chapter 2 - Secrets in the Sanctuary
Daniel carried Hannah not to the servant's quarters, but to his private master suite—a locked sanctuary at the end of the east wing where no one, not even Claire, had ever been permitted to enter.
He laid her gently on the massive, feather-soft bed, immediately pulling the heavy duvet over her. He knelt beside her, his fingers gently brushing the jagged, uneven strands of her cut hair away from her pale face.
"I’ve called my private physician. Dr. Sterling is ten minutes away," Daniel said, his thumb catching a tear that slipped down her cheek. "Tell me where it hurts, Hannah. Is it the baby?"
"The... the contractions," Hannah whispered, her fingers digging into the silk sheets. "It's too early. I'm only seven months. It’s the stress... and the fall."
"You fell?" Daniel’s eyes darkened, a dangerous, predatory fire igniting in them.
"Claire... she shoved me to my knees before she..." Hannah couldn't finish the sentence. The humiliation of having her hair cut, of being paraded like a criminal in front of the wealthy elite, finally broke through her emotional armor. She sobbed, covering her face with her hands.
Daniel took her hands in his, kissing her knuckles. "I swear to you, she will pay for every tear she made you shed. But right now, you need to breathe. With me, Hannah. In, and out."
As they focused on her breathing, the bedroom door opened, and Dr. Sterling rushed in. For the next hour, Daniel stood by her side, holding her hand through the examinations, his face a mask of absolute determination.
Finally, the doctor sighed, packing his stethoscope. "The baby's heart rate is stable, but the contractions are a warning sign of preterm labor brought on by severe physical exhaustion and emotional trauma. She needs absolute bed rest, Daniel. No stress. No work. If she goes into labor now, the baby’s lungs won’t be fully developed."
"She stays here," Daniel said without hesitation. "Under my personal care."
Once the doctor left, leaving Hannah resting under a mild sedative, Daniel stood by the window, looking out over the rain-slicked driveway of his estate.
Hannah opened her eyes, the fog of the medicine making her voice soft. "Daniel... why? You don't even know me. To you, I'm just the girl who cleans your library."
Daniel walked back to the bed and sat on the edge. He looked down at her, a complicated, painful expression on his face. "I know more than you think, Hannah. I know you're Caleb's sister."
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Hannah froze, her breath catching in her throat. "You... you know about Caleb?"
"I've been looking for him too," Daniel whispered. "And the people who took him are the same people who are trying to destroy me."
