Chapter 2: The Gilded Cage
361 Words
The Blackwood Estate was more like a fortress than a home. As the massive iron(gates) groaned open, Evelyn felt her heart sink. This was where she would spend the next year of her life—not as a woman, but as a possession.
"Get out," Ethan said coldly as the Rolls-Royce came to a halt. He didn't offer her a hand; he didn't even look at her. He was already checking his emails on his phone, the blue light making his sharp features look like carved marble.
Evelyn stepped out, clutching her small suitcase. It contained everything she owned, which wasn't much. Compared to the marble pillars and the crystal chandeliers of the foyer, she felt like a stray cat invited into a palace.
"Mrs. Lee will show you to your room," Ethan commanded, walking past her without a second glance. "Be ready by seven. We are having dinner with my grandfather. If you ruin this, the deal is off."
"Wait!" Evelyn called out, her voice echoing in the vast hall.
Ethan stopped but didn't turn around. "What?"
"Where is... where is your room?" she asked, her face heating up.
This time, Ethan turned. A cruel smirk played on his lips. He walked back toward her until he was inches away, his shadow completely enveloping her. He reached out, his cold fingers brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
"Don't worry, Evelyn. We aren't there yet," he whispered, his hot breath fanning her cheek. "You’ll sleep in the guest wing. I have no interest in sharing a bed with a woman who had to sell herself to me."
He pulled away, leaving her shivering in the cold air.
"Seven o'clock. Don't be late."
As he disappeared up the grand staircase, Evelyn stood alone in the center of the hall. The luxury around her felt suffocating. She looked at the contract in her mind—it was a gilded cage, and the door had just been locked from the outside.
But she had to endure it. For her father. For her family. Even if it meant living with a monster who saw her as nothing more than a business transaction.
- Writer
