Chapter 7
1087 Words
Heavy, unbearable silence followed.
His jaw locked. I watched his fingers flex once at his side, as though something inside him had slipped beyond his control and he was trying desperately to close his hand around it again.
The man standing in front of me had finally understood something I already knew.
The woman who loved Lucien Vaughn was gone and neither of us knew how to bring her back.
An urgent knock broke the silence.
Three quick knocks then the bedroom door opened.
Damian Cole stepped inside. Tall, dark suit and calm as always.
Except he didn't look calm this time. His usually composed expression was strained, and rainwater still clung to the shoulders of his coat.
His eyes moved briefly toward me. Then he looked at Lucien.
"Sir."
His voice sounded strange, not the usual professional tone.
He sounded almost disturbed.
Lucien didn't take his eyes off me.
"What?"
Damian hesitated. "We've identified the vehicle that forced Mrs. Vaughn off the road."
Everything inside me stilled the sound of rain vanished.
The crackling fire disappeared even my own breathing seemed to stop.
Beside me, Lucien slowly turned.
For the first time since I'd woken up beside him in that hospital… I saw his face turn dark.
"What did you say?" he asked quietly.
Damian swallowed. "The SUV was registered under a shell company."
His voice remained low. "Blackstone Logistics."
Lucien's eyes narrowed. "I've already checked."
"It doesn't exist."
Damian's expression hardened. "Someone erased the ownership records."
Rain hammered the windows, the smell of smoke and wet earth suddenly seemed stronger.
My stomach turned violently. Accidents couldn't just be erased obviously someone with ulterior motives was behind it.
"We're still tracing it," Damian continued carefully.
"But someone is covering their tracks."
His gaze shifted toward me very briefly and something cold crept beneath my skin.
Someone had wanted me dead.
Lucien's voice dropped dangerously. "Keep digging."
"Yes, sir."
Damian nodded.
But before leaving, he paused. "There is something else."
Lucien looked at him.
Damian's expression darkened. "Someone tried to erase Mrs. Vaughn's accident file from the hospital system."
I felt my blood run cold.
Lucien's entire expression changed not visibly enough for most people but I saw it.
Saw the exact second something dangerous woke up inside him.
"Who?" he asked.
"We don't know."
Yet.
Damian lowered his voice.
"But whoever it is... they're scared of what we'll find."
Another roll of thunder shook the windows.
Then Damian left the door and clicked shut.
And suddenly I couldn't breathe properly, not with those words still echoing inside my head.
Someone had forced me off the road, tried to erase the evidence.
This person definitely wants me gone.
My knees felt weak. I grabbed the edge of the bed before I could collapse.
The silk sheets brushed against my fingers.
It felt cool, soft and real unlike everything else because nothing about this felt real anymore.
My marriage wasn't real, my memories am not so sure what to make of them. And now apparently my accident wasn't real either.
I can't stay here.
I need air, space or anything other being in close proximity with this man.
I need to get out of this shithole.
Without looking at Lucien, I bent down and picked up my suitcase. The zipper scraped loudly through the silence.
Fabric spilled over the edge.
My hands shook so badly I almost dropped it again.
"Aria."
I ignored him.
"Aria."
Still, I ignored him.
I didn't trust myself to speak or not to scream.
I dragged the suitcase behind me past him, the fireplace, past everything.
His voice followed me. "Where are you going?"
I laughed, it was humourless anyways.
"Away from you."
I opened the bedroom door.
"Aria."
His voice sharpened.
I didn't stop.
The hallway smelled faintly of polish and lilies. Soft lights glowed overhead.
My bare feet touched the marble floor, cold enough to sting.
I kept walking, down the staircase, past Mrs. Harper, who nearly dropped the tray she was carrying.
"Mrs. Vaughn?"
I didn't answer.
The front doors stood ahead.
Finally freedom here i come.
I reached them, opened them and rain immediately slapped against my skin.
The scent of wet earth filled my lungs.
I almost cried from relief.
The driver standing beside one of the cars straightened immediately.
"Mrs. Vaughn"
"Take me anywhere."
His eyes widened. Before he could answer, another polite, respectful voice came.
"I'm sorry, ma'am." The voice said firmly.
Two security guards stood near the gates. Neither of them moved or touched me. But they didn't open the gates either.
I frowned.
"What are you doing?"
The older guard lowered his head. "We have orders."
Orders!!
Something ugly twisted inside me. "What orders?"
They didn't respond.
My voice rose.
"Open the gate."
Neither man moved.
Rain soaked my hair, my robe, my skin.
Still they stood there.
"I'm asking you nicely."
They still said nothing.
The younger guard looked uncomfortable but he still didn't move.
And then I heard slow unhurried footsteps.
I didn't need to turn around. I already knew it belonged to Lucien.
He stopped beneath the front entrance looking all dry and untouched by the rain.
His black shirt rolled neatly to his elbows.
Gray eyes fixed entirely on me.
I stood outside, drenched, shivering.
Holding a suitcase and out the blue it all felt ridiculous.
Not because I was wrong or anything of that sort but it seems like everyone else already knew something I hadn't.
I wasn't leaving this house, permission had already been denied.
Rainwater dripped from my eyelashes. "Tell them to open it."
Lucien stared at me.
The storm raged around us, wind whipped through the trees.
Thunder rolled overhead and with the same calm voice that had haunted me since the hospital.
The same freaking voice that had said all I need is the heir he said quietly,
"No."
My body went still. If only the ground would open up and take me in.
His gaze never wavered. "You're carrying my child."
The words felt like chains.
"And you're not leaving."
No anger, no shouting, no threats. The certainty in his voice and God! that terrified me more.
Because it hit me. I’d never been a wife here or a partner. I
wasn't loved I’d been a structure put in place to suit his needs. The thing that kept the lights on useful until I wasn’t.
I stood in the rain, staring at the gates that refused to open and I finally saw the cage.
- Writer
