CHAPTER 2: A wolf in a silk cage
302 Words
Evelyn Ashford lay still for exactly three minutes after waking.
Not because she was confused—but because she was assessing.
Breathing: shallow.
Muscle tone: weak.
Heart rate: irregular.
Pain threshold: laughable.
This body would not survive a minute of her old life.
“Status panel loading,” the system chimed calmly.
A translucent screen appeared before her eyes.
Host: Evelyn Ashford
Physical Condition: Severely weakened
Threat Level: High
Social Standing: Low
System Rating: Dormant (initial awakening)
Evelyn closed her eyes briefly.
Pathetic.
Footsteps sounded outside the door. Voices—sharp, impatient.
“She’s still pretending to be sick?” a woman scoffed.
“She’s always sick. Embarrassing,” another replied.
Her lips curved faintly.
Pretending.
The door burst open. A young woman stepped inside, dressed flawlessly, her eyes filled with thinly veiled disdain. Evelyn recognized her instantly.
Half-sister.
The one who stole her fiancé.
The one who smiled while the original Evelyn died.
“Evelyn,” the woman said sweetly. “You’re finally awake. Father wants you downstairs. Try not to faint in front of the guests this time.”
Evelyn slowly pushed herself upright.
The room went quiet.
Something had changed.
Her gaze—calm, cold, razor-sharp—locked onto her half-sister’s face.
“Get out,” Evelyn said softly.
The woman blinked. “What did you say?”
“I said,” Evelyn repeated, voice level, “leave my room.”
A chill crept up the woman’s spine.
She laughed awkwardly. “Have you lost your mind?”
Evelyn tilted her head.
“Ding. Threat Detection activated.”
“Recommended action: psychological dominance.”
She smiled—slow, dangerous.
“You took something that was never yours,” Evelyn said. “Enjoy it while it lasts.”
The half-sister staggered back instinctively.
This was not the Evelyn she knew.
- Writer
