All Chapters of Held between Fear and Trust: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Ethan had been searching for work for months when a man suggested a peculiar job: caring for a young woman named Lily.Once vibrant and full of life, Lily had been confined to a wheelchair after a devastating accident. The incident had taken more than her ability to walk—it had stolen her confidence, her sense of safety, and her belief that the world could still be gentle. Since then, fear and trauma had built walls around her heart, walls she refused to let anyone cross. The mansion she lived in was grand and elegant, yet painfully quiet, filled with space but devoid of warmth.From the very first day, Ethan realized the task would test every ounce of his patience. Lily recoiled at his presence, her sharp eyes suspicious, her posture defensive. She rejected even the simplest help—refusing his hand, his questions, even his kindness. Yet he stayed. Quietly, steadily, he worked around her—washing dishes, tidying rooms, handling the endless chores of the mansion—never pushing, never forc

The house felt different that morning.Not lighter.Not easier.Just… charged.It was the kind of tension that lingered in the air, invisible but undeniable, pressing gently against the skin. Lily felt it the moment she woke. She avoided Ethan’s eyes as he helped Noah with breakfast, focusing instead on the small routines—plates, cups, the sound of silverware against porcelain.Every time their hands brushed—passing a plate, steadying a cup—her breath caught, just for a second. A sharp, unexpected pull in her chest. She hated that she noticed it.Ethan noticed too.He always did.He didn’t comment. Didn’t tease. Didn’t retreat. He simply adjusted, slowing his movements, giving her space without creating distance. That quiet awareness unsettled her more than anything else.When Noah finished eating, he slid off his chair and ran toward the window, pressing his hands to the glass. “Can we go outside again?”“Later,” Ethan said gently.Lily watched him as he spoke—watched the way his voi

The hospital lights had been too bright, too cold.Even after they returned to the mansion, the echo of sirens and hurried voices lingered in Lily’s mind. She hadn’t let go of Ethan the entire drive back—not when the pain etched itself across his face, not when fear tightened her chest again. Every time she thought of how close she had come to losing him, her breath faltered.He had survived.But the danger hadn’t disappeared.By nightfall, exhaustion pressed down on them both, heavy and unrelenting. The house felt different now—less like a refuge and more like a place holding its breath. Shadows stretched long across the walls, and silence settled in a way that made Lily’s heart race.That was when Ethan tried to send her away.The night was heavy, and the mansion seemed quieter than usual. Ethan’s shoulder throbbed sharply, the bullet wound from earlier still raw and painful. Every movement sent fire through his muscles, but he forced himself upright. He couldn’t leave her side—not

The man shoved Ethan without warning.Still weakened by the medication meant to dull the pain in his wounded shoulder, Ethan lost his balance and fell hard onto the marble floor. The impact knocked the air from his lungs, sending a sharp ache through his chest. For a moment, his body refused to respond.Lily saw him fall.A cry tore from her throat—raw, instinctive. Forgetting everything she was supposed to be, she pushed herself out of her wheelchair. Her body trembled violently as she collapsed onto the floor, dragging herself forward inch by inch toward Ethan. Her hands shook as they scraped against the ground, her breathing uneven, panicked.Ethan felt helpless. His limbs were heavy, useless, but instinct forced him to lift his arm, trying to shield her, trying to protect her even from the floor.The man laughed.Cold. Amused.“You got lucky before,” he said, stepping closer. “But now you’ll die.”“You’re a coward,” Lily snapped, her voice shaking but fierce. “You can’t compete wi

Night wrapped the mansion in silence, the kind that pressed against the skin and refused to let go. Ethan Cross stepped out of his office, jacket already on, mind restless. He hadn’t planned to leave so late, but sleep had become an enemy since the day he brought her back.As he passed the east wing, something stopped him.Light.The door to Lily’s room was open.That never happened.Ethan slowed, irritation flashing first—then instinct took over. He moved closer, not fully entering, only peeking through the narrow opening. The room was dim, lit by the faint glow of a bedside lamp.She was asleep.Curled inward, fragile. Too still.His jaw tightened.She looked nothing like the woman he remembered. Her cheeks were hollow, skin pale, collarbones sharp beneath the thin fabric. It looked as if she hadn’t eaten properly in weeks—maybe longer. Her breathing was shallow, uneven, as if even sleep demanded effort from her body.For a brief, dangerous second, something twisted painfully in his