The soft touch of Nurse Elise's hand on my shoulder should've been comforting. Her voice,gentle, quiet,should've brought relief. But something about the way she spoke tonight felt...off.
"I'm here, okay?" she said, crouching beside me. "You're not alone in this."
Her words wrapped around me like a warm blanket, but the chill in my spine refused to ease. Maybe it was the way she kept glancing at the door. Maybe it was how she flinched when I cried. Or maybe it was just my nerves unraveling.
Still, I let her hold me.
I let her speak those soft lies, because for a moment, I wanted to believe someone was on my side.
Then the door opened.
Elise stiffened instantly, her hand recoiling from my arm like she'd touched fire. And when I looked up, the person standing there was the one who set my world ablaze.
Kendrick.
His presence filled the room like smoke—suffocating, inescapable. His gaze swept the space, landing on Elise first, then slowly on me.
"Elise," he said coolly, like they were familiar. Too familiar. "Come."
I blinked. Come?
Elise stood without hesitation, smoothing the front of her uniform as if nothing was out of place.
"Yes, sir," she replied.
Sir.
My stomach twisted. What the hell?
Neither of them spared me a second glance as they stepped into the hallway. The door didn't shut fully behind them. And maybe that was their mistake.
I waited.
Counted to ten.
Then slid silently from the bed, ignoring the ache in my limbs, and padded barefoot to the door. I cracked it open just enough to peer out—and saw them walking side by side down the hallway.
Close.
Too close.
I followed. Quiet as a shadow.
They turned down the corridor that led to Kendrick's private study. I ducked behind a corner, my heart thudding in my throat. When they stopped just outside the double doors, I crouched behind a column, close enough to hear.
"She's still resistant," Elise said in a clipped whisper. "You were too rough. She's starting to lose trust in everything."
"She doesn't need trust," Kendrick replied coldly. "She needs fear."
A chill sliced through me.
"You said we'd ease her into it," Elise snapped, surprising me with her boldness. "This—this wasn't the plan."
"She tried to escape. Again." Kendrick's voice was darker now. "She needs to learn obedience. You're not here to question me. You're here to make sure she stays alive long enough to break."
My knees went weak. I clutched the wall for support.
Elise... she was never on my side.
"She's more fragile than you think," Elise said, lowering her voice. "If you push too far, she might"
"She won't," Kendrick interrupted. "She's stronger than she looks. That's why I chose her. That's why we need her."
I clamped a hand over my mouth, biting back a sob. My lungs burned. My heart shattered.
Elise had been in on this from the start. The comforting nurse, the soft whispers, the warm hand on my back—it was all part of the game. Part of the control. And I had fallen right into it.
I backed away slowly, careful not to make a sound.
My world spun.
The one person I had trusted… the only light in this darkness… had been placed here to keep me caged.
To keep me silenced.
I stumbled back to my room, nausea rising in my throat. The bed was still warm from where I'd sat moments ago—naively believing someone cared.
I crawled into the corner of the room, wrapping my arms around my knees as the truth settled like poison in my gut.
I was alone.
Truly, terrifyingly alone.
And if I wanted out of this silk-covered prison, I would have to save myself....