CHAPTER 4

THE INITIAL FISSURES

The atmosphere in Blackwood Mansion was eerily quiet.

Elena drifted through the expansive hallways, like a wraith, unnoticed and unheard. The staff offered her respectful nods, avoiding prolonged eye contact.

She was indeed their mistress, but they understood just as she did that she wielded no real authority in this place.

Her purpose was merely to exist.

To smile in public.

To stand beside Alexander as if she were an ornament.

To fulfill the role of a wife in name, with no deeper significance.

However, silence has its limits, and that night, it shattered.

A NIGHT OF ICE AND FLAME

Elena was curled up on a couch in the softly lit library, one of the few rooms in the mansion that provided a sense of comfort. The scent of the books on the towering shelves enveloped her like a warm embrace.

She spent the evening lost in the pages, seeking refuge from her suffocating reality by immersing herself in the stories of others.

Then, a loud slam reverberated through the house, followed by the sound of heavy footsteps.

Her body tensed.

Alexander.

The atmosphere shifted, thickening with an oppressive energy as he entered the library, his tall figure casting a shadow against the flickering glow of the fireplace. His white dress shirt was slightly undone, sleeves rolled up, veins stark against his forearms. His eyes intense and unreadable focused on her with the predatory gaze of a hunter.

"Why are you hiding in here?" His voice was deep, laced with tension.

Elena forced herself to respond, clenching the book in her hands. "I'm not hiding."

His jaw tightened as he approached her slowly.

"Really?" He stopped mere inches from her, towering above her. "Then why do you look like a trapped animal?"

Her grip on the pages tightened. "Because that's exactly what I am, isn't it? A prisoner in your house."

His expression darkened, a flicker of danger evident in his gaze.

"You agreed to this," he reminded her coldly.

A bitter laugh escaped her lips. "I agreed to protect my family, not to be treated like an inanimate object."

The muscle in his jaw twitched. "Be careful, Elena."

Suddenly, she stood up, the book tumbling to the floor. "Or what, Alexander? You'll ignore me more? Make me feel even smaller?"

His eyes sparked with anger. "You think I have time to indulge your tantrums?"

"You only have time for what's business, right?" Elena retorted. "Not for emotions. Not for kindness. And definitely not for your wife!"

His nostrils flared in frustration.

"Watch your tone."

She stepped closer, pushing against him. "Or what? You'll cast me out? Go ahead, Alexander. Do it. Set me free!"

He remained still, showing no sign of flinching.

Instead, he grasped her wrist, his grip firm but not aggressive.

"You don't get to leave," he said quietly. "Not until I allow it."

Elena's breath caught in her throat. The heat of his touch seeped through her skin, while his words sent a chill coursing through her.

His grip briefly tightened before he released her, turning away. "Go to bed, Elena."

But she wasn't finished.

"Why do you despise me so much?" Her voice trembled.

He halted.

For a moment, time seemed to stand still.

Then, he turned his head slightly, revealing a cold smirk that curled his lips.

"I don't hate you, Elena," he said softly. "You simply don't matter enough for me to hate."

Her heart sank.

Something within her shattered, and for the first time, tears fell unrestrained.

She wasn't certain what hurt more the harshness of his words or the painful acknowledgment that she had dared to hope for something different.

So foolish. So very foolish.

Alexander walked out, leaving her there, submerged in the heaviness of his apathy.

SUBMERGED IN LONELINESS

Elena spent the night without sleep.

She sat by her bedroom window, gazing out at the sprawling city lights, her heart entwined in pain and frustration.

How had her life spiraled to this point?

Married to a man who saw her solely as a tool.

Trapped in a house that appeared beautiful but felt like a prison.

And the most painful truth?

A small, foolish part of her still sought a glimpse of humanity within him.

A reason to believe he wasn't as cold as he seemed.

But that evening had proven her wrong.

She was insignificant to him.

And perhaps, she would always be.

A single tear slipped down her cheek, but she quickly wiped it away, her jaw tightening.

She wouldn't allow herself to cry for Alexander Blackwood.

Not again.

A STORM APPROACHING

The next morning, Elena barely touched her breakfast. She sat at the long dining table, stirring her coffee, while Alexander read the newspaper, as if the previous night had never happened.

As if she were invisible.

She clenched her teeth.

Fine. If he desired silence, he could have it.

But just as she stood to leave, his voice called her back.

"We have an event tonight."

Surprised, she turned to face him.

He finally lifted his gaze from the newspaper, his expression unreadable. "You'll accompany me."

Elena blinked. "Why?"

His look darkened. "Because you're my wife. You will behave as such."

Her stomach twisted with anxiety.

So, that was the plan.

He didn't want her. He didn't care about her.

But in public?

She had to be flawless.

Suppressing her bitterness, she replied, "Fine."

A slight smile played at the corners of his lips, as if he found her defiance amusing. "Wear something suitable."

Elena chose not to respond.

She turned and walked away, ignoring the sensation of his gaze on her.

Yet deep within, she sensed that…

Tonight would alter everything.