Chapter 16: Shattered Silence

Chapter 16: Shattered Silence

I didn't cry anymore.

Tears felt pointless when you'd already emptied yourself. The bruises on my skin didn't hurt as much as the hollow ache in my chest, the weight of their cruelty pressing down on me, stealing the air from my lungs.

I didn't speak. I didn't eat. I didn't do anything except sit in the corner of my room, knees pulled to my chest, waiting for the next blow to come.

I was breaking. And the worst part? They knew it.

Leo's Command

The knock on my door wasn't sharp or urgent. It was deliberate, a warning in itself.

When the door opened, Leo stepped inside, his cold blue gaze locking onto me. He looked me over, his expression unreadable, but I could feel the disappointment radiating off him.

"You haven't left this room in two days," Leo said.

I didn't respond, my gaze fixed on the floor.

"You're not eating. You're not doing anything," he continued, his voice sharper now. "What are you trying to prove?"

Still, I said nothing.

Leo's footsteps were slow and deliberate as he crossed the room. He crouched in front of me, his icy-blue eyes narrowing. "Speak," he ordered.

I shook my head faintly, my throat tightening.

"You don't have the luxury of silence," Leo said coldly. His hand shot out, grabbing my chin and forcing me to look at him. "You don't get to hide from us. Do you understand?"

I stared at him, my tears threatening to spill over. But I refused to speak.

Leo's jaw tightened, his grip firm as his gaze burned into mine. "Fine," he said finally, releasing me and standing. "If you want to act like this, we'll deal with it our way."

Adrian's Method

It wasn't long before Adrian showed up. He didn't knock—he never did.

"Look who's gone mute," Adrian said, his smirk sharp as he leaned against the doorframe. "What's the matter, sweetheart? Lost your fire?"

I didn't answer, my gaze still fixed on the floor.

Adrian walked over, crouching down in front of me like Leo had, but his storm-gray eyes held something far crueler. He reached out, his fingers brushing my cheek lightly, mockingly.

"You don't get to ignore me," Adrian said softly, his tone laced with danger.

When I didn't respond, his hand shot out, gripping the back of my neck and pulling me closer. My breath caught in my throat as his storm-gray eyes burned into mine.

"Do you think this is going to work?" Adrian asked, his voice low. "That if you stay quiet long enough, we'll stop?"

I flinched as his grip tightened, his smirk fading into something colder.

"You'll eat," Adrian said. "You'll speak. And you'll do exactly what we say."

"No," I whispered, my voice trembling.

Adrian's laugh was sharp and humorless. "Wrong answer, sweetheart."

Before I could react, Adrian grabbed my arm and yanked me to my feet. My legs wobbled beneath me, but he didn't care. He dragged me out of the room, his grip like iron.

Forced to Comply

The dining room felt like a prison. The grand table, the polished floors—everything about it screamed wealth, power, control.

Adrian shoved me into a chair, his storm-gray eyes glinting with amusement as he pushed a plate in front of me.

"Eat," he ordered, his voice sharp.

"I'm not hungry," I said softly, my voice barely audible.

Adrian's smirk widened. "I wasn't asking."

Leo appeared then, his icy-blue gaze flicking between us. "Is she cooperating?" he asked.

"Not yet," Adrian said casually, leaning against the table. "But she will."

I froze as Nico walked into the room, his emerald-green eyes scanning the scene. He said nothing, but his presence was heavier than anyone else's.

"Sit her up straight," Nico said finally, his voice calm but commanding.

Adrian moved behind me, his hands gripping my shoulders as he forced me to sit upright.

"Now," Nico said, stepping closer, his gaze fixed on mine. "Eat."

"I can't," I whispered, my throat tightening.

Nico crouched in front of me, his emerald eyes unrelenting. "You can," he said softly, his voice like a blade. "And you will."

When I didn't move, Nico reached out, grabbing the fork and pressing it into my hand. His grip on my wrist was firm as he guided my hand to the plate.

"Take a bite," Nico ordered.

"I don't want to," I said, tears streaming down my face.

Nico's gaze darkened, and his hand shot out, gripping my chin. "You don't have a choice, Sophia," he said coldly.

I tried to turn my head, but Nico's grip was unrelenting. "Eat," he demanded, his voice sharper now.

My hands trembled as I took a small bite, the food heavy and tasteless in my mouth.

"There," Nico said, releasing me. "That wasn't so hard, was it?"

The Breaking Point

By the time they let me go, I was trembling, my body exhausted and my mind spinning.

I stumbled back to my room, collapsing onto the bed as sobs wracked my body.

They weren't just breaking me—they were erasing me. Piece by piece, they were taking away everything I was.

And I didn't know how much longer I could hold on.