I try to stay in my room...I really do try.
I sit on the bed, then lie down, then sit back up again. I pick up my phone, scroll, drop it. Walk to the window. Co back, pace....nothing works because every ti my mind slows down for even a second.....He’s in the cellar, like Aaron is just... stored away sowhere.
My chest tightens and I don’t even realize when I’ve left my room by the ti I do, I’m already halfway down the hallway that leads to the back of the house. The quieter side, the one people don’t wander into unless they have a reason.
My steps slow when I reach the door of th cellar but sothing about it makes my stomach turn.
I rest my hand on the handle, hesitate then push it open.
The air changes imdiately to sothing Cooler.
There’s a faint sll.....tallic, damp, sothing stale that clings to the back of my throat.
I swallow.
A guard stands just inside. He straightens the mont he sees , clearly not expecting here.
"Ma’am."
"I’m fine," I say quickly, before he can start questioning anything. "I just want to see him."
He hesitates...i can see it in the way his posture shifts slightly, unsure whether to allow it or stop .
"Zane didn’t say I couldn’t," I add, holding his gaze.
That does it and he steps aside as I walk past him...each step deeper feels louder than it should. The kind of echo that makes you feel like you don’t belong there.
Then I see him...Aaron. And my brain refuses to match what I’m seeing with who I know.
He’s slumped against the wall, legs stretched awkwardly, wrists restrained. His head hangs forward like it’s too heavy to hold up with bruruises cover his face, not small ones. Dark, swollen patches around his cheekbone, his jaw, one eye slightly puffed. His lip is split, dried blood crusted at the edge.
There’s more blood on his shirt...not reall fresh though.
My chest tightens.
"Aaron..."
My voice cos out softer than I expect....his head moves sllowly, like it takes effort just to react.
Then he lifts it and when his eyes land on .....Everythin changes, sothing desperate lights up in them. Raw. Imdiate.
"Elaine....."
His voice is rough and scraped thin. He tries to move forward, but whatever is holding him stops him short.
"Elaine, thank God," he breathes out, relief and panic mixing together.
I take a step closer before I can stop myself
"You’re... alive," I say, even though it sounds stupid the mont it leaves my mouth.
"Barely," he lets out a broken laugh that doesn’t reach his eyes. "Please...."
His voice cracks.
"Please get out of here."
I freeze.
"What?"
"I didn’t do anything on my own," he rushes out, words tumbling over each other. "I swear to you, Elaine. I was just following instructions. That’s it. That’s all it was."
My brows pull together.
"Whose instructions?"
He shakes his head quickly.
"Please, that doesn’t matter right now...."
"It does," I cut in, sharper this ti and he flinches slightly.
"I didn’t have a choice," he insists, desperation rising. "You don’t understand the kind of situation I was in....."
"Then make understand," I snap.
There’s a beat then he breaks eye contact.
"I can’t," he mutters.
Anger flares in my chest.
"You can’t?
"Not here," he says quickly, looking back at . "Not like this. Please, just get out first. I’ll tell you everything, I swear."
I stare at him...like really look at him and At the fear because it’s not fake.
"I don’t want to die here," he says, quieter now.
And that...that hits .
I exhale slowly, running a hand through my hair.
"You expect to just walk out and tell Zane to let you go?" I ask.
"Yes," he says imdiately no hesitation.
"Because he’ll listen to you," he adds quickly. "Whether he wants to admit it or not, he will."
I almost laugh but it doesn’t co out because I’m not even sure he’s wrong and that’s the problem....dverything is complicated now.
"I’ll... think about it," I say finally.
I’m not stupid....im not letting soone who almost got killed free just like that...that won’t be happening.
He nods quickly, clinging to it anyway.
"Please, just try " he whispers again
I turn before I can say anything else because if I stay any longer.... I don’t know what I’ll do
———
By the ti I step out of my room later, he’s already there...Waiting like he’s been placed there.
He straightens slightly when he sees .
"Ma’am."
I stop a few steps away from him, taking him in. He’s... different and not like the others.
There’s sothing about the way he stands.....still, controlled, like he’s trained not just to obey, but to observe.
"And you are?" I ask.
"Daniel."
Short and Simple....no extra words.
I nod slowly.
"Zane works fast," I mutter.
"Yes, ma’am."
I start walking and he follows.....Not too close but not far either, just enough to be there. A Constant, i can feel it with every step. I stop suddenly and he stops too, exactly when I do.
I turn to face him.
"Do you report everything I do?"
"Yes."
No hesitation just a clean, direct answer.
I raise a brow.
"Everything?"
"Yes, ma’am."
I let out a small breath, sowhere between disbelief and amusent.
"Wow.
I tilt my head slightly, studying him.
"And you’re okay with that?"
"Yes, ma’am. I do what the boss tells to."
Of course he is.
I sigh.
"Alright then."
Let’s see how far this goes. I adjust my dress slightly. Enoug to shift the neckline a little lower, enough that it becos... noticeable.
He doesn’t react, not even a flicker or a glance.
Nothing.
I narrow my eyes slightly. Okay.
I step closer and into his space,Close enough that most people would at least react instinctively still He doesn’t move or step back, doesn’t even look at .
His gaze stays fixed sowhere just above my shoulder.
Professional.
"Do you have eyes?" I ask bluntly.
"Yes, ma’am."
"Then use them."
Nothing. No reaction or shift.
I let out a small, incredulous laugh.
"You’re not even going to look?"
"No, ma’am."
I shake my head slowly.
"Zane really picked well this ti."
"Yes, ma’am."
I stare at him for another second then step back.
Because this....This isn’t going to work the way I thought but sothing clicks in my head if he reports everything...Then Zane knows everything mov, every word and every little thing I do.
A slow smile creeps onto my face.
"Good," I murmur under my breath.
I turn and start walking again.
But this ti....It’s different....its more intentional and aware because now? Im not just being watched, I’m being reported ms if Zane wants control....Then I’ll give him sothing worth watching.
———
I wait am I don’t go to him imdiately, tbah would be too easy and desperate.
Instead, I stay in my room, sitting at the edge of the bed, listening to the house around . Ti passes slowly. Every small sound feels louder than it should....the distant footsteps, doors opening and closing, the faint murmur of voices sowhere far off.
Then.....I hear it. His car in the driveway and
My back straightens instantly but I don’t move yet.
I wait longer, let him co in and let him settle, him go exactly where he always goes. His office....tsk so Predictabl
I stand up slowly....If he wants distance, fine.
I’ll close it. I walk to my wardrobe and pick sothing out..... Sothing soft, light and effortless. The kind of thing that doesn’t scream for attention... but doesn’t hide either.
I don’t overthink it cause if I start overthinking, I won’t go through with it. I leave my hair down, slightly ssy, like I didn’t try too hard. Like this is normal even though it’s not.
My heartbeat is louder now as I step out of my room and make my way down the hallway.
By the ti I reach his office door, I already know he’s inside. There’s a faint shuffle of movent, the quiet sound of sothing being set down.
I don’t knock as I push the door open to find He’s standing behind his desk, sleeves rolled, focused on sothing in front of him, for a second, he doesn’t notice then the door clicks shut behind and His head lifts.... everything stops as He goes completely still.
His eyes find mine first. Then slowly...very slowly....they move down taking in.
"Elaine."
My na leaves his mouth low, slowly but there’s sothing under it. Sothing restrained.
I lean back slightly against the door, folding my arms loosely, like I didn’t just walk in here with a purpose.
"You’re back," I say.... Trying to go for normal, like I didn’t wait for this mont.
His gaze doesn’t leave .
"Is there sothing you need?" he asks.
I tilt my head slightly.
"Can’t I co see my husband?"
There’s a pause that has his jaw tightens just slightly.
"I thought you were busy," I add, softer now.
I see the way his expression shifts, just for a second.
"I am," he says.
I nod slowly.
"Right."
I push myself off the door and walk toward him and I stop a few steps away, vlose enough to feel his presence but not close enough to touch.
"I don’t like this," I say quietly.
"This distance. This... ignoring ."
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