Chapter 13: What You’re Not Saying
779 Words
I shouldn’t have been thinking about what he said.
But I was.
I didn’t choose you because you’re weak.
The words stayed with me long after I left the elevator.
Long after I walked back into the room that still didn’t feel like mine.
Long after I sat down and triedunsuccessfully to quiet my thoughts.
It would have been easier if he had stayed cold.
Controlled.
Unmoved.
But that wasn’t what happened.
And somehow
That made this harder.
A soft knock broke the silence.
Again.
Always controlled.
Always expected.
“Yes?” I called.
The door opened, and one of the staff stepped in.
“Mr. Laurent asked me to bring this to you.”
She placed a small box on the table.
Elegant.
Minimal.
Expensive.
Of course.
“Thank you,” I said quietly.
She nodded and left.
The moment the door closed, I stared at the box.
Suspicious.
Curious.
Careful.
Slowly, I walked toward it.
Opened it.
And froze.
Inside
A bracelet.
Simple.
Delicate.
But unmistakably expensive.
My breath caught slightly.
This wasn’t random.
Nothing he did was random.
I lifted it carefully.
The metal was cool against my skin.
Precise.
Perfect.
Controlled.
Just like him.
A small note rested beneath it.
I hesitated.
Then unfolded it.
Wear it tonight.
That was it.
No explanation.
No message.
Just instruction.
My chest tightened.
“This isn’t an arrangement,” I whispered.
Not anymore.
Not like he said it was.
Because arrangements didn’t come with… this.
With attention.
With intention.
With something that felt
Personal.
The door opened again later.
This time without a knock.
I turned immediately.
Sebastian.
Of course.
His eyes moved to my wrist.
The bracelet.
He noticed instantly.
“You wore it.”
Not a question.
I crossed my arms lightly. “You told me to.”
A faint pause.
Then,
“I didn’t expect you to listen.”
That caught me off guard.
“You said it like I didn’t have a choice.”
“You always have a choice.”
There it was again.
That word.
Choice.
But this time,
It felt different.
Because I had chosen to wear it.
And that…
That meant something.
“Why?” I asked.
His gaze held mine.
“For appearance.”
Too quick.
Too simple.
Not enough.
“That’s not the real reason.”
A pause.
Longer this time.
Then
“It’s enough of one.”
I studied him.
Carefully.
“You keep giving half answers.”
“And you keep asking questions you’re not ready for.”
My breath caught slightly.
“That’s not fair.”
“Neither is this.”
Silence settled between us.
Heavy.
Unavoidable.
“You’re going out tonight,” he said.
I frowned. “Again?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“A function.”
Of course.
Always something.
Always somewhere.
Always… public.
“And I’m going with you.”
Not a question.
A statement.
“Yes.”
I let out a small breath.
“You really don’t give me time to adjust.”
“You’re adjusting.”
The certainty in his voice made something in me tighten again.
“Adapting isn’t the same as understanding.”
“No,” he agreed.
“It’s not.”
But he didn’t slow down.
Didn’t pause.
Didn’t reconsider.
Because for him
Understanding wasn’t required.
Only movement.
Only progress.
I glanced down at the bracelet again.
At the way it sat against my skin.
Perfect.
Intentional.
Unavoidable.
“This doesn’t feel like an arrangement,” I said quietly.
His gaze shifted slightly.
“How does it feel?”
I hesitated.
Then
“Like something else.”
A pause.
Then
“It is.”
The words were quiet.
Too quiet.
My heart skipped.
“What does that mean?”
He didn’t answer immediately.
Of course he didn’t.
Because that would be too easy.
Too clear.
Too honest.
Instead
“We’ll talk later,” he said.
And just like that
The moment was gone.
Closed.
Controlled again.
I watched him leave.
Again.
Always leaving first.
Always deciding when something started
And when it ended.
I looked down at my wrist once more.
At the bracelet.
At the quiet weight of it.
And something settled in my chest.
Not fear.
Not confusion.
Something else.
Something more dangerous.
Because the more time I spent in his world
The more I started to see it.
Not just the control.
Not just the power.
But the cracks.
The things he didn’t say.
The things he didn’t explain.
The things he kept just out of reach.
And I realized something.
If I wanted to survive this
I couldn’t just react.
I had to understand.
Even if he didn’t want me to.
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