Chapter Eight: Trapped In Silence

Lexi’s POV:

I was alone. Again.

I sat on the edge of the oversized couch,Julian’s penthouse was a prison disguised as luxury. The walls gleamed with marble, the furniture screamed wealth, but none of it could hide the emptiness that clawed at me.

I tucked my legs beneath me. How long had it been since I’d laughed freely or even had a conversation that wasn’t carefully measured? Days? Weeks? Time blurred here.

My gaze wandered to the sleek phone on the coffee table. It had become my enemy, a reminder of the life I’d walked away from. A life where I had choices.

And Liam.

Closing my eyes, I let my mind drift to the man who’d been my anchor when the world felt like it was crumbling. Liam. The gentleman who’d shown up at the bar one night and, somehow, never left. We’d become fast friends, his warm smile and easy charm had been a balm for my frayed nerves. He listened when no one else cared. He saw me when I felt invisible.

I could almost hear his voice now, the way he always knew what to say. My chest ached as I remembered our last conversation.

“You’re seriously considering this, Lexi?” Liam’s tone had been laced with disbelief, his brows drawing into a tight line.

“I don’t have a choice,” I’d argued, my voice shaky but resolute. “You know what I’m dealing with. This contract… it’s my way out.”

“There’s always another way,” he countered, his blue eyes piercing mine. “Signing yourself over to Julian Blackwood isn’t the solution… It's a cage, Lexi. And once you’re in it, you won’t get out.”

I opened my eyes, staring at the phone again. Liam had been my confidant, my one safe space in a world full of chaos. I could almost feel the pull to hear his voice, to tell him how trapped I felt.

Without thinking, I reached for the phone, my fingers trembling as I unlocked it. His number was still saved, right where I’d left it. The familiarity of his name on the screen sent a pang through my chest. I hovered over the call button, my heart racing.

But then, reality slammed into me like a freight train. One of Julian’s rules echoed in my mind: No communication with the opposite sex without prior approval.

I froze, my gaze snapping to the corner of the room where I knew one of the cameras was perched. It was small, almost unnoticeable, but its presence was suffocating. I could practically feel Julian’s eyes on me, cold and calculating, even though I knew he wasn’t here. The thought alone made me tremble.

If he found out I’d called Liam…

But I couldn’t just sit here, either.

I grabbed the phone again, this time searching for my sister’s number. Kayla might not understand everything, but at least she was family. At least she was safe to talk to.

The line rang twice before she picked up. “Lexi?” Her voice was a mix of surprise and concern. “Are you okay?”

Not really,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. “I just… I needed to hear your voice, and see how dad is doing .”

Kayla sighed. “You don’t sound like yourself. What’s going on?”

I hesitated, swallowing hard. How could I explain any of this? “It’s just… a lot. I can’t talk about it, not really.”

“ Lexi, you know you can tell me anything, right?” Kayla’s voice was soft but insistent. “Is Mr. Blackwood hurting you?”

I hesitated, the words caught in my throat. “No… I’ll be fine,” I said quickly, trying to dismiss her concern. “This is just me adapting to this… this life.”

“But that’s not why I called. I needed to ask about Dad.”

There was a pause on the line before she answered. “Yeah, about that. Something weird’s been happening.”

“Weird how?”

“There’s this woman,” Kayla said.

“What do you mean?” I asked, sitting up straighter.

“Well,” she began, her voice dropping slightly as if she didn’t want anyone else to hear, “there’s this woman. I’ve seen her visiting Dad at the rehab center recently.”Twice now.”

“A woman?” I frowned. “Who is she?”

“I don’t know,” Kayla admitted. “I’ve seen her twice now. She’s… elegant. Expensive-looking. Definitely not someone from around here. But I don’t know what she wants. Dad hasn’t mentioned her.”I don’t think he even knows I saw her.”

Did you talk to her?” I asked, feeling uneasy.

“No, but I tried to follow her the second time. She disappeared before I could catch up.”

Kayla, you need to be careful. This could be serious.”

“You think I don’t know that?” she snapped, then sighed. “Sorry. It’s just… I don’t know who to trust anymore.”

“Me neither,” I admitted. “But we’ll figure it out. Just keep your eyes open, okay? And don’t do anything reckless.”

Kayla hesitated before answering. “I’ll try. But, Lexi… are you sure you’re okay? You sound… trapped.”

The word hit like a punch to the gut. “I’m fine,” I lied. “I just needed to check in.”

“Okay,” she said, though her voice was filled with doubt. “Call me if you need anything. Promise?”

“Promise,” I whispered,

The call ended, and I stared at the phone in my hand. My mind raced with questions. Who was the woman? What did she want with Dad?

I looked up at the camera again, my skin prickling with unease. Julian’s shadow loomed over every corner of my life, and now, there was another threat lurking in the background

“Ma’am, Mr. Blackwood requests your presence,” the housekeeper interrupted.

I tensed, setting the phone down. I glanced at her, forcing a calm response.

“I’ll be there shortly,” I replied quickly, setting the phone down.

“Think of the devil, and he’ll appear,” I muttered under my breath.

The housekeeper hesitated but didn’t respond. My eyes flicked to the blinking red light of the surveillance camera. Was he watching me right now ? Did he already know what I was thinking?

The silence in the penthouse felt oppressive.

I took a deep breath, straightened my shoulders, and walked toward the door. Whatever Julian wanted, it couldn’t be good