By morning, the house had learned my footsteps. The floors no longer creaked in protest, only whispered beneath me like accomplices. I noticed it as I walked barefoot past the long corridor, robe wrapped tight, spine straight, breathing measured. This place was not mine, yet it watched me as though I had always belonged here. That unsettled me more than the silence. Silence was honest. Belonging was dangerous. I poured coffee I did not drink and stood by the window, watching the city stretch awake, wondering when the rules would begin to tighten around my throat today.The contract lay where I had left it, perfectly aligned on the marble counter, as though it had not moved all night. I had not slept much. Every time I closed my eyes, clauses rearranged themselves in my head, becoming voices instead of words. No intimacy. No emotional involvement. Public compliance. Private distance. It sounded simple written down. It felt suffocating when lived. I traced my finger along the edge of th
Last Updated : 2026-01-20 Read more