Chapter 1: Five Years of Silence
I wake up before the sun, like always. The room's still pitch-black, except for that faint orange glow from the streetlight sneaking through the curtains. I just lie there for a minute, staring at the cracked ceiling in this tiny guest room that's been my prison for five long years, listening to the old house creak and groan.
It's quiet right now almost peaceful. But I know it won't last. Any minute, Claudia's going to start barking orders from upstairs, Sophia will clomp down in those ridiculous heels, and Bella… well, Bella will do what she always does: try to calm the storm with that small, weary smile she thinks no one catches.
I sit up, swing my legs over the side of the bed, and rest my elbows on my knees. The floor's ice-cold against my feet. Everything in this house feels worn out, tired. Just like the version of me they all see.
Damian Lockwood. That name used to open doors. People straightened up when I walked into a room. Respect was automatic. Now? It's just something they spit out with a sneer. The failed heir. The fraud. The deadbeat son-in-law who mooches off everyone and can't even take out the trash properly.
I run a hand through my hair and stand. No use dwelling on what's gone. That life went up in flames five years ago, torched by the people I trusted most, the woman I was supposed to marry, and my own brother. It's done.
I grab yesterday's jeans and a plain black T-shirt, moving as quietly as I can. After five years here, I know every creaky floorboard by heart. Last thing I need is to give Claudia an early reason to start in on me.
At the door, I pause. There's a soft light glowing underneath it,the hallway bulb left on again. Bella does that every night. Never mentions it, just leaves it burning so I don't stumble in the dark when I come up late. She thinks I haven't noticed. I notice everything she does.
I ease the door open and head downstairs. Halfway down, the smell of fresh coffee hits me warm, comforting. She's already up. Of course she is. Bella's always the first one moving, carrying the weight for everyone without ever complaining.
I stop in the kitchen doorway and watch her for a second.
She's leaning against the counter in an old oversized T-shirt, hair piled up messily, cradling that chipped blue mug like it's the only thing holding her together. The early light catches her face soft lines around her eyes, that quiet strength she doesn't even seem to know she has. She's beautiful. Not in some loud, obvious way. The real kind. The kind that sneaks up on you and never lets go.
She hasn't spotted me yet. I could back off, give her a few more minutes of peace before the chaos starts. But I don't.
I step in.
She glances over, and her expression softens just a bit. "Morning," she says, voice still husky from sleep.
"Morning." I pour what's left of the coffee into the last clean mug.
Right on cue, Claudia's voice slices down from upstairs, sharp as a knife.
"Isabella! Tell that lazy husband of yours to get down here and make himself useful for once!"
Bella winces a little, then shoots me a quick half-smile. "Ignore her. She's always like this until she takes her meds."
I lean against the counter next to her close enough to feel her warmth, but careful not to touch. Five years in this house, and I've kept that distance ironclad. Because if I ever let it slip, I'm not sure I could reel it back in.
Sophia's heels start clicking down the stairs quick, impatient. She sweeps into the kitchen like she owns the world, phone already in hand, that cloud of perfume following her.
She doesn't even glance at me. Just snatches an apple from the bowl, flips her hair. "Make sure the trash goes out today. It's starting to stink."
Bella opens her mouth to say something she's always quick to defend me but Sophia's already gone, slamming the door hard enough to shake the windows.
Then Claudia barrels in, silk robe cinched tight, face already screwed up in anger.
"There you are," she snaps at me. "You planning on earning your keep today, or should I start looking for someone who will?"
I set my mug down slowly. "I've got it."
"You'd better." She turns on Bella. "And you need to stop coddling him. He'll never change if you keep making excuses."
Bella's cheeks flush, but she doesn't fight back. She never does. Just grabs her bag and mumbles something about heading to work.
"Back around six," she says quietly to me.
I nod. "Have a good day."
She hesitates in the doorway, looks back like there's something she wants to say—then slips out.
The door clicks shut.
Claudia launches into her daily chore list, barking orders like I'm the help, but I barely hear her. My mind's upstairs, under that loose floorboard where the encrypted phone's been vibrating for weeks. Messages from Marcus. Numbers climbing. Pieces moving into place.
It's almost time.
Five years of swallowing crap, keeping my head down, letting them treat me like nothing.
Soon, that ends.
Soon, they'll all see exactly who I've been this whole time.
And the first person I want to know the truth the only one who's ever looked at me like I'm still worth somethingis the woman who just left for another double shift to keep this family from sinking.
Bella.
I pick up my coffee and take a slow sip.
Just a little longer.
Then everything changes.