Third Person's POV
The car slowed to a stop in front of an estate that looked like it had been pulled out of a disney movie. It had iron gates so tall that she could not see most of what was inside until they gained entry.
The driveway curved endlessly, lined with trimmed hedges and white roses that seemed far too many to be real. Perhaps, they were artificial. Elena swallowed hard, her palms clammy against the fabric of her dress.
This definitely wasn't a house, it was a fortress. But it was a fortress that Alexander said they had to visit today, so here they were.
Alexander stepped out first, adjusting his cufflinks with a calm demeanor as the afternoon sun plastered across his face. He didn't even glance at her as the chauffeur opened her door. Elena forced herself to follow, her heels loudly clicking against the cobblestone.
The main doors opened before they reached them. A woman stood waiting, tall and slender in an emerald gown, her hair twisted into a tight bun that pulled the sharpness of her cheekbones even higher. Her smile was poised, but her eyes, icy grey, sliced straight through Elena.
"Alexander," she greeted, her voice smooth as glass. "You finally remembered to bring home your… wife." The pause before the last word was deliberate, dripping with disdain.
Elena stiffened, forcing a polite smile. "Good evening, Mrs. Kane. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Is it?" The woman's smile widened, though it didn't reach her eyes. She gave Elena a quick once-over, lingering just long enough to make it clear she wasn't impressed. "You'll forgive me, I had hoped Alexander would choose someone… fitting."
Heat rushed to Elena's face, but she clenched her jaw, refusing to let the woman see her falter. She glanced at Alexander, silently begging for some kind of defense. But he stood beside her, expression blank, as though he was deaf to his mother's backhanded insults.
Of course.
Mrs. Kane led them inside. The air was heavy with polished wood and expensive perfume, and the smell hung chokingly in Elena's throat. The house was too pristine and too curated, like a museum where nothing could be touched. The parlor was lined with artworks, both in portraits and sculptures around the tables.
"Elena, was it?" Mrs. Kane said as they walked through the marble-floored foyer. "I hear you used to work as a secretary. How quaint."
The words stung more than Elena cared to admit but she lifted her chin in defiance. "Yes. I did."
"Hmm." Mrs. Kane's lips curved faintly. "And now you're a Kane. Quite the leap, don't you think? Some women really are… fortunate."
Fortunate. Elena's hands curled at her sides. What was fortunate about the situation? She wanted to spit back, to tell this woman she had no idea what "fortune" meant when it came with the shackles she was dealing with. But Alexander's silence pressed on her like a warning so she stayed quiet.
"Mother," a soft voice called from the staircase. Elena turned and saw a girl descending slowly, no older than fifteen. She was pretty in a delicate and fresh way, her dark hair was loose over her shoulders. She carried a book against her chest, her eyes curious as they flicked to Elena.
"This is Sophia," Mrs. Kane introduced, her tone softer for the girl. "Alexander's little sister."
"Step-sister," Sophia corrected lightly, flashing a small smile at Elena. "You're very pretty. I didn't think Alexander would ever get married."
Elena's lips twitched despite herself. "Neither did I."
Sophia giggled, earning a sharp look from her mother, who swiftly ushered them toward the dining room.
Dinner was served on a long mahogany table that groaned under silverware and crystal through the night. Elena sat stiffly at Alexander's side, while Mrs. Kane sat opposite, sending gazes of contempt to Elena every moment. Sophia picked at her food, sneaking glances at Elena with open curiosity.
"So," Mrs. Kane said suddenly, breaking the silence. "Tell me, Elena. Where is your family from?"
Elena hesitated. "They're… not in the picture."
"How convenient." The woman's smile was in a straight line. "No family to speak of, no roots to tie you down. It must have been easy for you to say yes to this arrangement."
Elena's fork froze midway to her lips. Her gaze darted to Alexander again, waiting and begging him to say something, stop this with her eyes. But his expression was unreadable, his focus on his wine glass as if he hadn't heard a thing.
A slow burn of humiliation spread through her chest.
Mrs. Kane leaned back, her eyes never leaving Elena. "You'll find the Kanes have certain… standards. It's important to keep the bloodline strong, the name untarnished. I do hope you understand what that means."
Elena forced down the lump in her throat. "I understand perfectly," she said coolly, though her pulse hammered through her ears.
Sophia shifted uncomfortably, glancing between them. "Mother, maybe…"
"Eat your food, Sophia."
The rest of dinner dragged painfully, every bite tasting like ash under Mrs. Kane's scrutiny. Elena could feel the woman's eyes on her, condemning her every second of the dinner,.
By the time the plates were cleared, Elena's skin crawled with the urge to scream. She excused herself quietly, claiming she needed a moment of air, and stepped onto the veranda.
The night was cooler, the sky was sparkling with stars, but even the fresh air couldn't cool the fire burning inside her.
Why hadn't Alexander said anything? Why had he let that woman slice her apart with words, as though she wasn't his wife sitting there beside him?
Her fingers curled against the railing until her knuckles turned white.
Through the glass doors behind her, she could still see Mrs. Kane and Alexander talking. The woman leaned close, her expression was sharp, her brow in a continuous furrow in the middle of her head. Elena couldn't hear their words, but she could see Alexander's face, stoic and detached from his environment, like always.
She was alone in this. Utterly alone.
Sophia's voice startled her. "Don't let her get to you."
Elena turned. The girl stood a few feet away, her book tucked under her arm again. "She's… like that with everyone. But with you, it's worse. Because you're married to him."
Elena's throat tightened. "Why?"
Sophia hesitated, then shook her head. "It's not my place." She gave Elena a sad, almost guilty look before slipping back inside.
Not her place.
Elena exhaled shakily, pressing a hand against her stomach where she was starting to feel very nauseated. She wanted to go home, home to the empty large room that Alexander had kept aside for her.
She also wanted to visit her mother, she would go tonight and nobody would stop her. It was not like he needed her around, everytime she was with him, he simply found a way to humiliate her.
She couldn't care less if it would be against his instructions or not. She was doing something for herself and it was happening tonight.