Chapter 4 Chained In Silence

The grand dining table stretched between them, adorned with an array of dishes Caroline had painstakingly prepared, as she did every night. The food sat untouched on her plate, but across from her, Hitler Beckenham was enjoying his meal.

Or rather, he was enjoying his phone.

His fingers moved across the screen, his lips curling into a small smile as he read something. Then, he chuckled-a low, amused sound that made Caroline's stomach churn.

She knew that smile.

It wasn't for her.

It was never for her.

Her grip on her fork tightened as she forced herself to take a bite, chewing slowly, though her appetite had long disappeared. The air was heavy with silence, save for the occasional clinking of cutlery and Hitler's infuriating little laughs.

She wanted to smash that phone.

She wanted to grab it and shove it down his throat.

She wanted to scream.

Instead, she kept her head down, swallowing not just her food but her anger, her frustration, her pain.

Then, his laughter stopped.

He set his phone down and took a sip of wine before speaking.

"My elder brother will be coming with his wife to visit us tomorrow."

Caroline blinked, caught off guard by the sudden change in topic. She hesitated, then asked carefully, "Oh... Ramsey?"

Hitler's eyes flicked up to her, sharp and cold.

"Yeah, you dumb bitch. Who else is named Ramsey?"

Caroline flinched, but she didn't respond.

He shook his head with a smirk, swirling the wine in his glass. "I don't know how I put up with your dumbness sometimes."

I don't know how I put up with you either.

The words burned at the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed them.

Stay quiet. Don't provoke him. It's not worth it.

She lowered her gaze, poking at her food as he continued.

"I want you to clean the guest room tomorrow. Don't tell the cleaners to do it-they have other jobs. I want you to do it yourself. Make it spotless. Do I make myself clear?"

Caroline clenched her jaw. He had maids, staff who were paid to take care of the house. But of course, he wanted to make her suffer.

She nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. "Yes. You do."

"Good." He took another sip of wine, then leaned back in his chair. "Hurry up and eat. I want to fuck you tonight."

The words hit her like a slap, sucking all the air from her lungs.

Her fingers curled into fists beneath the table, nails digging into her palm.

She kept her head down, voice trembling as she said, "I'm on my period."

Hitler exhaled sharply through his nose, setting his glass down with a dull thud. He rubbed his temple like she was some sort of inconvenience. "Great. The one thing I want that you can actually give me as a wife, and you can't even do that."

Caroline swallowed hard, staring blankly at her plate.

He sighed, annoyed. "Fine. Hurry up. Come on, suck me off. I need to release somehow."

A tear slipped down her cheek.

She didn't wipe it.

She didn't protest.

She simply nodded, rising from the table as the weight of her life settled heavy on her shoulders.

How the hell did she end up in this kind of marriage?

And more importantly-would she ever escape it?