Rules of the Game
~NICHOLAS'S POV~
The door to Simone's room clicked shut with a finality that echoed through the hallway. Seven days.
That's how long I had kept her confined after her escape attempt, visiting only to deliver meals and watch her eat in silence.
It wasn't cruelty, though I'm sure she saw it that way. It was education.
Now, as I stood outside her door on the morning of the eighth day, I could hear movement inside. Restless pacing, the sound of books being moved.
Simone Alejandro wasn't built for isolation…she'd been surrounded by family, servants, and admirers her entire life. The silence would have been deafening.
Good. That meant she was ready to listen.
I knocked once before entering. She stood by the window, still in the same black dress she'd worn to her fathe
