The clone

Ch 3 || Inside her head.

Mitchell POV

"I couldn't get anything out of her today. She was cooperative. Quick to answer, although very careful. She didn't lie, she wasn't vague, but she wasn't telling us everything." I report getting back from the interrogation room.

"What did she know" the don asks, reclined in his armchair sipping whiskey out of a glass.

"Nothing on Ma'am's whereabouts. Just some names and something about a porcelain doll."

"Think you can crack her?" He asks with no emotion on his face.

"Easily, she was careful but she's easy to break."

"Do you think she knows?"

"Maybe not, she was most likely kept in the dark. Though I cant say for sure."

"Get me faces on those names and...get in her head, no extreme measures if possible." He says looking a tad bit displeased. "She's not leaving anytime soon, get that through her head." He grumbles.

"Yes sir. I will provide her with a curfew and inform her of the rules by tonight."

"Dismissed"

He doesn't like her here, for obvious reasons. But now that he has seen her, he doesn't want to keep ignoring her existence like he had till now.

♤♤♤

The resemblance was uncanny. Ominous even.

It had been years since the Madame's passing yet her presence lingered everywhere. It was like she was still here,  living, breathing among us.

Her portraits adorned almost every common space. Beautiful, carefully crafted amd ethereal like the madam once was. Now they hang heavy with loss and sorrow.

Her wardrobe, her garden, and all the things she adorned their home with now remain untouched and unused as if preserved, waiting for her return.

Her demise left an ugly scar on the family and even uglier shadow on their future.

At least before the only things that haunted this mansion were the past and materialistic things reminding us of it.

But now, with the girl here it is like a slap to the face as she walks these halls with the same face reminding us once again of the tragedy suffered.

The tragedy they tried erasing from their memories of her. Filtering out what they could not prevent. Hiding what they could not protect.

The evidence now lives among them, tainting their sacred home.

In order to keep some of the families sanity intact I had to keep the girl in line.

I walk up to her room and knock.

"Yes?" She answers quickly.

"I come with rules, punishments, and rewards." I joke.

Her posture straightens taking me seriously. Perfectly trained I see. Good.

"Do not step outside these doors from after 9pm till before 7am.

Food will be provided inside so there really is no need for you leave this room.

But in case you do, do not, under any circumstances, enter the main hall, the dining area, the kitchen, the main staircase, and the garden.

Try to loiter within thse 4 walls if u can.

You are not allowed any devices which may be used to communicate with the outside.

You will be subjected to surprise inspections every now and then, which you cannot refuse.

Behave rudely to anyone in this house and you will be reminded of your place.

Don't talk to anyone unless spoken to.

If you have something to say, you can tell the guard that is posted near the hallways.

You will do better to stay within your limits, other wise, one of your darling brothers might get a little too motivated to put a bullet right through your pretty little head.

And as for the rewards, you get to live, eat and sleep cost free.

Enjoy your stay at The Veldez Estates." I complete bowing, imitating a butler.

She too gives me an awkward bow in response.

Now let's she how long she survives.

♤♤♤

I waited 3 days before calling her in for our second interrogation.

It was easy getting more out of her.

She remained just as cooperative as she was the first time.

Just that nothing she said could be of any use.

"I wanted to run a background check on you but to my surprise, you weren't in any system."

"Father did not have me registered. He was paranoid about losing me. He didn't want to deal with bothersome things like schools and hospitals.

We had a doctor in his club.
Dr. Lina, she attended to me. I was thought basic education like reading and writing by another member of the club."

"What is this club exactly?"

"I dont know what it's called. Women were offered there. Sold, bought and borrowed."

"You were part of this club?"

"No, father cherished me too much to let them have me."

"So he protected you while other women, innocent women, were being sold amd abused?"

"Yes." She replies with that clear look in her eyes, no sign of disgust or remorse.

We knew about the skin trade going on. We couldn't locate where or who was involved.

"Where is this club?"

"I don't know. I was not bought there. People came to our house to teach me. I was taken there once, 3 days prior to...Sir Raphael's visit." She says cautiously.

"I was blindfolded, we changed cars multiple times and went around the same area multiple times, I couldn't keep track."

"I'm going to go get someone to help us with those faces you were gonna provide. Sit tight."

She's harder to read than the don. I have no background on her and that look in her eyes just ticks me off.

Shes like a well trained dog, nothing of her personality or her thoughts are seeping through.

She'd break easily, but I'm not allowed to go about it our usual way.

This might take longer than I thought.