Chapter 5

Stella POV

That weekend, Ethan canceled all his appointments and took me to a private island.

As the helicopter landed, I saw the enormous medieval-castle-like structure on the island.

"Do you like it?"

Ethan held my hand as we descended from the aircraft. The sea breeze lifted his coat. He looked at me with eyes both fanatical and obsessive.

"I spent three years building this for you. From now on, we'll live here. No one will ever disturb us again."

I looked at that magnificent castle, feeling only a bone-deep chill in my heart.

This wasn't a castle. This was clearly an enormous, inescapable cage.

Ethan truly planned to imprison me completely.

"It's beautiful."

I suppressed the coldness in my heart, turned to look at him, and forced out two tears.

"Ethan, you're too good to me."

Ethan smiled with satisfaction, swept me up in his arms, and strode into the castle.

Every detail inside the castle was designed according to my preferences.

There was even an enormous music room with an antique cello worth millions.

"Your hand can't play for long periods, but you could play something for me occasionally, couldn't you?"

Ethan wrapped his arms around me from behind, his chin resting on my shoulder.

I looked at that cello. The scar on my right wrist throbbed with phantom pain.

He'd broken my hand, destroyed my dreams, and now he wanted me to perform in this gilded cage for him alone.

"Sure."

I turned around, cupped his face, and smiled with infinite tenderness.

"Ethan, next Friday is my birthday. I'd like to hold a small private recital for you at the concert hall downtown. Just the two of us. Would that be okay?"

Ethan frowned slightly.

I knew.

His instinct was to reject me appearing in any public venue, even a privately reserved concert hall.

"Wouldn't here be better? Just us."

"But I want to give you a proper surprise."

I leaned against him, acting coy.

"I need to go to the studio to rehearse for a few days. Don't worry, I'll come home on time every day."

Looking at me, Ethan finally compromised.

"Fine, I agree. But I'm sending bodyguards with you."

"Thank you."

I stood on tiptoe and pressed a kiss to his lips.

Next Friday was exactly when I'd receive my new identity and leave this place.

This recital was the final "gift" I was preparing for Ethan.

Over the following days, I went to the studio to "rehearse" every day.

The bodyguards stood guard outside the door, never more than a step away. But they didn't know that what I played in the practice room each day was just a recording. I myself was in the soundproof room, confirming the final escape route through encrypted networks with black market contacts.

Everything was proceeding methodically.

Until three days before departure, an unwelcome visitor shattered the calm.

Mara, her belly protruding, wearing sunglasses and surrounded by bodyguards, swaggered into my studio.

The guards outside tried to stop her, but were blocked by Mara's people.

"Stella, stop playing that cello. It sounds awful."

Mara pushed open the practice room door, removed her sunglasses, and looked down at me sitting behind my cello.

I stopped playing and looked up at her.

"Mara, trespassing is illegal."

"Trespassing? Get this straight. Half of everything Ethan owns is mine. I'm the legal Mrs. Laurent!"

Mara walked up to me and slapped a photocopy on my music stand.

"Look clearly. This is my marriage certificate with Ethan. What are you? Just a pet he keeps on the side!"

I didn't even glance at the paper.

I stood up and smoothed my skirt.

"Is that so? If you're the legal Mrs. Laurent, then why are you running to me like a rat that can't see daylight, belly and all, looking for validation?"

"You!"

Mara's sore spot had been hit. Her face instantly twisted viciously.