The doors closed behind me with a heavy sound.
Click.
Not just a door closing—more like a decision being made for me.
I turned immediately.
"Open this door. I want to leave."
My voice echoed through the grand hallway, but no one answered.
Of course.
He was already walking away.
Alexander Blackwood didn't even look back.
"Hey!" I rushed after him, my footsteps sharp against the marble floor. "You can't just bring me here and ignore me!"
He stopped.
Slowly.
Then turned his head slightly, just enough for me to see the side of his face.
"You're loud," he said calmly.
I blinked.
"What?"
"In this house," he continued, finally turning to face me fully, "noise is unnecessary."
My jaw tightened.
"This isn't a prison," I said quickly.
A pause.
Then his eyes darkened slightly.
"No," he replied. "It's worse."
My stomach dropped.
"What does that mean?"
He stepped closer again. Not rushing. Not aggressive.
Just… certain.
"You will follow three rules," he said.
"I'm not following anything you say."
His gaze held mine.
Rule one: don't interrupt me."
I scoffed. "I just said—"
Rule two: don't leave this house without permission."
My heart jumped.
"And rule three…"
He leaned in slightly.
"…don't lie to me."
Silence.
The air felt heavier now.
"I don't belong to you," I said quietly, though my voice had lost some strength.
For a moment, something flickered in his eyes.
Something unreadable.
Then he turned away.
"You will," he said simply.
My hands curled into fists.
"That's insane."
"Maybe," he replied again, like it meant nothing to him.
He started walking up the stairs.
I followed immediately.
"Wait! I'm not staying in your house like some—some prisoner!"
He didn't stop.
"You are not a prisoner," he said over his shoulder.
"Then let me go!"
He paused at the top of the stairs.
Slowly turned.
His voice dropped lower.
"You are a guest who doesn't understand she's already involved."
My breath caught.
"Involved in what?"
But instead of answering, he looked toward one of the doors down the hall.
"Your room is prepared."
I froze.
"My what?"
He finally met my eyes again.
And this time, there was no emotion at all.
"You'll stay there until you learn how my world works."
My chest tightened.
"I didn't agree to this."
"No," he said. "You didn't."
Then he walked away.
Just like that.
Leaving me standing in a mansion I didn't choose.
Surrounded by silence.
And rules I didn't understand.
I slowly turned toward the hallway.
Everything felt too big.
Too quiet.
Too controlled.
I walked toward the door he indicated.
My hand hesitated on the handle.
Then I pushed it open.
And froze.
The room wasn't just a room.
It was designed like someone expected me.
Like someone had been waiting for me.
The bed.
The clothes.
Even the flowers on the table.
All carefully chosen.
My heartbeat quickened.
"No…" I whispered.
This wasn't preparation.
This was expectation.
And somewhere in this house…
Alexander Blackwood already believed I would stay.