Chapter - 8
1675 Words
Nyx let out another tired sigh as she stared at the two tiny mice sitting near her.
"I'm sorry," she whispered softly. "I couldn't bring anything for you two to eat today."
The mice twitched their whiskers as if they understood her words.
Strangely enough, they always seemed to.
They simply continued staring at her quietly while she spoke, their tiny black eyes fixed on her bruised figure.
"A lot has happened these past few days," Nyx continued weakly, resting her head against the side of the bed. "Everything became so overwhelming that I didn't even have time to think about myself… let alone anyone else."
Her voice grew quieter with every word.
Another exhausted sigh escaped her lips.
"I wonder what it feels like," she murmured, "to actually have a family that supports you."
Her eyes lowered toward the floor.
"A family that listens to you… guides you… comforts you when things become difficult."
A bitter smile formed on her swollen lips.
"At least you two have each other," she whispered while looking at the mice. "But me… I'm completely alone."
Silence filled the room afterward.
The only sound was the faint ticking of the old clock hanging outside her bedroom door.
After several minutes, Nyx spoke again.
"I wonder how Parker and the others are doing right now."
Her thoughts drifted toward the small café where she worked.
By now, it was probably close to lunchtime — the busiest time of the day.
"They must be struggling with customers," she muttered quietly. "Parker is probably running around yelling at everyone while trying to handle ten things at once."
Despite everything, a faint genuine smile crossed her face at the thought.
Then the smile slowly faded.
"I hope they won't worry too much about me," she whispered. "I don't think my family is going to let me leave the house anytime soon… not with everything happening."
Suddenly, Nyx froze.
A thought struck her mind so abruptly that her tired eyes widened slightly.
*I could ask them for help.*
Parker and the others had always told her she could rely on them whenever she was in trouble.
For a brief moment, hope flickered inside her chest.
But it disappeared just as quickly.
Nyx slowly shook her head.
"No…" she muttered.
She didn't even have her phone anymore.
And worse…
Mr. Romano frightened her.
There was something dangerous about him — something cold and unsettling hidden beneath his calm exterior.
She couldn't drag innocent people into this mess.
Especially not Parker and the café staff.
Her fingers curled tightly against the floor.
"But if not Parker… then who?"
She went silent for a moment before suddenly sitting up slightly despite the pain shooting through her body.
"The police."
The words slipped out almost unconsciously.
"Yes… I can go to the police."
Her breathing became uneven as thoughts rushed through her mind.
Surely someone like Mr. Romano couldn't be above the law… right?
Yes, he seemed dangerous.
Powerful too.
But not powerful enough to control the entire police force… right?
And even if some officers were corrupted or connected to him somehow…
At least she would know she had tried.
Nyx swallowed hard.
*What's the worst that could happen?*
Another beating? Wedding date moving even closer?
Neither possibility frightened her as much as the thought of giving up without resisting.
Still…
Not now.
Her body ached too badly to endure another punishment.
And rushing blindly would only make things worse.
"No…" she whispered to herself. "I need to wait."
She needed the right opportunity.
A moment when their guards were lowered.
Or perhaps she needed to create such a moment herself.
But before making any move, she needed a backup plan in case things went wrong.
Because if she failed once…
She doubted they would ever let her out of their sight again.
Exhaustion slowly consumed her thoughts after that.
Her swollen eyes grew heavier and heavier until she could no longer fight the pull of sleep.
And eventually, with the two mice curled quietly near her side, Nyx allowed unconsciousness to take her.
Sleep, when it finally came, was mercifully dreamless
The following morning, a harsh knock on the door jolted Nyx awake.
The sudden sound startled the two mice sleeping beside her. They squeaked softly before quickly scurrying back toward their hiding holes beneath the cupboard.
“Nyx! Wake up!” Rosa’s sharp voice echoed from outside as she continued banging on the door.
“I-I’m awake,” Nyx replied weakly.
Groaning softly in pain, she forced herself up from the floor. The moment she stood, agony shot through her bruised body, making her knees buckle dangerously beneath her.
She nearly collapsed.
Barely managing to steady herself against the wall, Nyx took several shaky breaths before stumbling toward the door and opening it.
Rosa stood outside with her arms folded tightly across her chest, one foot tapping impatiently against the floor.
Her expression twisted with irritation the moment she saw Nyx’s exhausted appearance.
“Take a bath and get ready,” Rosa ordered coldly. “Mr. Romano has arranged a teacher for your bridal training. She’ll be here any minute.”
Nyx stiffened.
“And listen carefully,” Rosa continued while narrowing her eyes dangerously. “If I hear even a single complaint about you misbehaving, refusing instructions, or causing trouble…” She stepped closer, glaring at Nyx as if she wanted to devour her alive. “Then yesterday’s beating will look merciful compared to what happens next.”
Nyx instinctively flinched.
“And you can say goodbye to your precious pendant forever.”
At those words, Nyx’s face paled immediately.
Her trembling fingers instinctively rose toward her collarbone — reaching for something that was no longer there.
“Do you understand?” Rosa demanded sharply.
Nyx nodded meekly, too weak to protest.
“Yes…”
Satisfied by her frightened reaction, Rosa finally smirked.
“Good.”
Without another word, she turned and walked away.
After Rosa walked away, Nyx remained standing there for a few seconds, too exhausted to move immediately. Her eyes drifted toward the small window across the room. Outside, the world continued as normal.
People walked down the street below, cars passed by, and somewhere in the distance, laughter echoed faintly through the morning air — a life that felt impossibly far away from her now.
A small bird suddenly landed on the windowsill and tilted its tiny head and chirped once, as though it were asking if she was alright, almost making her smile.
For a brief moment, she wondered what it would feel like to be something born with wings. To live freely and to fly wherever you want.
Then the thought faded just as quickly, dismissing it as her mind's way of keeping the depression at bay.
With a tired sigh, Nyx turned away from the window and walked toward the washroom to prepare for the bridal training.
After forcing herself to bathe and clean the dried blood from her injuries, Nyx stepped out of the washroom wearing fresh clothes, just as the trainer arrived.
The woman looked to be in her late forties, dressed elegantly with her hair tied into a perfect bun and a cold, judgmental expression permanently resting on her face.
Rosa greeted her politely before leading her toward the grandmother’s room, where the training sessions would take place.
And thus began Nyx’s new routine.
From morning until lunchtime, she was forced to endure bridal training.
After lunch, she was expected to complete every household chore in the apartment without complaint.
The days that followed blurred together quickly. Every morning passed exactly the same way.
As if nothing had happened. As if Nyx wasn’t being slowly prepared like an object waiting to be handed over to someone else.
The only major difference was that she was no longer allowed to step outside the house — not even for household chores.
She was being watched constantly now.
The training itself disgusted her more and more with each passing day.
She was taught to lower her eyes and remain silent when spoken to. To pour wine gracefully and kneel beside her husband without hesitation. To smile pleasantly through discomfort. To wear whatever he chose without objection. And worst of all, to never refuse him. In anything.
Even lessons about how to “properly satisfy” her husband in bed were forced upon her without shame.
But honestly, Nyx wasn’t surprised.
She hadn’t expected anything better from a trainer sent by Mr. Romano.
The only things that kept Nyx going during those suffocating days were the small moments of comfort she found in the most unexpected places.
The two little mice still visited her from time to time, sneaking into her room whenever the house became quiet. Sometimes they curled up near her while she rested, while other times they simply sat nearby as if silently keeping her company.
And then there was the moon.
Almost every night, Nyx would sit near the small window in her room and stare endlessly at the pale silver light hanging in the dark sky above the city.
She often found herself wondering what freedom would feel like.
What it would feel like to breathe without fear.
To live without constantly waiting for pain.
Sometimes birds would land near her window as well.
At first, it happened only once or twice.
But eventually, they began visiting her often.
Whenever Nyx carefully stretched her hand toward them, the birds would hop onto her fingers without fear. Some even perched themselves gently on her shoulders, rubbing their tiny heads affectionately against her cheek as though trying to comfort her silent suffering.
Those moments felt strangely peaceful.
Almost unreal.
As if nature itself pitied her loneliness.
And truthfully…
If it hadn’t been for those tiny creatures — the mice, the birds, and the silent comfort of the moonlight — Nyx felt she would have given up on life long ago.
So she endured.
Quietly.
Patiently.
Waiting for the perfect moment to finally make her move.
- Writer
