جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 10

Chapter Two: The Wedding Without Love ‎ ‎The chapel smelled of fresh roses, a scent that should have brought warmth, but instead it felt like a cruel reminder of what I had lost. My white gown clung to me awkwardly, heavy with silk and expectation, as I walked down the aisle. Every step echoed in the hollow space, matching the emptiness in my chest. ‎ ‎The congregation’s murmurs floated around me like ghosts. Everyone here believed this was a celebration, a day of love. But I knew better. This was a business transaction disguised in satin and lace. A marriage contract. A sentence. My life, no longer my own. ‎ ‎I forced a smile as I approached the altar, my fingers clutching the bouquet as if it could protect me. Father’s proud gaze met mine, though his eyes were tinged with worry. I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded. This was the only way to save him, to save my family. ‎ ‎And yet… Ethan Blackwood was nowhere to be seen. ‎ ‎The whispers started almost immediately.

Chapter Four: The Unexpected Visitor ‎ ‎I woke to the sound of the clock ticking in the otherwise silent mansion. The sunlight had not yet fully stretched across the polished floors, and the stillness of the early morning pressed heavily against my chest. Every shadow seemed longer, every creak of the floorboards sharper. My heart still thumped from the uneasy sleep of the previous night. ‎ ‎I wrapped my robe tightly around myself and walked to the balcony. The city below glimmered like a distant world I had once belonged to. One that now felt impossibly far away. The contract, my forced marriage, and Ethan Blackwood’s absence loomed over me like a constant shadow. I had expected the worst, and yet the quiet emptiness of the mansion made me feel even more exposed. ‎ ‎I was so lost in thought that I barely noticed the soft knock at the door behind me. My pulse jumped, and my breath hitched. I hadn’t expected anyone so early. Perhaps it was the butler with breakfast? But the knock

Chapter Six: The Rules of the House ‎ ‎The morning sunlight slanted through the tall windows, but it offered no warmth. The mansion felt colder today, every corridor stretching endlessly, echoing my own fears. I wrapped my robe tighter around myself, feeling exposed in ways I hadn’t before. One year. One year trapped under Ethan Blackwood’s roof, under his watchful, cruel gaze. The weight of it pressed down on me, suffocating. ‎ ‎I tried to move quietly, avoiding the polished floors that reflected my unease like a mirror I didn’t want to see. But of course, silence was a rare thing in this house. Somewhere in the distance, a door clicked. Footsteps approached. ‎ ‎Ethan Blackwood. ‎ ‎I froze, my body tense. The sound of him moving through the hall made the air itself seem heavier, thicker. I didn’t dare look up. I wasn’t ready for him. Not yet. ‎ ‎“Isabella.” His voice was deliberate, calm, yet edged with an unmistakable sharpness. I flinched at the sound, my stomach twisting

‎Chapter Eight: A Dangerous Glance ‎ ‎The dress arrived without warning. ‎ ‎It was laid across my bed like a challenge. ‎ ‎Black silk. Backless. Dangerous in a way that had nothing to do with skin and everything to do with intention. It wasn’t revealing in the obvious way—but it clung, traced, suggested. The kind of dress that didn’t beg for attention. It commanded it. ‎ ‎A note rested on top. ‎ ‎Wear this tonight. Hair down. No jewelry. ‎— E ‎ ‎My pulse quickened. ‎ ‎So this was how it began. ‎ ‎I stood there for a long moment, staring at the fabric, my thoughts tangled. The rules echoed in my head—You will wear what I choose. ‎This wasn’t defiance. ‎ ‎But maybe… I could choose how I wore it. ‎ ‎I dressed slowly, deliberately. I kept my hair loose instead of pinned back. Subtle makeup. Nothing excessive. Nothing loud. Just enough to remind myself that I still existed beneath the contract. ‎ ‎When I stepped into the dining hall, conversation stopped. ‎ ‎Ethan

‎Chapter Ten: The Night That Was Owed ‎ ‎She broke the rule without realizing it. ‎ ‎That was the cruelest part. ‎ ‎It happened in front of everyone. ‎ ‎A harmless moment. A reflex. A mistake so small she didn’t even feel it until it was too late. ‎ ‎One of the investors—older, jovial, drunk on champagne and power—laughed loudly at something Ethan said and reached out, patting my arm in friendly familiarity. ‎ ‎It lasted less than a second. ‎ ‎But it happened. ‎ ‎I felt it immediately. ‎ ‎Ethan went still beside me. ‎ ‎The man’s hand barely touched my skin before Ethan caught his wrist midair. ‎ ‎The room didn’t notice at first. Music played. Laughter continued. ‎ ‎Ethan smiled. ‎ ‎It was the most terrifying expression I’d ever seen. ‎ ‎“Do not touch my wife,” he said calmly. ‎ ‎The man flushed and apologized, stumbling back. ‎ ‎Ethan released him and turned to me slowly. ‎ ‎Our eyes met. ‎ ‎I knew. ‎ ‎My stomach dropped. ‎ ‎The car ride home wa