Chapter 4: The First Betrayal

“You’re not going to believe this,” I muttered under my breath as I dialed Laura’s number, praying she would answer. I hadn’t heard from her in days. I needed someone, anyone, to talk to.

The phone rang several times before it went to voicemail. I pressed my hand to my forehead, fighting the wave of panic rising inside me. I redialed, tapping my foot nervously against the marble floor.

“Come on, Laura. Pick up,” I whispered desperately.

But the phone just kept ringing.

A knock on the door made me freeze. I quickly shoved the phone in my pocket and turned to face the door, expecting to see one of the staff. Instead, Ethan stood in the doorway, his expression as unreadable as ever.

“Is everything alright?” he asked, his voice cold.

I didn’t respond. I couldn’t. How could I explain the suffocating sense of isolation that was growing stronger each day? I was trapped in this gilded cage, unable to escape or even reach out to the only person who had ever truly understood me.

Ethan stepped into the room, his eyes scanning the space. “I noticed you’ve been a little... distant lately. I trust there’s nothing to worry about?”

I wanted to snap at him, to tell him that everything was wrong—that I was suffocating under the weight of his control. But I knew better than to provoke him. He didn’t take kindly to defiance.

“No, everything’s fine,” I said, forcing a smile, though it felt more like a lie than the truth.

Ethan didn’t seem convinced, but he didn’t press further. Instead, he walked over to the desk and picked up a folder, flipping through the pages with casual indifference.

It was only then that I noticed the faintest shadow of a smirk on his lips. My stomach dropped as I realized something wasn’t right.

“Ethan, what’s this?” I asked, my voice trembling as I pointed to the folder.

He glanced up from the papers, the smirk still lingering. “Just some business. You wouldn’t be interested.”

I knew I should have backed off. I knew I should have let it go. But something about the way he said it—the way he wasn’t even trying to hide the smugness on his face—made my heart race with suspicion.

Without thinking, I crossed the room and snatched the folder out of his hands, flipping it open. My breath caught as I scanned the pages—each one filled with details of my life. Things I hadn’t shared with anyone. Things I thought were private.

“Ethan, why do you have this?” I demanded, my voice shaking with anger.

He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he stepped closer, his dark eyes narrowing as he loomed over me. “You’re my wife, Sienna. That means you obey me,” he said, his voice low and dangerously calm.

I took a step back, my heart pounding in my chest. His proximity, his words, all of it made me feel small, insignificant. My breath caught in my throat as he reached out, grabbing my wrist and pressing me against the wall.

“Don’t forget who you belong to,” he murmured, his face inches from mine.

I wanted to fight back, to scream, to shove him away. But I couldn’t. I was frozen in place, the weight of his touch suffocating me. The room felt too small, too tight.

“Ethan, please,” I whispered, my voice barely a breath. “What is this? Why are you doing this to me?”

His grip tightened, and I flinched. “Because you belong to me, Sienna. And I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure you remember that.”

I wanted to push him away. I wanted to break free from his hold, but I was trapped—trapped in this marriage, in this life that he had built around me. He had complete control, and I didn’t know how to escape.

The doorbell rang, breaking the tension between us. Ethan released his grip on me, and I stumbled back, trying to regain some semblance of composure.

“I’ll get it,” I muttered, my voice barely audible.

Ethan’s gaze followed me as I walked toward the door, his expression hard and unreadable.

I opened the door to find a man I didn’t recognize. He was tall, with dark hair and a sharp suit that screamed wealth and power.

“Can I help you?” I asked, trying to mask the unease in my voice.

The man glanced past me, his eyes briefly meeting Ethan’s before turning back to me. “I’m sorry to bother you, Mrs. Vaughn. I was just wondering if you needed anything. I’m here on Mr. Vaughn’s request.”

I frowned, confused. “What do you mean? What are you here for?”

He smiled politely, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “I’m here to make sure you’re alright. Mr. Vaughn wants to make sure you have everything you need.”

My blood ran cold.

“You’re watching me?” I whispered, the words slipping out before I could stop them.

The man’s smile faltered, but he quickly recovered. “Not exactly, Mrs. Vaughn. Just ensuring your well-being.”

I didn’t say anything else, but I felt the cold dread creeping up my spine. I knew what this was. Ethan had hired someone to follow me, to monitor me, to make sure I never stepped out of line.

As the man left, I closed the door slowly, my mind spinning. Ethan’s control over me was tightening. Every step I took, every move I made, he was right there, watching.

I wanted to scream. I wanted to run away. But where would I go? How could I leave when I had nowhere to turn?

I glanced over at the desk where Ethan’s papers still lay, the details of my life sprawled out for him to control. My mind raced, trying to make sense of what was happening. What was he planning?

I turned to the desk, my hands trembling as I opened the drawer—one that I had never noticed before. It was locked. But I had learned that nothing in this house was truly off-limits.

I grabbed the key from the drawer next to it, my heart pounding as I slid it into the lock. The drawer opened with a soft click, revealing a series of files.

I reached for the top one and froze. The documents were all about me—my past, my family, everything that had shaped me. My stomach churned as I flipped through the pages, each one a reminder of how deeply Ethan had been digging into my life.

But it was the final document that made my blood run cold. It was a contract. A contract that restricted me from leaving him, from ever walking away.

“Ethan... what the hell have you been planning?” I whispered, my voice shaking as I read the words.

How long had he been preparing for this? How long had he been planning to control every aspect of my life?

The realization hit me like a punch to the gut. I wasn’t just his wife. I was his possession.

And I was trapped.

Before I could process the implications of what I had just uncovered, I heard Ethan’s footsteps approaching.

“Don’t forget who you belong to,” his voice echoed in my head.

I shoved the documents back into the drawer and slammed it shut just as he entered the room. His eyes flicked to the desk, but he said nothing.

“Everything okay?” he asked, his tone almost casual.

I nodded, my heart pounding in my chest. “Yes. Just... just thinking.”

Ethan didn’t respond. He simply walked over to me, his gaze lingering on my face for a moment longer than usual.

“You’re my wife, Sienna. And you’ll obey me,” he said softly, almost like a warning.

I felt the weight of his words. The weight of everything that was happening. I was trapped, and there was no way out.

But somewhere deep inside, a small spark of defiance flickered.

I wasn’t going to let him control me forever.

I wasn’t going to let him break me.

Not again.

And I was going to find a way to escape.

But how?