This house didn't have quiet moments—only the kind of silence that warned you something terrible was about to happen.
I woke up with the bruises still aching on my skin, Nico's cold voice echoing in my mind. "You're not going to win. Stop trying."
They were crushing me, inch by inch. But today, I wasn't going to play along. I didn't know where the sudden spark of defiance came from, but it burned in my chest, demanding I fight back, no matter the cost.
The Broken Vase
I made my way to the main hall, trying to avoid anyone. Adrian and Leo had been circling me for days, taking turns tearing at my resolve, their games designed to see how far I'd bend before I snapped. Nico wasn't much better—his words cut deeper than any hand ever could.
But I wasn't expecting to collide with Adrian on my way past the study.
"Careful there, sweetheart," Adrian said, steadying me with a hand on my arm. His smirk was as sharp as ever, his storm-gray eyes flicking over me like he was already planning his next move. "You should really watch where you're going."
"I'm fine," I said quickly, trying to pull away, but Adrian's grip tightened.
"Not so fast," he said, his smirk widening. "What's the rush? Afraid you'll run into someone else?"
"Let me go, Adrian," I said, my voice trembling slightly.
"Where's the fun in that?" Adrian replied, his hand brushing a strand of hair from my face. "You've been so quiet lately. It's almost like you're trying to hide."
"I'm not hiding," I snapped, yanking my arm free.
Adrian's grin faltered, his storm-gray eyes narrowing. "Watch that tone, sweetheart. You're not in a position to talk back."
I stepped back instinctively, my pulse quickening. My heel hit the base of the table behind me, and the vase perched on top wobbled. I reached out to steady it, but my fingers slipped, and the vase shattered against the marble floor.
The crash was deafening, echoing through the hall like a gunshot.
For a moment, neither of us moved. Then Adrian chuckled, a low, dangerous sound that sent chills down my spine.
"Well, that's one way to get our attention," he said.
Leo's Fury
Leo appeared almost instantly, his icy-blue eyes locking onto the mess at my feet. He didn't say a word as he walked over, his movements slow and deliberate, but the anger radiating off him was palpable.
"What happened?" Leo asked, his voice calm but deadly.
"She broke it," Adrian said, leaning casually against the wall. "Pretty clumsy, don't you think?"
"I didn't mean to," I said quickly, my chest tightening as Leo's gaze shifted to me.
"You didn't mean to?" Leo repeated, his tone razor-sharp. "Do you think that excuses carelessness?"
"It was an accident," I said, my voice trembling.
"Nothing in this house is an accident," Leo snapped, stepping closer. "Every mistake has a consequence, Sophia. You should know that by now."
"I didn't—"
The slap came out of nowhere, sharp and stinging, sending my head snapping to the side. I stumbled back, my hand flying to my cheek as tears burned in my eyes.
Leo stood over me, his expression cold and unyielding. "Every time you disobey, every time you break something, you'll pay for it. Do you understand me?"
"Yes," I whispered, my voice shaking.
"I can't hear you," Leo said, his tone biting.
"Yes," I repeated, louder this time.
Leo stepped back, his icy-blue eyes still fixed on me. "Clean it up," he ordered.
Nico's Return
I was still crouched on the floor, picking up shards of broken porcelain, when Nico appeared. He leaned against the doorway, his emerald-green eyes flicking over the mess before settling on me.
"Let me guess," Nico said softly, his tone laced with mockery. "Another mistake?"
I didn't respond, keeping my focus on the shards in front of me.
"Leo's temper hasn't changed, has it?" Nico continued, stepping into the room. "And Adrian... well, he never could resist stirring the pot."
"What do you want, Nico?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Nico crouched down in front of me, his emerald gaze unrelenting. "I want you to understand something," he said quietly. "You think this is bad? It's nothing compared to what happens when you stop being useful."
"I'm not trying to fight," I said, my hands trembling.
"Good," Nico said, standing abruptly. "Because you wouldn't win."
He turned and walked away, his words cutting deeper than any slap ever could.
The Spiral
When I finally finished cleaning up the mess, I stumbled back to my room, my legs barely carrying me. My face still throbbed from Leo's slap, and my hands stung from the small cuts I'd gotten while picking up the shards.
I collapsed onto the bed, my chest heaving as tears streamed down my face.
They'll break me.
The thought curled around my mind like smoke, suffocating and unrelenting.
But even as the tears fell, a small, defiant voice whispered in the back of my mind:
Not yet.