Whisper's in the Dark

(Isabella’s POV)

The mansion had never felt so alive with silence. Every shadow seemed to move, every tick of the clock grew louder in my ears, and even the air felt weighted with secrets I wasn’t meant to know. I sat by the tall windows in my room, staring out at the sprawling estate lit faintly by the moon. The gardens were beautiful—manicured roses, winding gravel paths, marble fountains—but all I saw was a cage. A gilded one, yes, but a prison nonetheless.

Alexander had left hours ago. Again.

Each time he disappeared into the night, I told myself I wouldn’t wait up, that I wouldn’t listen for the growl of engines announcing his return or the distant shuffle of men moving like phantoms outside my door. And yet, I waited. Every single time.

The house breathed with activity even in the late hours. I could hear muffled footsteps in the halls, the clink of weapons being cleaned, low voices speaking in hurried tones that stopped whenever I approached. His men looked at me with a mix of