CHAPTER 4 — BETWEEN SILENCE AND FEAR
1056 Words
The dining hall was even more overwhelming than the rest of the mansion.
A long crystal table stretched across the room. Soft golden lights reflected off polished surfaces, and the silence felt heavy before anyone even spoke.
Ellie sat carefully beside her mother, hands folded tightly on her lap.
Across the table… the Walters family gathered.
Mr Walters cleared his throat gently.
“Let me properly introduce you all.”
His hand moved toward the first son.
“This is my eldest — Darius Walters.”
Ellie glanced up.
The same cold one.
He didn’t react. Didn’t smile. Just continued eating like her existence didn’t matter.
Mr Walters continued.
“My second son — Jayden Walters.”
Ellie looked at him.
The one with the dangerous smirk.
He leaned back slightly in his chair, looking bored… but his eyes flicked to her for a second.
Just a second.
Then he smirked faintly and went back to his food.
⸻
“And my youngest son — Ethan Walters.”
Ellie recognized him immediately.
The one with the phone.
He didn’t even look up fully.
“Yeah,” he said flatly, still scrolling.
That was it.
No effort.
No interest.
💭 ELLIE’S THOUGHTS
Ellie blinked slowly.
So this is the family…
Cold.
Distant.
Unbothered.
Nothing like the welcoming environment her mother imagined.
Mr Walters turned slightly toward Ellie.
“There’s something else.”
Ellie looked up.
“You’ll be attending the same school as them starting tomorrow.”
Silence.
Ellie froze.
“…What?”
Her mother gently touched her hand. “It’s a good school, Ellie…”
But Ellie wasn’t listening.
Her eyes slowly moved across the table.
All three brothers.
Same school.
Same space.
Every day.
Darius dropped his fork.
Jayden’s smirk disappeared instantly.
Ethan finally looked up from his phone.
“What?” Jayden said sharply.
Mr Walters remained calm. “It’s already decided.”
“That’s not funny,” Darius said coldly, standing up slightly.
“I don’t do distractions,” Jayden added, voice sharper now.
Ethan clicked his tongue. “Too much drama.”
One by one—
They pushed back their chairs.
And just like that…
They left the dining room.
No finishing their food.
No goodnight.
Just anger.
And silence.
Ellie sat still.
“…Did I do something wrong?” she whispered.
Her mother shook her head quickly. “No, no… it’s not you.”
But Ellie didn’t feel convinced.
⸻
Mr Walters sighed softly. “They’ll adjust.”
But Ellie wasn’t sure she wanted to stay long enough for that.
Time passed slowly.
The mansion outside her room was completely quiet now.
Even the AI system didn’t speak again.
For the first time since arriving, Ellie was alone.
But not at peace.
She couldn’t sleep.
Her thoughts kept replaying everything.
Her father in jail.
Her mother’s sudden marriage.
This house.
These brothers.
And that look from the first one.
Cold. Sharp. Unmoving.
Ellie stood up suddenly.
“I need air…”
She walked toward the balcony again and gently pushed the doors open.
The night air was cool.
From her balcony, she could see the entire backyard of the mansion.
Lights around the pool glowed softly, reflecting off the water.
Everything looked too perfect.
Too quiet.
Too controlled.
Then she noticed movement.
Someone was in the pool.
Ellie stepped closer to the railing slightly.
And recognized him instantly.
Darius.
The first brother.
He was swimming alone.
Slow, strong strokes cutting through the water like he was trying to erase something from his mind.
No music.
No phone.
No distraction.
Just silence and water.
Ellie watched for a moment without meaning to.
He wasn’t cold like before.
Not angry.
Not rude.
Just… distant.
Like the world didn’t exist to him right now.
Suddenly—
Darius stopped swimming.
He stood in the water.
And slowly turned his head upward.
For a moment…
His eyes landed exactly on her balcony.
Ellie froze.
Her breath caught.
She quickly stepped back from the railing, heart suddenly racing.
“…Did he see me?” she whispered.
Silence.
No movement.
No reaction from below.
Ellie slowly backed into her room and pulled the curtains closed.
Leaning against the wall, she pressed a hand to her chest.
Why does it feel like I’m already being pulled into something I don’t understand…?
Three brothers.
Three different dangers.
And she had only just arrived.
Ellie stayed pressed against the wall for a moment, her heart still unsettled.
The image wouldn’t leave her mind.
Darius.
In the pool.
And that brief moment when his eyes lifted… straight toward her balcony.
💭 ELLIE’S THOUGHTS
He saw me… didn’t he?
She shook her head quickly.
“No… no, he probably didn’t,” she whispered to herself.
But even as she said it, she didn’t fully believe it.
This house made everything feel intentional.
Like nothing happened by accident.
Ellie walked back to her bed and sat down slowly.
The room was still beautiful.
Still too perfect.
But now it didn’t feel comforting anymore.
It felt like a space inside a much bigger system.
A system she didn’t understand.
Her father’s face flashed in her mind again.
The shouting. The fear. The violence.
She closed her eyes tightly.
At least he’s gone…
But peace still didn’t come.
⸻
Her mother’s decision came next.
He’s a good man…
Ellie exhaled bitterly.
But what about his sons?
Downstairs, the mansion remained quiet.
Too quiet.
But not empty.
Somewhere inside it, footsteps moved in silence.
Doors opened and closed softly.
And the house AI system monitored everything without speaking.
A faint digital tone activated briefly.
“Night security mode engaged.”
“Residents logged.”
Then silence again.
Watching.
Waiting.
Ellie finally lay down on her bed, staring at the ceiling.
Sleep refused to come.
Her mind kept replaying everything:
• The cold brother
• The flirty dangerous one
• The silent third one
• The mansion
• The school announcement
• And that moment at the pool
She turned on her side.
“…What am I even doing here?” she whispered.
No answer came.
Of course.
Hours passed slowly.
The sky outside her balcony began to lighten.
A new day was coming.
Ellie didn’t sleep much.
And she could already feel it.
Today wasn’t going to be normal.
Not in this house.
Not with those brothers.
- Writer
