Hope is a dangerous punishment

ISABELLA'S POINT OF VIEW

The next morning, I was barely moving around the house, every step heavy. My cheek throbbed where Felix had struck me, and no matter how much concealer I patted on, the swelling was there. The mirror didn’t lie.

A knock came at the door. My heart jumped. Felix never knocked, and Morgan would have called before dropping by. I opened it and froze.

“Julian…” I breathed, forcing a small smile.

He was standing there in his dark suit, files tucked under his arm, but his sharp eyes weren’t on the papers. They were on me. He scanned my face, lingering on the faint bruise. His jaw tightened.

“Is Felix in?” he asked, voice calm but clipped.

I shook my head quickly. “He’s at the company.”

Julian sighed, nodding once. “I thought so. I just needed him to sign some documents. But…” His eyes softened. “Are you okay?”

My stomach knotted. I looked away, clutching the door tighter. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?” I tried to laugh, but it cracked halfway.

He didn’t buy it. He never did. He stepped inside without waiting for an invitation, setting the files on the table. “Bella, don’t lie to me. I can see it.” His hand hovered near my cheek, but he didn’t touch me. “This isn’t the first time.”

The room suddenly felt too small. I turned away, hiding my face with my hair. “Julian, stop. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I know enough.” His voice dropped lower, sharper. “He’s hurting you again, isn’t he?”

My chest ached. For a second, I wanted to collapse and just say yes. But I straightened, forcing my lips into a smile. “Felix is my husband. That’s all you need to know. Whatever happens between us, it’s my life, not yours.”

Julian looked like he wanted to punch a wall. He raked a hand through his hair, pacing once before facing me again. “You deserve better than this, Bella.”

The words landed heavy, cutting straight through me. My throat tightened, but I forced myself to shake my head. “Don’t say that. Please. You shouldn’t.”

His eyes locked on mine, stubborn and burning, but before he could answer, his phone buzzed. Felix’s name flashed across the screen.

Julian exhaled, breaking the moment. He grabbed the documents, voice rough. “I’ll see you later.”

Julian’s hand brushed against my wrist—too light to hurt, but enough to send a sharp sting racing through me. I flinched before I could stop myself. His eyes snapped to mine, and the silence between us grew heavy.

“I’ll… check up on you later,” he murmured, voice low but steady, “I should get going, Felix already called.”

I wanted to pull my hand back, to laugh it off, but my body betrayed me. The ache in my wrist throbbed under his touch, and yet… I didn’t move. Our eyes locked, his gaze softer than I deserved. It lingered, stretched into something dangerous, something unspoken. My heart drummed against my ribs.

I yanked my hand back just as the front doors slammed open.

Felix.

He wasn’t supposed to be home this early. His gaze swept the room, sharp and calculating, and then it landed on Julian standing just a little too close to me. His jaw tightened.

“Julian,” Felix said flatly, his tone too casual to be real. “You should’ve come to the company If you wanted to see me.”

Julian straightened, his expression unreadable. “I thought you'd be at home,” he lied smoothly.

Felix’s eyes flicked between us, a storm brewing, but he didn’t explode—not here, not in front of his best friend. Instead, he smiled, though the curve of his lips was sharp enough to cut glass.

Minutes later, Julian excused himself, promising to drop by again soon. I didn’t dare meet his eyes as he left.

The moment the door shut, Felix’s mask cracked. He turned on me, his voice low, venomous. “ What were you telling Julian?”

I shook my head quickly, fear tightening in my throat. But inside… a different fear bloomed—because part of me wished Julian wouldn’t stop sticking his nose where it didn’t belong.

The door had barely closed behind Julian when Felix’s voice tore through the silence like a whip.

“What did I tell you about keeping your mouth shut?” His tone was sharp, dangerous. His steps echoed against the marble floor as he moved closer. “If you ever breathe a word to Julian about anything that happens in this house, Isabella, I swear you’ll regret it.”

I swallowed hard, pressing my hands together to hide the tremble. “I didn’t—”

“Don’t you dare lie to me!” His roar shook the walls, making me flinch. His eyes burned into mine, molten and furious. “I don’t want to see you close to him. Do you hear me? He’s my best friend. If anyone outside suspects anything—if even the smallest rumor leaks—it will tarnish my image. And I won’t allow you to drag my name through the mud.”

His image. Always his image. Never my pain, never my blood, never my losses. Just his precious reputation.

“Yes, sir,” I whispered, barely audible.

He exhaled heavily, running a hand through his dark hair before turning away. “Go upstairs. I need to clear my mind before I do something I’ll regret.”

“Sir… your food—”

The glare he threw over his shoulder froze me in place. My voice died instantly, and without another word, I turned and fled, my steps quick and uneven as I climbed the stairs.

I didn’t breathe until my bedroom door clicked shut behind me. My legs gave way, and I sank onto the cold floor, clutching the hem of my dress. My chest rose and fell too fast, the echo of his voice still ringing in my ears.

I pressed my palms against my eyes, trying to shut it all out, but my thoughts betrayed me. Julian’s face flashed in my mind—his eyes when he touched my wrist, the concern he didn’t bother to hide. It was such a small thing, but it felt… different.

Maybe Felix wasn’t my only fate.

The thought came like a whisper, a dangerous spark of hope that both warmed and terrified me. For a moment, I let myself imagine—imagine someone caring for me, someone willing to protect me instead of break me. Imagine freedom.

But then the memory of my blood, of the contract binding me for ten long years, slammed back like a door. I shook my head violently, clutching my stomach as if to anchor myself.

No. I couldn’t afford dreams. Not yet. Dreams were luxuries, and luxuries could kill.

For now, I was Felix’s wife on paper. His prisoner in truth.

And hope… hope was the most dangerous punishment of all.