Chapter 4 - THE GOLDEN CAGE
"I'm in here!" I called out, my voice slightly breathless as I scrambled to my feet. I hurried to the door and unlocked it, putting on the best performance of my life.
Alejandro stood in the hallway, his eyes scanning the room over my shoulder. "What are you doing in your father's study? I thought you were lying down."
"I was looking for a book," I lied, forcing a nostalgic smile. "I couldn't sleep. I just felt like... being close to him for a minute."
Alejandro's gaze lingered on the Persian rug. He stepped into the room, his expensive shoes silent on the hardwood. "You know, this room always depresses you. We should really clear it out. I'll have my team come pack up his things next week."
"No," I said, a little too quickly. I caught myself. "I mean, let me do it. It's family. I should be the one to sort through his life."
He watched me for a long, agonizing second. Then, a slow smile spread across his face. It was the smile of a predator. "Of course, darling. Whatever you need."
He kissed my forehead, but his lips felt like ice. As he walked away, I realized the terrifying truth of my reality. Alejandro wasn't my savior. He was my handler. He had married me to ensure the family's secrets stayed buried in my bed. He had orchestrated the destruction of the only man who truly loved me, and he had done it with a smile.
I needed to get out. I needed to find Robert. And I needed to burn my family's empire to the ground.
That night, I waited until Alejandro’s breathing leveled out into a deep, rhythmic sleep. I slipped out of bed, dressed in dark clothes, and grabbed a pre-paid burner phone I kept for emergencies. I took the cash from my hidden emergency fund in my closet. I left my wedding ring on the nightstand.
May you like
I bypassed the security system using the master code I wasn't supposed to know, slipping out the servant's entrance. The Chicago night was humid and thick. I took a cab to the South Side, watching the glittering skyscrapers fade into cracked pavement and flickering streetlights.
I was going to war.
