Chapter 5: The Glass Walls
274 Words
The walk across the Blackwood quad felt like a march to the gallows. Usually, Sloane blended into the background, just another student with a heavy bag and a coffee in hand. But today, the atmosphere was different. The whispers followed her like a physical wake. Students stopped mid-sentence as she passed, their eyes darting from her face to the heavy gold band glinting on her finger.
She walked into her Law Seminar and felt the room go cold. Even the professor, a man known for his unflinching stare, cleared his throat and looked away as she took her usual seat in the back.
"I didn't think we'd see you back so soon, Mrs. Moretti," a voice sneered.
Sloane looked up to see Isabella Vance, the daughter of a Senator and the closest thing Blackwood had to royalty. Isabella had spent three years trying to get Dante’s attention; now, her eyes were slits of pure venom.
"I’m here for the lecture, Isabella. Not the gossip," Sloane replied, her voice steadier than she felt.
"Is that what you call it?" Isabella leaned in, her voice a sharp whisper. "Everyone saw the SUVs. Everyone saw him drag you out of here. You aren't a student anymore; you’re a peace treaty. How does it feel to be traded like a piece of land?"
Sloane opened her mouth to retort, but the words died in her throat. She looked out the window and saw a black SUV idling at the curb—her silent sentinels. She wasn't just Dante’s wife; she was his prisoner, and the university was just a bigger cell.
- Writer
