Chapter 63: Unraveling control

Kael had reverted to his usual self, the cold, indifferent man he always was. He refused to entertain any questions or concerns from Esme. Work had become his sole focus once again. The mansion felt even emptier than before, and he rarely even glanced at her unless it was necessary. Esme knew it was coming—the coldness, the detachment. But the sharpness of it still stung.

Esme sat in their room, the silence pressing in on her like a heavy weight. It felt like a suffocating presence, and she couldn't take it anymore. She needed to do something. This wasn't the life she wanted, and if she had to endure it day after day, she might lose herself completely. She needed purpose. She needed control. And that meant she needed a job. She needed to feel like she could stand on her own, even if everything else in her life was spiraling out of control.

Without thinking it through, she made the decision. She couldn't just sit and wait for Kael to notice her, or to change, or for something to shift. This was her life too.

"I need to talk to you," Esme called out, her voice breaking the silence that had stretched too long between them.

Kael, who had been sprawled on the couch, didn't even look at her. His eyes remained closed as he sighed deeply, tired from the day's work. "I'm listening."

"I want to get a job," Esme said, her heart racing as the words left her mouth.

Kael didn't respond immediately, his eyes remaining shut as he took in her words. A sharp, annoyed silence followed, and Esme felt a prickle of uncertainty.

She continued, "I don't want to just sit at home doing nothing. I'm so bored, it's driving me crazy. Please, Kael…"

The silence stretched on, thick and heavy, until finally, he spoke in a clipped tone. "No."

Esme blinked, confused. "What? Why?"

Kael opened his eyes, his expression unreadable, and with a sigh that sounded more exasperated than anything, he leaned forward, his voice cold. "That will never happen, Esme. If you want money, I'll give you a black card. I'll provide everything for you. You don't need to work."

Esme felt a surge of frustration rise within her chest. She wasn't asking for money. She wasn't asking for a card. She wanted freedom. Her own identity. "Why won't you just let me work? Do you think I want to depend on you forever? Do you think I don't want a life of my own?" she demanded, her voice rising in anger.

Kael didn't flinch. His voice remained calm, even as his jaw clenched. "You're the wife of the White Family, Esme. Letting you work would be an abomination. People will talk. It's bad for the company. You simply can't work, and that's the end of it."

Her blood boiled at his words. He wasn't listening to her. He wasn't seeing her. She wasn't a tool for the company. She wasn't some accessory to his life. She was a person, and this—this was suffocating.

"Fuck you, Kael!" she shouted, her emotions finally breaking free. "Fuck you and your precious family name!"

With that, she stormed out of the room, her body trembling with a mix of anger and frustration.

Kael let out a long, heavy sigh, the exhaustion of the day weighing on him. He didn't follow her, didn't try to stop her. He just let her go.

Esme sat by the poolside, her tears flowing freely now, hot and unstoppable. She didn't know where to go from here, didn't know how much longer she could live like this. Was this what her life was going to be? A constant, suffocating waiting game, caught in a marriage that never felt like hers? Her hands trembled as she wiped the tears from her face, her thoughts tangled and chaotic.

Then she heard a voice. "Esme?"

Lucan's familiar voice cut through the haze of her emotions. She looked up quickly, her swollen eyes meeting his. She stood up quickly, the sight of him somehow grounding her, even if only slightly.

"Kael," she said, her voice hoarse from crying.

Lucan frowned when he saw her tears. "Why are you out here crying? Did my brother do something to you?"

Esme shook her head, her chest tight. "Please… take me back to the family house, Lucan. Please."

Lucan hesitated, but the desperation in her voice made him nod. "Alright. I was supposed to go back to my place, but… I'll take you there first."

And so, without another word, Esme climbed into the car with Lucan, leaving the mansion behind, even if just for a little while.

At the family house, the tension between Esme and Charlotte was immediate. Charlotte's sharp, taunting words cut through the air. "Oh, hi, Bride. Didn't expect to see you here so soon," she sneered, walking toward Esme with a cruel smile.

Esme forced a smile, but it felt hollow. She walked away from Charlotte without saying a word, heading straight for her room. It was still the same as she had left it—untouched, as if frozen in time. For a moment, she allowed herself to feel the familiar comfort of the space, but it didn't last. She was too far gone, too tired of pretending.

Thirty minutes later, the door to the family house opened, and Kael stepped inside. His eyes immediately searched for Esme, and when he saw the guard, he barked, "Where is my wife?"

"Upstairs, sir."

Kael's footsteps were heavy, his movements quick and purposeful. He stormed up the stairs, his patience already running thin. The door to Esme's room flung open with a force that made the walls shake.

Esme's heart jumped in her chest when she saw him standing there, rage in his eyes. "Have you gone completely insane, Esme?" he roared.

Esme recoiled, fear creeping up her spine. She opened her mouth to respond, but the words stuck in her throat.

Kael's face twisted with anger. "You are a White now. You can't go around acting on your emotions. You're ruining the family name, don't you get it? The company! You can't just act however you want!"

His words hit her like a physical blow, each one slicing deeper than the last. The fear, the frustration, the overwhelming sense of being controlled—it all rushed back to her in a tidal wave. She wanted to scream, to push him away, but her body betrayed her. She collapsed to the floor, tears streaming down her face as her strength faltered.

Kael didn't soften. He didn't reach out in comfort. Instead, he grabbed her wrist with a brutal force and pulled her to her feet. "Stop acting like a child," he snapped, dragging her out of the room.

Esme tried to resist, tried to pull away, but his grip tightened, leaving no room for escape. As they made their way downstairs, the whispers of the maids echoed around them, fueling the growing fire in her chest.

Nana smirked from the corner, her voice a low murmur. "Did that gold digger really think she could win Kael just like that?"

Grandpa's gaze was cold, detached, as he watched Kael drag his wife through the halls. No one moved to stop him. This was just who Kael was.

Charlotte stood at the bottom of the stairs, satisfaction dancing in her eyes. She watched as Kael dragged Esme toward the door, the quiet tension in the air thick with unspoken judgments.

"Kael, you're hurting me," Esme whispered, her voice breaking.

Kael didn't acknowledge her words. He only shoved her toward the car, his tone demanding, "Enter."

Esme hesitated, but when she saw the look on his face, she knew there was no room for defiance. She climbed into the car, feeling numb as the door slammed shut behind her.

And just like that, they were heading back to the mansion, back to the prison she thought she had escaped.

****. ****. ****.