The house changed again after I collapsed.
Not in ways anyone announced.
But in the small things.
The quiet things.
More guards.
More eyes.
More silence.
No one said it out loud, but I could feel it.
Everything now revolved around me.
Or more specifically…
what I carried.
I wasn't allowed out of the room for the rest of that day.
Or the next morning.
Or even the afternoon after that.
"You're overdoing it," I muttered.
Cyprian stood near the window, one hand braced against the frame as he spoke quietly into his phone.
He didn't respond immediately.
Just finished whatever conversation he was having before ending the call.
"You fainted."
"I didn't faint. I…"
"You lost consciousness."
I exhaled, pressing my head back against the pillows.
"That sounds worse when you say it like that."
"It is worse."
My eyes narrowed slightly.
"I'm not made of glass."
"No," he said calmly, turning to face me.
"But you are carrying something that is."
That shut me up.
Again.
As he stepped away from the window, I noticed it.
The slight stiffness in his movement.
The way his shoulder didn't fully relax.
The injury.
He had changed the shirt.
Covered the wound.
But it was still there.
Still affecting him.
"You should sit," I said without thinking.
His gaze snapped to me.
"I'm fine."
"That's exactly what you said while you were bleeding in the car."
A pause.
His jaw tightened slightly.
"I don't need your concern."
The words were calm.
But final.
Something in my chest tightened.
"I wasn't…"
I stopped.
Because I was.
I looked away instead.
"Forget it."
Silence stretched between us.
Thick.
Then…
a knock at the door.
"Come in."
Claire stepped inside.
Her expression softened the moment she saw me.
"How are you feeling?"
"Like a prisoner."
"That's because you are," she said lightly, then glanced briefly at Cyprian.
A mistake.
The air shifted.
"Protected," he corrected.
Claire didn't respond.
But the look she gave him said enough.
He ignored it.
"Five minutes," he said.
My brows furrowed.
"What?"
"You can walk. Five minutes. Outside. With her."
My eyes widened slightly.
"Five minutes?"
"Six, if you behave."
Despite everything…
I almost smiled.
The garden felt different this time.
Not peaceful.
Watched.
Two guards behind us.
Another stationed at the far end.
And one near the entrance.
Cyprian wasn't here.
But somehow…
he still was.
"You okay?" Claire asked softly.
"I'm fine."
"You don't look fine."
"I never do anymore."
She smiled faintly.
Then it faded.
"You scared me."
I didn't respond immediately.
"I scared myself."
We walked in silence for a moment.
Then…
I noticed him.
Adrian.
Standing near the far side of the garden, speaking with one of the guards.
His posture relaxed.
Calm.
But when his eyes lifted…
and landed on Claire…
Everything changed.
Subtle.
But there.
His focus sharpened.
Claire saw it too.
And immediately looked away.
Too quickly.
Something wasn't right.
"Claire."
"You should head back," she said suddenly.
I frowned.
"Why?"
"Just go. I'll come in a minute."
Her tone was off.
Sharp.
I looked between her and Adrian…
who was already walking toward us…
and sighed softly.
"Five minutes," I said.
She nodded.
But didn't look at me.
I turned, letting the guards guide me back slowly.
But I didn't go far.
Not really.
Because something told me to stay.
"You've been avoiding me."
Adrian's voice was calm.
"Have I?"
"Yes."
"Maybe I just don't like liars."
Silence.
Heavy.
I stilled.
"Who told you?" he asked.
"So it's true."
"That depends on what you heard."
Claire finally looked at him.
"Are you married?"
A pause.
"Yes."
Something in her expression broke.
"You should have said that."
"You didn't ask."
Her eyes flashed.
"Oh, so it's my fault?"
"That's not what I said."
"But it's what you meant."
Adrian exhaled slowly.
"It's complicated."
Claire laughed sharply.
"It always is."
"You're not listening."
"And you're not honest."
Something shifted in him.
"You don't get to walk away without hearing the full story."
"I don't owe you that."
"And I don't owe you silence."
She froze slightly.
His voice had changed.
Possessive.
"You don't get to judge me based on half the truth."
"Then maybe you should have given me the full truth."
"I was going to."
"When?"
Silence.
That was enough.
She turned.
But his hand caught her wrist.
Firm.
Stopping her.
"You're not walking away like this."
"Let go."
"Not until you listen."
"Let go."
A pause.
Then….
he released her.
"Fine."
She didn't wait.
She walked away.
Fast.
Back toward me.
"Let's go."
I nodded.
But as we walked back inside….
I felt it.
Everything tightening.
Later that evening, I saw him again.
Cyprian.
Standing in the hallway, speaking with one of his men.
His posture straight.
Controlled.
But his hand…
briefly…
pressed against his side.
The injured arm.
Subtle.
But I saw it.
And this time…
I didn't ignore it.
"You should rest."
The words came out before I could stop them.
He turned slowly.
"I told you…"
"You're injured."
"And I told you I'm fine."
"You're not."
A pause.
The guard beside him stepped back slightly.
Sensing it.
The tension.
"You're bleeding through the bandage," I added quietly.
His eyes darkened slightly.
But he didn't look down.
Didn't check.
Just looked at me.
"I don't need you worrying about me."
Something about that…
Hit harder than it should have.
"I'm not worried."
A lie.
A bad one.
His gaze lingered for a second longer.
Like he didn't believe me.
Then…
he turned away.
"Get back to your room."
Dismissed.
Just like that.
I stood there for a moment.
Then turned.
Because there was nothing else to do.
The staff tension didn't take long to show itself.
A glance.
Too long.
A whisper.
Too quiet.
Then…
words.
"She's the reason everything changed."
"Look at her… acting like she belongs here."
"She doesn't even look like anything special."
I kept walking.
Like I didn't hear it.
But I did.
Every word.
One of them stepped closer as I passed.
"So this is what gets his attention now."
I stopped.
Turned slowly.
Our eyes met.
Cold.
Measuring.
She smiled faintly.
"Be careful."
Her gaze dropped….
to my stomach.
"Things that don't belong…"
A pause.
"…don't last long here."
A chill ran through me.
But I didn't react.
I couldn't.
So I walked away.
But this time…
I knew.
This wasn't just tension anymore.
It was building into something worse.
And somewhere in this house…
someone was waiting for the right moment.