LOGINDoris woke up to the smell of fresh bread and tea and light moving across the floor in slow gold lines, she lay still for a moment and listened because the mansion sounded different now, no more footsteps running like someone was chasing, no more doors slamming like someone was afraid, just soft sounds of people moving because they wanted to, not because they had toShe opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was the flower Delvis had put in the vase on her desk yesterday, it was still fresh and the light made the petals look bright, she smiled because small things felt big nowWhen she opened the door Delvis was already in his chair with coffee in one hand and a small plate of bread in the other, his hair was a little messy like he had run his hand through it too many times and his eyes looked tired but calm“Morning,” Delvis said and held out the breadDoris took it and sat on the floor next to his chair instead of going to the balcony, “you’re getting better at breakfast”Delvi
Doris woke up before the sun and the room felt different again, not because anything changed but because her heart felt lighter, she opened her door and Delvis was already awake in his chair with coffee in one hand and a notebook in the other“Morning,” Doris said and took the coffee he held outDelvis nodded, “morning, you slept without moving, I checked”Doris laughed soft, “you checked my breathing again”Delvis looked down at the notebook, “I check what matters”They drank coffee on the balcony while the sky turned pink, below them Mama Rose was already in the garden picking herbs and humming, the safe wing windows glowed warm because the women inside were awake and not scaredEthan came up the stairs with a letter and a tired smile, “more good news, the court sent word that Stanley’s appeal was denied, he’s not getting out, not ever”Doris felt relief move through her chest like a wave, “then it’s really finished”Ethan set the letter on the table, “as finished as it gets, his na
Doris woke up to the sound of birds and light moving across the floor, she lay still for a moment and listened to the quiet because quiet now meant peace instead of waiting for something bad, then she sat up and saw Delvis was already at her door with two cups of coffee and that small look on his face that meant he had been up for hours watching the halls“Morning,” Delvis said and held out one cupDoris took it and smiled, “you always beat me up”Delvis shrugged, “I don’t sleep much, you do now, that’s enough”They drank coffee together on her balcony, the garden below looked green and alive and the air smelled like flowers after rain from last night, guards walked the paths but they waved instead of staring hard like beforeEthan came up the stairs with a folder under his arm and a paper in his hand, he looked tired but lighter, “court sent the last of Stanley’s paperwork, house is officially his no more, everything goes to the family trust now, which means you and Delvis”Doris set
Doris woke up and the first thing she noticed was that the room did not feel like a cage anymore, the safe room still had thick walls and one door but now the lamp made warm light and the bed had extra blankets and there was a small vase on the table with the flower she picked from the garden yesterday, Delvis had put it there while she sleptDelvis was in his chair by the door like always but his shoulders looked less tight today, he had a book open on his lap but he was not reading it, he was watching the door and listening to every sound in the hall“You’re awake,” he said when he heard her moveDoris sat up and stretched her arms, “I slept through the whole night without checking the lock, that’s new”Delvis nodded once, “that’s good”Ethan knocked and came in with a tray of food and a stack of papers, he set the tray on the table and looked at both of them, “court sent the final papers this morning, Stanley’s sentence is official, he’s not coming out for a long time”Doris felt s
Doris woke up to sunlight moving across the floor and for a moment she forgot where she was until she saw Delvis still sitting by the door with his back straight and his eyes open, he had not moved much during the night and the cup of water from yesterday sat empty on the tableThe safe room felt smaller in daylight but safer too, like the walls had decided to protect her instead of trap herDelvis stood up slow when he saw her awake and stretched his shoulders without making a sound, “morning”Doris sat up and pulled the blanket around her, “you didn’t sleep again”Delvis shook his head once, “I rest better when you’re breathing easy”Doris felt her chest get tight in a good way, she stood up and walked to the window, the garden outside looked bright and clean after all the rain, birds moved between the trees and for the first time the mansion did not feel like a prisonThere was a soft knock on the door and Ethan’s voice came through, “news from the court, Stanley’s trial date is se
Doris woke up because the lamp in the safe room was still on and the light felt warm on her face, she sat up slow and looked around and the first thing she saw was Delvis sitting against the door with his head tipped back and his eyes closed but she knew he was not sleeping because his hand stayed close to the gun in his lap and his breathing was steady in a way that meant he was listening to everythingThe rain had stopped sometime in the night and now the air smelled like wet stone and something clean that made Doris feel like the world outside might be a little less dangerous for a few hours“You’re awake,” Delvis said without opening his eyesDoris hugged the blanket closer, “how did you know”Delvis opened his eyes and looked at her, they were tired but clear, “you breathe different when you’re dreaming”Doris felt her face get hot, she did not know what to say to that so she just nodded and stood up, her legs felt stiff from sitting on the floor all night, Delvis stood up too an
Doris woke up early. The key was still in her pocket. She sat on the edge of her bed for a long time, just holding it. It felt heavier than it should. Cold metal that meant something big.Her phone buzzed. Tom again. She ignored it. She could hear people moving downstairs already. Guards changing
CHAPTER 17Doris froze at his last words. “If Stanley truly wanted to hurt you earlier… you wouldn’t have walked away from him.”The night air felt colder now. Doris stared at Delvis and her mouth opened slightly but no sound came out. She did not know if that was meant to comfort her or scare her
Doris froze the moment Delvis turned toward her.For a second, neither of them spoke. The phone remained in Delvis’ hand while the cold night air moved quietly through the garden. Doris tightened her grip around her own phone because honestly, she already felt like she had heard something she was n
The drive back to the mansion remained quiet for most of the journey. Doris sat beside Delvis while staring outside the window, but honestly her thoughts stayed crowded the entire time. Stanley’s face kept replaying inside her head, especially the way he smiled while threatening her like it was com







