Evening settled over the island with a strange quietness. The sky outside Amara's balcony had shifted to soft purples melting into deeper blues, the kind that usually pulled her outside to explore. But today, she hadn't moved from her room.
Not even once.
Her legs were curled beneath her on the corner of the sofa, her chin resting on her arm as she stared out at the endless stretch of sea. The waves were steady, rhythmic, comforting—completely unlike her heartbeat, which had spent the entire day stumbling between confusion, unease, and a hollow kind of fear she couldn't explain.
She hadn't opened the door even when breakfast arrived. Marco had left it outside. She simply brought the tray in silently and ate without appetite. The same with lunch. And as the sun slipped west, she still hadn't spoken to a single person.
But Lucas had heard everything.
Or rather—watched.
He had engrossed himself in work throughout the day, papers scattered across the long wooden desk in his office. But no amount of documents or calls could stop his mind from circling back to her. Each time Marco walked in, Lucas asked only one thing:
"Did she eat?"
Marco would nod. "Breakfast was taken."Later—"Lunch too."And finally—"She hasn't stepped out."
Lucas absorbed the updates in silence, but the tension around him grew with every hour that passed. He did not eat at all, not even a sip of coffee. His thoughts replayed what happened the previous night, the sight of her fearful eyes, the bruise on her arm, the way her voice trembled.
So he kept himself drowning in work so he wouldn't think about it.
But the silence in his mind was only temporary.
By the time he pushed his chair back and stood, it was already past eight in the evening. His muscles ached from remaining still for so long, but he barely noticed. The hallway outside his office was dim, only a few lamps casting warm pools of light.
As he walked past her room, he stopped for a heartbeat.
The door was closed.Still.Silent.
A faint sigh escaped him—soft, almost regretful—but he quickly pushed it down. He turned away and walked straight to his own room, shutting the door behind him with more force than necessary.
Inside, he loosened his tie, tossing it aside carelessly. His fingers gripped a decanter, pouring whisky into a glass. He took a long swallow, the burn grounding him.
Only then did he lift his tablet.
The screen lit up immediately, displaying the camera feed of the room opposite his. Amara was on the sofa, knees pulled up, gazing outside just as she had been all morning.
Lucas stared at the screen for a long moment.
He rewound.Watched the footage at double speed.Then triple.
She hadn't left the room.Hadn't touched anything besides the tray of food.Hadn't explored.Hadn't argued.Hadn't spoken.
She had simply… obeyed.
His jaw tightened.
He should have been relieved. That was what he wanted, wasn't it? For her to stay put. For her not to disobey, not to interfere, not to provoke him like she usually did.
But instead of relief, irritation flickered through him.
Because this silent, compliant version of her felt wrong. Too quiet. Too subdued. Too… defeated.
He preferred the version who challenged him.Who questioned everything.Who did the opposite of what he said and forced him to react.
This stillness unsettled him.
He didn't realise how long he had been staring at the tablet until a sharp knock broke the heavy silence in his room.
He straightened instantly.
"Come in."
The door opened, and Marco stepped in with a tray of dinner. Behind him stood Elena, the young maid whose face went pale the moment Lucas's eyes met hers.
His expression hardened instantly; a cold, sharp edge entered his gaze.
Marco noticed.He always noticed.
Without a word, he reached out and took the tray from Elena's trembling hands. His eyes flicked meaningfully toward the hallway, silently telling her to leave now.
She gave a quick bow, retreating immediately. As soon as she stepped out, she pressed her back against the closed door, breathing unsteadily before hurrying down the corridor.
Inside the room, Marco waited silently until the door clicked shut.
Then he spoke cautiously.
"She hasn't eaten dinner yet. Shall we send it to her room?"
Lucas didn't respond at first. He placed the whisky glass down slowly, his gaze returning to the tablet. Amara hadn't moved.
Marco cleared his throat quietly. "Sir… the staff are worried. After last night—"
Lucas's head turned sharply.A warning.Marco immediately stopped speaking.
But the look in Lucas's eyes wasn't anger alone. It was something quieter, heavier, more conflicted.
After a long moment, Lucas spoke, voice low:
"Leave the tray here. I'll take it."
Marco blinked, surprised, but did not question it. He placed the tray on the table and stepped back.
"Do you need anything else?"
"No."
Marco bowed slightly and left the room.
Lucas stood still for several seconds after the door closed.
Then he exhaled slowly, picked up the tray, and stared once more at the screen.
Amara still hadn't moved.
He closed the tablet abruptly.
And walked toward the door with the tray in his hands.
Lucas stood in front of her door with the tray balanced in one hand. For a long second, he didn't move—his jaw tight, his posture rigid, the weight of conflicted emotions tightening his shoulders. Then he raised his hand and knocked, a firm yet controlled tap that echoed softly in the quiet hallway.
He didn't wait for her response.
His fingers turned the doorknob and pushed the door open.
The moment the door creaked, Amara turned her head slightly. It was the first time she had seen him in nearly twenty-four hours—after almost eight days of constant encounters, heated words, tension, arguments, sarcasm, and unpredictable exchanges. Today marked the first day she had gone the entire day without speaking to him.
And now, seeing him standing there, still in his office clothes, sleeves rolled up, tie loosened, something strange flickered inside her chest. A mild gust of sea breeze drifted in through the open balcony door, lifting a few strands of her hair as she looked at him.
Lucas's expression remained unreadable.
He finally broke the silence, his tone cold and even.
"I brought food."