MAYA

The days that followed was a sequence of quiet hostility. Isabella played the part of the devoted, newlywed wife on a permanent honeymoon, trailing Silas through the mansion like they were bonded by something deeper than a shared history of cruelty. To anyone watching, it looked like the incident of that day had only brought them closer.

In the mansion, I was invisible to Silas. He stayed silent, allowing Isabella to occupy every inch of his space, which only gave her more confidence to get on my nerves at every turn. I survived by ignoring her taunts until they felt like noise.

At the office, Silas was different—professional, sharp,...