Kezia wasn't sure what compelled her to go to the garden that evening. Perhaps it was the way the sun dipped below the trees, casting a warm, golden light over the flowers, or maybe it was the desperate need to escape the stifling silence of the house. Lately, the walls had felt like they were closing in on her, and the endless maze of hallways seemed to echo with whispers of resentment and regret.
She settled onto a bench beneath a shady tree, allowing herself a rare moment of peace. The soft chirping of birds, the gentle rustle of leaves in the breeze—everything about the garden felt like a world away from the cold, calculated life within the mansion walls.
She barely had time to close her eyes when she heard footsteps approaching. Her muscles tensed, and she felt a pang of worry—had Ethan found her? Would he pull her back inside with that familiar scowl on his face? Or worse, would Catherine appear to berate her for idling in a place she didn't belong?
But when she opened her eyes, she found herself staring into a face she hadn't seen in months. Lucas. Ethan's elder brother.
"Kezia," he greeted, his voice soft, almost hesitant. "I'm sorry for dropping by unannounced. I hope I'm not intruding."
Kezia blinked, caught off guard. Lucas was a stark contrast to Ethan; he had a quiet kindness in his eyes, a calmness that Ethan lacked. Where Ethan's words were barbed and precise, Lucas's voice was gentle, full of empathy.
"No, not at all," she replied, quickly straightening. "I just...needed some air."
Lucas gave a faint nod, understanding without needing an explanation. "I understand. Sometimes we all need a bit of space." He glanced at the empty seat beside her. "Mind if I join you?"
She hesitated but nodded, gesturing to the spot. They sat in silence for a few moments, Kezia fidgeting with her hands while Lucas seemed content to simply take in the tranquility of the garden.
After a few moments, he spoke. "I don't mean to pry, Kezia, but...I've heard things. I know things haven't been easy for you."
She froze, her fingers tightening around the fabric of her dress. It felt strange to have someone acknowledge her pain, even if only in passing. So much of her life with Ethan had been about pretending, about keeping a calm, polite facade no matter how much it tore at her.
"I manage," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Lucas turned slightly, his gaze warm and genuine. "You shouldn't have to just 'manage,' Kezia. Life isn't supposed to be something you merely survive."
Kezia looked down, her heart aching at his words. For so long, she'd endured, stayed silent, convinced herself that if she was just patient and pleasing enough, things might change. But they hadn't. Ethan's cruelty, his manipulation, and even his public displays of disrespect—it was all relentless.
"Lucas," she murmured, barely able to voice her thoughts, "it's complicated. Even if I wanted to...to leave, I couldn't."
"Couldn't? Or are you afraid to?" he asked gently, but there was a certain sharpness in his tone, a challenge. He seemed to be urging her to confront a reality she'd long tried to ignore.
She closed her eyes, feeling a bitter lump forming in her throat. "Both. Catherine...she made it clear that I have nowhere to go. She...purchased me, or so she claims, and if I leave, I'd be...indebted."
Lucas's face darkened, a rare show of anger from him. "That's absurd," he muttered. "People aren't objects to be traded, Kezia. You're not a possession."
His words, so foreign and unexpected, nearly broke her composure. She felt tears prickling at her eyes but blinked them back. It was strange—no one had ever defended her like this before. No one had looked at her and seen a person deserving of kindness and respect.
"Thank you," she whispered, not knowing what else to say.
Lucas seemed about to respond, but before he could, the unmistakable sound of heavy footsteps echoed through the garden. Kezia's heart sank as she saw Ethan striding toward them, his face twisted in barely-contained fury.
"Kezia," he snapped, his voice slicing through the air. "What exactly are you doing out here with my brother?"
Kezia flinched, instinctively shrinking back. Lucas stood, moving to place himself protectively between her and Ethan. "We were just talking, Ethan," he replied, his voice calm but firm. "Is that a problem?"
Ethan's eyes narrowed, his lips curling into a mocking smile. "Yes, it is. My wife doesn't need to be confiding in other men, especially not family."
Kezia felt her stomach twist with humiliation. The way Ethan spat the word "wife" made it sound like a taunt, a constant reminder of the prison she was trapped in. And yet, she saw no way out.
Lucas's gaze hardened as he looked at his younger brother. "Ethan, you need to let her breathe. The way you treat her is..." He trailed off, choosing his words carefully. "It's not right."
Ethan laughed, a low, bitter sound. "And you think you know what's best for her? You, who barely even knows her?" He cast a sneering glance at Kezia. "Kezia knows her place. Don't you?"
She bit her lip, feeling trapped between them, the two brothers with their conflicting attitudes toward her. But the fear she felt at Ethan's words was only outweighed by a growing resentment. She was tired of being a pawn in his games, tired of pretending everything was fine.
Lucas turned back to her, his expression softening as he mouthed, "Don't worry." But the look he gave her was full of regret, as if he knew he couldn't protect her from Ethan's wrath.
Without another word, Ethan grabbed her arm, yanking her to her feet with a grip that left bruises in its wake. She glanced over her shoulder, meeting Lucas's eyes one last time, and for a moment, she felt an overwhelming desire to reach out, to beg him to help her escape. But pride and fear held her back.
Ethan leaned close, his breath hot against her ear as he whispered, "If I ever see you with him again, you'll regret it."
The words were like a knife, sharp and unyielding. And yet, as she looked into his eyes, she felt something inside her harden, a resolve that had been growing, piece by painful piece, with every insult and every humiliation.
As Ethan pulled her away, Kezia kept her head high, refusing to let him see the hurt he inflicted. Inside, she was unraveling, but she wouldn't let him have the satisfaction of breaking her spirit.
---
Back in the house, Ethan released her arm with a dismissive shove, as though she were nothing more than an annoyance. "I don't know what you were thinking, being out there with Lucas," he sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. "Trying to make me look like a fool?"
"I didn't ask him to come, Ethan," she replied, her voice quiet but steady.
"Oh, so you think you're clever now?" He took a step closer, his eyes dark and unyielding. "Don't forget your place, Kezia. You're only here because my mother thought it would be amusing to marry me off to a...a nobody."
The insult stung, but Kezia held her ground, her expression impassive. "If that's how you feel, then maybe you should let me go."
For a moment, a flash of something crossed his face—surprise, perhaps, or maybe anger that she'd dared to challenge him. "Let you go?" he repeated, his voice dripping with scorn. "You think you can just walk away after all the trouble you've caused?"
She looked away, unwilling to engage further. She knew this was just another game to him, another way to assert his control over her. But the interaction with Lucas had stirred something within her, a tiny spark of rebellion that she hadn't felt in years.
Ethan seemed to sense this change, because his expression shifted to one of warning. "Don't think you have an ally in Lucas. He might pity you, but that's all. You'll never be anything more than a burden."
With those words, he turned and left her standing there, alone in the empty room. She stared after him, feeling the weight of his scorn and the hopelessness of her situation. But as she stood there, a new thought crept into her mind.
One day, she would be free of him. And when that day came, she would make sure he understood the pain he had inflicted. She would rise above this—she would show him that she was not the weak, submissive woman he thought she was.
And as for Lucas…she didn't know what his kindness meant, or if it was genuine. But she clung to that brief flicker of hope, that hint of humanity in a world that seemed to have forgotten what compassion was.