Know What I am Capable of

Michael’s POV

I step into the mansion, phone pressed to my ear, barking orders at Stanley about Jessica’s condition. He tells me she’s still unconscious, hospitalized with no signs of waking. I hang up with a nod of satisfaction, my mind already racing with the next steps.

Pushing open the door to Emma’s room, I’m momentarily taken aback by her improved appearance. She’s pale, yes, underfed, but there’s a spark in her that wasn’t there before. It irritates me. Her resilience. Her defiance. She’s supposed to be broken, not quietly defiant.

The empty tray catches my eye next. She ate everything? That’s new. Before, she’d barely touch the food unless it was to avoid punishment. I recall her stories of past anorexia, her struggles with control and expression. It seems she’s finding new ways to assert hers. No matter, I think, I’ll just find new ways to break that spirit.

“Enjoying the menu, Emma?” I ask, my voice dripping with mock concern as I close the door behind me.

She flinches sligh