Chapter 5 What Are You Doing Here, Little One

Isolde's POV

I glanced at him from the corner of my eye, my heartbeat racing as fast as a revving engine. I blinked, steadying my feet before turning toward him.

Mr. Vlad was bold-too bold. His piercing gaze had unsettled me since our first meeting. I dreaded encountering him, especially in my mother's presence, yet something primal within me urged me not to avoid him.

"Haven't you left for work yet?"

My mother's voice carried a hint of confusion as she looked at him, but he ignored her question. Instead, he stepped closer, pulling his hands from his pockets as his deep, captivating voice wrapped around me like a spell, drowning me in his undeniable allure for the thousandth time.

"Did you not hear me, little one?"

I exhaled quietly, mustering the courage to respond without overstepping my mother's boundaries. After all, this man was going to be her husband, for God's sake.

"I'm not obligated to apologize to you, Mr. Vlad."

His brow arched in disbelief. He took another step forward, his movements slow and deliberate, his voice dangerously calm.

"You entered my room on Monday without my permission, and you made your aunt cover for you because you wanted to protect her."

His tone darkened, laced with an ominous edge.

"As if I were some monster that devours people."

Flustered, I shook my head.

"No, no, it's not like that, Mr. Vlad. I just-"

His sharp voice cut through my words, his domineering gaze pinning me in place.

"You defied me at the breakfast table just moments ago, spoke out of turn, and now you tell me you're not obligated to apologize? You are the one crossing the line, little one."

His dark eyes gleamed with something both predatory and condescending.

"Anyone who dares to step over my boundaries... I will show them hell."

Every word he spoke sliced through me like a blade forged in fire, burning against my skin. His voice, steady and controlled, only intensified with each passing second. His gaze didn't just consume me-it devoured me whole.

"You're overreacting, Vlad. Please, go to work. You're going to be late."

My mother interjected, attempting to defuse the situation, but he simply lifted his hand in front of her face and replied,

"Not now, Vivian."

He finally turned toward her, his voice edged with cold authority.

"Do you not see?"

She lowered her gaze, murmuring in quiet understanding. A bitter weakness gnawed at me as I watched my mother yield to his commands so easily. I had no choice but to swallow my pride and do what he had demanded from me earlier.

"I apologize, Mr. Vlad."

His narrowed eyes flickered toward my bare legs before he gave me a slight nod. Without another word, he shoved his hands back into his pockets and walked past me, leaving the mansion with the swiftness of a passing storm.

"Thank goodness he's gone. Are you alright, sweetheart?"

I nodded as she pulled me into a brief hug.

"Don't misunderstand him. This is just how he is."

I never intended to stir tension between my mother and Vlad, but my presence here felt like an unruly storm disrupting their lives. Guilt gnawed at my conscience, and I let out a soft sigh before returning her embrace.

"It's alright, Mom. I'm fine. And you're fine. Let's just forget what happened."

She smiled at me, understanding yet weary. But if I was being honest... I wasn't at ease with what had transpired.

Vlad struck me as a man who relished control, a puppeteer pulling the strings as he pleased.

My mother, Vivian, wasn't entirely comfortable. She hadn't admitted it, but something was off between them-something I wasn't privy to. But I would find out in time.

I had only a few months here before returning to London for my final year at university. I didn't want to leave, yet I had no choice. In three days, a new month would begin, and I had yet to prepare for my studies. The thought alone was enough to drive me insane.

I slowly peeled my eyes open, my throat suddenly dry. The discomfort gnawed at me, rousing me from sleep.

Swinging my legs over the bed, I let my bare feet touch the cold floor, making my way downstairs.

The darkness loomed, thick and unyielding. The entire mansion was asleep, its hallways swallowed in shadows. A quick glance at my phone revealed the time-3 AM.

This place was unlike anything I had ever seen. Grand, vast, and breathtakingly surreal, it felt like something out of a dream. The moment I laid eyes on it, I knew I had stepped into another world-one I would have to get used to for the next few months.

Descending the stairs in the dim light was no easy feat. Darkness was my greatest weakness.

The kitchen lay to the left, opposite the grand living room. I exhaled in relief, steeling myself as I stepped forward.

Then, a faint noise echoed from inside.

A clinking sound-like a glass being set down.

The closer I moved, the clearer it became.

Who would be in the kitchen at this hour?

I was only wearing a black nightgown-one that covered my upper body but left my thighs and legs exposed, barely concealing the curves of my chest. Hugging the edges of my nightdress, I hesitated at the threshold.

A burglar?

But who breaks into a house only to fumble with glasses in the dark?

My mind spiraled with endless possibilities, my hesitation mounting.

And then-

"What are you doing here, little one?"