A Prison In Disguise

Jenny sat by way of the massive window in her room, watching the locked gates of the mansion. The golden lights of the chandelier reflected off the polished marble ground, making the vicinity feel even greater like a palace. But no matter how beautiful it was, it turned into nonetheless a prison. She had back, however not with the aid of desire. Noah had compelled her to return to his global, using her fear in opposition to her.

She wrapped her palms around herself, feeling the load of the entirety crushing her. Her eyes burned, but she refused to cry. Crying could not change anything. She needed to suppose. She wished a way out.

The door creaked open, and she grew to become sharp, her heart pounding. Noah stepped interior, his presence filling the room. He looked at her the way he always did, like he owned her.

“You had been sitting right here all night,” he stated, ultimate the door behind him. “I hope you are not taking into account going for walks away once more.”

Jenny clenched her fists. “You can't hold me right here all the time.”

Noah smirked. “I do now not want to. You will live due to the fact you know what's going to appear if you do now not.”

She hated how calm he was, how positive of himself. He knew she had no choice. But that did now not suggest she might make it clean for him.

“I need my phone,” she said. “You took it from me.”

Noah walked closer, his eyes locked on hers. “You no longer need it.”

She refused to back down. “I even have an employer to run.”

He reached out and tucked a strand of hair in the back of her ear. She flinched however did no longer circulate away. She could now not provide him the pride of knowing he still affected her.

“You do not have to worry approximately that,” he said, his voice tender but organized. “I made sure everything is going for walks smoothly.”

Jenny’s chest tightened. “What did you do?”

He smiled, but there was no warm temperature in it. “I bought controlling stocks for your employer. Now, I own fifty-one percent.”

Her stomach dropped. Her employer became the one thing she had left, the only factor that became surely hers. Now, he had taken that too.

She shot up from the chair. “You had no right!”

Noah did now not recoil. “I had each right. You needed assistance, and I supplied it. That is what a husband does.”

She set free a sour laugh. “You aren't my husband.”

Noah’s eyes darkened. “Then prevent acting like my spouse.”

His words despatched a shiver down her backbone. The way he stated it, the manner he checked out her, made her sense uncovered. He reached for her, however she stepped back.

“I will in no way be yours once more,” she whispered.

He tilted his head. “We will see about that.”

Before she should reply, he came and walked in the direction of the door. He paused his hand at the knob.

“Dinner will be served in an hour,” he stated. “You will come down.”

It becomes not a request. It changed into an order.

Jenny waited till he turned into long gone before collapsing onto the chair. Her breathing changed into heavy, her body shaking. He had taken her corporation. Now, he controlled her future.

She buried her face in her fingers. There needed to be a way out. She just needed to discover it.

Dinner became worse than she predicted. The lengthy eating table stretched throughout the room, packed with highly-priced dishes and high-priced humans. Noah sat at the head, his ordinary role of power. Jenny sat on his proper, feeling every eye inside the room watching her.

The people right here have been all a part of Noah’s international business companions, powerful men and women who thrived on manipulation. She used to sit beside him as his spouse, smiling through each event, pretending the whole thing was first-rate. But she becomes completed pretending.

A woman leaned toward her, a pointy smile on her face. “Jenny, it has been see you later. We all neglected you.”

Jenny forced a polite smile. “I am certain you did.”

The woman chuckled. “You were constantly this kind of thriller. Tell me, how does it experience to be returned domestic?”

Jenny’s grip tightened on her fork.

“Excuse me,” she said, pushing her chair lower back.

Noah’s hand shot out, gripping her wrist underneath the table. The warm temperature of his pores and skin sent a jolt through her, but she did now not react. She looked at him, her jaw tight.

“Stay,” he said quietly.

The warning changed into clean.

Jenny pulled her wrist unfastened and walked away without another word.

She stepped out of doors, letting the bloodless night air wash over her. She had to breathe, to think.

A movement in the back of her made her anxious. She became to discover Noah standing within the doorway, watching her.

“You walked out,” he stated, stepping nearer.

“I wished air,” she responded.

He reached for her, and this time, she did now not shy away. His hands brushed over her arm, slow and deliberate.

“You do not belong anywhere else, Jenny,” he murmured.

She swallowed tough. “That is not true.”

His hand slid up to her neck, his thumb tracing her pulse. “Then why do you still react to me?”

She hated that he changed into right. Not be counted how an awful lot she despised him, her body nonetheless remembered.

His lips were close to hers now, his breath warm in opposition to her skin.

“Tell me to forestall,” he whispered.

Jenny’s heart pounded. She desired to push him away, but she could not. He had taken the whole thing from her. She could now not let him take her to manage too.

She placed her hands on his chest and pushed him back. “Stop.”

His jaw clenched, but he let her move.

She stepped away, her respiration uneven. “I am not yours, Noah.”

He checked out her, something unreadable in his eyes. Then, he nodded.

“Not but,” he stated.

Jenny grew to become and walked away before he may want to see the impact he still had on her.

Inside, she leaned towards the wall, her heart racing.

She had to get out before it became too past due.