Chapter Four – The First Rule Broken
606 Words
I didn’t sleep.
The bed was too large, too perfect—sheets smooth and untouched, like they were waiting for something that wasn’t me. I lay stiffly on one side, staring at the ceiling, listening to the quiet hum of a house that never truly rested.
At dawn, I made my decision.
If this place was a cage, then cages had weaknesses.
I slipped out of bed and changed into the simplest dress I could find—soft fabric, muted color. Nothing that screamed Mrs. Blackwood. My bare feet were silent against the marble floor as I moved toward the door.
Locked.
I wasn’t surprised.
I scanned the room, eyes sharp now, alert. Lucien had underestimated one thing—I paid attention. The balcony doors stood tall and sheer-curtained, overlooking what I assumed were the gardens.
I pulled the curtain aside.
Freedom glittered just beyond the glass.
The doors weren’t locked.
My pulse quickened as I stepped outside, the cool morning air kissing my skin. The garden stretched endlessly—rose hedges, stone paths, fountains carved like art pieces. Guards stood at the perimeter, but none close enough to notice a woman walking barefoot through the maze of green.
I wasn’t escaping the estate.
I was testing it.
I walked slowly, memorizing turns, exits, blind spots. My heart pounded—not from fear, but from defiance. Every step felt like reclaiming something Lucien had stolen from me.
“Mrs. Blackwood.”
The voice cut through the air like a blade.
I froze.
Lucien stood several feet away, dressed impeccably in a dark shirt and slacks, his expression calm. Too calm.
“How did you—”
“I told you not to leave your wing without permission,” he said, interrupting me. His tone wasn’t raised. It didn’t need to be.
“I needed air,” I snapped. “I’m not your prisoner.”
He took a step closer.
“Yes,” he said softly. “You are.”
Before I could react, he gestured slightly. Two guards appeared, materializing like ghosts.
“Take her back inside,” Lucien ordered. “And make sure she understands the rules.”
Panic flared. “Don’t touch me!”
Lucien raised a hand. The guards stopped.
He walked toward me until there was no space left between us. His gaze dropped to my bare feet, then back to my face.
“You wanted to see how far you could go,” he said. “Now you know.”
His fingers lifted my chin, forcing me to meet his eyes.
“This was mercy,” Lucien continued. “The next time you test me, I won’t be kind.”
I slapped his hand away.
The sound echoed.
For a heartbeat, the world seemed to stop.
Lucien stared at me—slowly, dangerously—then smiled.
Not a pleasant smile.
“A bold move,” he said quietly. “You’ve just earned your first lesson.”
He turned to the guards. “Leave us.”
They hesitated.
“Now.”
When we were alone, Lucien stepped back, folding his arms.
“You’ll attend the board dinner tonight,” he said. “Smile. Speak only when spoken to. And afterward—”
His gaze lingered on me, dark and unreadable.
“—you’ll apologize.”
“I won’t,” I said.
Lucien leaned in, his voice a whisper that sent a chill down my spine.
“You will,” he said. “Because by tonight, you’ll understand something very clearly.”
“What?” I asked.
He straightened, already walking away.
“That defiance,” he replied coolly, “has consequences.”
- Writer
