A Crown of Ashes (Whychoose Romance)

7. Nowhere to Run (edited)

 (Lila's POV)

The next day, the weight of my captivity had fully settled in. The dim light filtering through the curtains made it impossible to tell whether it was morning or afternoon, but time had lost its meaning anyway. Hours bled together, marked only by the gnawing sense of isolation and the throb in my temples that refused to ease.

The room was stiflingly quiet—an oppressive silence that heightened my anxiety. I wasn't at the governor's house anymore; that much was clear. The place they had taken me to was unfamiliar, cold, and distant. The bed beneath me was far too large, the furniture sparse and mismatched. The walls were painted in a dull gray that seemed to swallow the little light that managed to sneak in.

Panic churned in my stomach as I scanned my surroundings, searching for any clue, any hint of escape. But all I saw were walls, thick curtains, and an isolated, lifeless forest beyond the window. My heart sank as the reality of my situation hit me again. There was no escape here—no way out of this nightmare.

A creak at the door made me flinch, my pulse quickening as my eyes shot to the figure stepping inside. It was her again, Isabella—the woman who seemed to exude control over everything, including my fate. Her presence dominated the room as she stepped in, the click of her boots against the wooden floor a sharp contrast to the oppressive silence that had been suffocating me all morning.

I hadn't slept. How could I? The events of the previous night had played over and over in my mind—the confrontation, the way they had taken me from the governor's mansion without hesitation, and now this place. Wherever I was, it wasn't anywhere familiar. I had been isolated for what felt like an eternity.

The door had been locked, the windows bolted shut. The cold, thick walls of this room made it feel like a prison, just as suffocating as Isaac's house, maybe even worse. It was as if I had traded one nightmare for another.

Isabella's gaze settled on me, unwavering and sharp. Her eyes always carried that same steely intensity, like she was dissecting me with every glance. I could feel the weight of her scrutiny, heavy and unrelenting, as if she was waiting for me to crack.

"You're awake," she stated, her voice low, but not quite a greeting. More like an observation.

I didn't respond. What could I even say? The thick lump in my throat made words impossible, and I wasn't sure they would help me anyway.

She stepped closer, the air between us growing tense. "We need to talk."

There it was again—her cold command, as if I owed her something. Maybe I did. Maybe this was my price to pay for being caught in the crossfire of Isaac's deals, for being used as a pawn in a game I didn't understand. My entire life has been a series of others making decisions for me, leaving me no choice but to follow.

But the fear was still there, pressing down on me, making it hard to breathe. My heart beat erratically in my chest, my body recoiling as if she might lash out at any moment. I could feel the tears welling up again, but I swallowed hard, refusing to let them fall.

"Why am I here?" I managed to choke out, my voice shaky but holding.

Isabella's lips curved into a smirk, but it was cold, devoid of warmth or amusement. "You know why."

I shook my head. "I don't know anything. I swear." The desperation in my voice was unmistakable.

Her smirk disappeared. She took another step toward me, her eyes never leaving mine. "You're Isaac's stepdaughter. Don't act like you're some innocent bystander in all of this."

"I am," I whispered, my voice barely audible. "He doesn't tell me anything."

Isabella's gaze darkened, her hands folding in front of her as if she were about to deliver some final verdict. "Isaac wouldn't keep you close if you were useless to him. He's never been one to waste resources."