6:00 AM – The Silent War Begins
The mansion was quiet.
Too quiet.
Isabella stood in the grand hallway, her fingers curling into fists.
Ethan had led her inside without a word, his presence a dark shadow beside her.
She should say something.
Anything.
But what was there to say?
That she hated him?
That she would rather burn this house to the ground than stay here?
That a part of her—a part she despised—felt relief?
Because at least here, she knew the rules.
Knew him.
Knew that if she played the game right, she might just survive.
---
6:05 AM – A Dangerous Welcome
Ethan's voice broke the silence.
"You should rest."
She stiffened.
That was it?
She expected—what?
A lecture?
Mockery?
Some twisted declaration of victory?
Instead, he was acting as if she had willingly walked in, as if she hadn't just watched the only person she trusted be dragged away.
Her throat burned with the need to lash out.
To scream.
But what good would it do?
So she swallowed the anger, forcing her expression into something unreadable.
"I don't need rest."
Ethan let out a soft chuckle.
"Of course, you do. You've been running for too long."
Running.
The word sliced through her.
Yes, she had been running.
But wasn't that the only way to survive him?
And now she had stopped.
Did that mean she had already lost?
---
6:10 AM – The Room That Was Never Hers
Ethan opened a door at the end of the hallway.
Her old room.
Untouched.
As if she had never left.
As if the past three months hadn't happened.
Her fingers hovered over the doorknob.
She had sworn never to set foot in this room again.
And yet—
Here she was.
Ethan watched her with quiet amusement, his arms crossed.
"Go inside, Isabella."
A command.
Soft, but undeniable.
Would she obey?
Would she step inside and let this house, this prison, swallow her whole?
Or would she stand her ground?
Her nails dug into her palms.
She had already lost the battle today.
But the war?
No.
Not yet.
She turned to face him, lifting her chin.
"I'll stay," she said, voice steady, "but not in this room."
Something flickered in his gaze.
Amusement?
Surprise?
Perhaps even approval?
Then he smirked.
"Fine."
And just like that, he turned away.
Leaving her to wonder—
Had she won a small victory?
Or had she just walked deeper into his trap?
---
7:00 AM – The Weight of Silence
The guest room was unfamiliar.
Cold.
Isabella sat on the bed, her arms wrapped around her knees.
The mansion was too quiet without Lena.
Without the sound of her voice, her laughter, her fight.
Would she be okay out there?
Would she really come back?
Would she keep her promise?
A bitter laugh escaped her lips.
Why did it even matter?
Lena wasn't the one trapped in a house with a man who had ruined her life.
No, that was all her.
Alone.
Completely and utterly alone.
---
8:30 AM – Breakfast with a Monster
She hadn't planned on leaving the room.
Hadn't planned on facing him again so soon.
But hunger was a cruel enemy.
And so, she found herself in the dining hall.
And there he was.
Sitting at the head of the table.
Ethan looked up as she entered, his lips curling into that infuriating smirk.
"I was starting to think you'd never come out."
Isabella ignored him, moving toward the food.
His gaze followed her every movement.
Watching.
Waiting.
Would he mention Lena?
Would he push her for answers?
Would he—
"Sit with me."
She froze.
Of course.
Of course, he wouldn't just let her eat in peace.
Her jaw clenched.
But refusing him now would be a mistake.
So she sat.
Not too close.
Not too far.
Just enough to remind him—
She wasn't his, no matter what he thought.
---
8:35 AM – The First Game Begins
Ethan poured himself coffee, his movements slow, deliberate.
Then, he poured another cup.
And slid it toward her.
She didn't touch it.
Didn't react.
His smirk widened.
"You still don't trust me?"
She let out a dry laugh.
"Should I?"
He didn't answer immediately.
Didn't deny it.
Instead, he leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table.
"Trust isn't necessary," he said. "Loyalty is."
Loyalty.
The word sent a chill down her spine.
Hadn't that been the problem all along?
That Ethan expected her loyalty without earning it?
That he thought control was the same as devotion?
Her fingers curled around her fork.
Slowly, she met his gaze.
"And what if I don't have any loyalty left to give?"
Something dark flashed in his eyes.
And for the first time since she walked back through those doors—
She saw it.
A crack in his armor.
A flicker of something close to doubt.