Chapter 29: Shackles
Thick darkness had settled over the old street, broken only by a few weak, flickering lights. The wind cut like knives, driving every last pedestrian away with its merciless cold.
"Cough, cough."
Margaret lowered her head as another quiet, painful cough escaped. A feverish flush colored her delicate cheeks.
The sound made Julian stop what he was doing. Seeing her pale and fragile like that, he asked gently, "You okay? Maybe you should go see a doctor?"
"I'm fine. My throat's just irritated. I'll take some more medicine tomorrow and it'll pass."
Margaret turned toward him with a smile, half her face hidden behind a mask, her large eyes still bright and strikingly beautiful.
"Alright. Just take care of yourself, okay? Wear warmer clothes so you don't get any worse."
"Mhm. You know, Julian… you're actually pretty good at looking out for people."
"Not really… Come on, let's finish up. Time to clock out."
Julian went back to work, quickly handling the remaining food containers. He grabbed both their backpacks, handed Margaret hers, said goodbye to the owner, and stepped out of the Fast Feast Diner with her.
The night air was brutally cold. Their thin school uniforms offered almost no protection. Body heat seemed to vanish into the wind. Suddenly, a sleek black car sped up and stopped smoothly at the curb.
The window rolled down. Isabella smiled warmly, a hint of apology in her voice. "Sorry I'm late, Jules. Something came up at the last minute."
"It's okay. I'm really grateful you came at all, Isabella."
"Heh." Isabella's eyes softened with affection as she looked past him at Margaret. "Margaret, why don't you hop in too? Your sister will give you a ride home."
"No need. I can walk."
"Come on, it's late. It's not safe for a girl to walk alone this time of night."
"Yeah, and it's freezing out. You don't want to make your cold worse," Julian added, opening the back door and motioning for her to get in.
Cold wind brushed across her face, lifting strands of her long hair. Margaret blinked, hesitating for a few seconds as she looked at Julian's face. In the end, she climbed into the car and sat beside him.
Streetlights flashed past the windows as the car sped smoothly down the road. The familiar alley entrance drew closer.
Isabella glanced up at the rearview mirror. In the back seat, Julian and Margaret sat quietly, both staring out at the cold, empty streets.
"You can drop me off here," Margaret said softly. The car came to a gentle stop. "Thank you, Isabella. See you tomorrow, Julian."
"See you."
"Bye, Margaret."
Isabella turned her head to say goodbye as the door closed with a soft thud. She started the engine again. Her long lashes lifted slightly as she studied Julian in the mirror, the tip of her tongue tracing her teeth.
"Missing her already, Jules?" she asked in that soft, sweet voice, her gaze lingering on his figure.
"Huh? Missing who?"
"Margaret, of course. You looked like you didn't want to say goodbye to your pretty classmate."
"Come on, Isabella. Stop teasing me."
"Fine, fine. Your sister won't say anything more."
Isabella's eyes curved with amusement as she drove skillfully back to the old apartment complex. She parked smoothly, got out with him, and closed the door. Then she stepped right beside him.
Noticing how he was shivering in his thin uniform, she suddenly unwound the bright red scarf from around her own neck and looped it around his. She adjusted it carefully, nodding in satisfaction.
"It looks good on you. It's yours now."
"I'm not that cold. You should keep it, Isabella."
"Your nose is already red from the wind and you're still denying it." She lightly tapped the tip of his nose, then took his hand and started leading him toward home.
"I-Isabella?"
The sudden contact caught him off guard. Even though Isabella had never been shy about being physical before, he still wasn't used to it. The warmth of a girl's skin against his always made him strangely sensitive.
"What's wrong? Your classmate can hold your hand, but your sister can't?"
"It's not that… Margaret was just… Never mind."
Isabella gripped his hand tightly. Julian didn't resist. Her long, slender fingers were soft and smooth as they wove between his, playfully yet possessively stroking.
"Let's hurry. Your sister will make you something warm and filling."
"Yeah… thanks."
Her grip was surprisingly strong, almost forceful, as if she were afraid he might pull away. After so many years apart, she refused to let even one more day pass without him close by.
The solid feel of his fingers in hers filled her with deep satisfaction. This beautiful boy belonged to her. He was meant to be held firmly in her grasp—untouchable by anyone else.
If he ever tried to run…
Their footsteps stopped in front of the dark door. Isabella unlocked it and turned to him with a smile. "Come eat at my place first. You can go home after."
"Okay."
Julian followed her inside and slipped on the spare slippers. The apartment already felt completely different from when she had first returned. Most things had been replaced with new ones, and everything was spotlessly clean. It felt far warmer and more inviting than his own place, even after living there for over ten years.
"Have a seat and watch some TV. I'll start cooking."
"Isabella… you haven't eaten yet either?"
"Nope. I was waiting for you to get off work." She tied on her apron and picked up a spatula, smiling at him. "You're even busier than your sister, Jules. Eating dinner this late."
"I have to make money somehow… You really don't have to wait for me. We have food at the diner."
"That half-cold fast food? Jules, you really…" Isabella sighed and turned to the cutting board. "Your sister enjoys taking care of you. Don't overthink it. Just like the old days—it's fine if you rely on me. If you need anything, just tell me."
"Alright. I will."
Julian nodded. He still couldn't fully understand why Isabella treated him with such intense kindness. The way she cared for him felt so natural to her, as if they were truly family and this was exactly how things were supposed to be.
"Oh right, did you finish your homework?" her gentle voice floated from the kitchen as she casually chatted with him.
"Yeah, I did it at school. I don't really have time once I get home."
"I see. You're such a hardworking boy. That's wonderful."
"It's not that impressive. I just don't have much choice."
The conversation fell into silence. Isabella rinsed the vegetables under cold running water, the icy flow sliding over her fingers. Old memories flickered across her eyes.
No choice…
She had once had no choice either. A discarded child of fate, stripped of power by ugly, greedy people and forced to live in the mud.
Now she stood at the top, holding the reins of power. Yet here she was, becoming just as ugly as they had been—selfishly determined to seize a boy who had already suffered so much.
The water stopped. Isabella turned off the faucet, shook the droplets from her hands, and tossed the vegetables into the hot pan.
Why should she care? She had never been a good person anyway. She would do whatever it took to get what she wanted. And this treasure… this one she would never, ever let go.