Chapter 10 His Silence, My Freedom

Months slipped by, and I treated Marcelo like he was nothing more than a ghost haunting the corners of the mansion. I ignored him with the same determination someone might avoid the plague-because that's what he was to me. Contagious. Dangerous. Fatal.

Life, for the first time in months, almost felt bearable. I buried myself in college, clinging to my studies like a lifeline. The hours I spent drowning in textbooks and scribbling notes gave me a strange kind of peace. And it paid off-I was getting distinctions in most of my classes, each grade a small victory against the chains that had once held me down.

And then there was Sophie.

Sophie, with her wild curls, endless laughter, and uncanny ability to make me forget the weight of my past. She had become my anchor, my safe space. We shared everything-whispered secrets, midnight giggles, and the kind of companionship I had always envied in other girls. For the first time, I finally had what I'd always wanted: a best friend.

At first, she only came in through Diego's help. We would sneak her inside, our conspiracies whispered like little rebellions. We'd sprawl across my bed with snacks, gossip about professors, and read until our eyes grew heavy. It was freedom in disguise.

But secrets have a way of slipping through cracks. One day, I forgot to lock my door. I panicked when the knob turned, expecting him. My heart raced, dread flooding me-Marcelo hadn't stepped foot into my room since that night, but fear still burned in me at the mere thought.

Except...it wasn't him.

It was Gwen. She stood in the doorway, her eyes widening in surprise at the sight of Sophie curled on my bed. My heart nearly stopped, but Gwen didn't yell or storm off to tell him. She only frowned slightly, almost worried. Concerned.

That was when it hit me-he knew. He had to know. Marcelo knew Sophie was coming and going, yet he hadn't confronted me. No threats. No storming into my room. Nothing.

It was like he'd vanished.

As much as I told myself I loved his absence, as much as I relished the silence, it gnawed at me too. Because if Marcelo truly cared about me, wouldn't he have stopped me? Punished me? Controlled me like he always did? Instead, his silence screamed louder than any words. It meant one thing.

He didn't give a damn.

Well, fuck him. I didn't either.

Or at least, that's what I kept telling myself.

One lazy afternoon, Sophie and I lounged in my room. She lay sprawled across my bed with her phone in hand, her laughter bubbling like music. I sat cross-legged on the floor, scrolling through mine. The phone was still new-I'd bought it days after Marcelo had last spoken to me. I'd used his money to pay for it, deliberately, almost childishly, to provoke him. I'd waited for the backlash, for his cold fury, for some sign that he still noticed me.

But nothing came.

He ignored me. For eight whole months, he hadn't so much as looked my way.

"You know what we should do for your birthday next week?" Sophie suddenly said, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Let's travel!"

I dropped my phone and looked at her like she'd grown two heads. "Are you nuts? Where the hell do you even want us to go? We don't have that kind of money, Soph."

"Yes, we do!" She rolled onto her stomach, grinning like a cat with a secret. "Lucy, you live in this huge mansion. Your so-called caretaker hasn't shown his face in months. He left his card, didn't he? And he clearly doesn't give a damn about what you do anymore. This is your 20th birthday, babe. You deserve to live a little."

Her words dug into me like thorns.

She was right. Marcelo didn't care. Maybe he never did. And if this reckless idea of ours was what it took to drag him out of his cage, then so be it.

"I don't know, Sophie..." My voice faltered, half-doubt, half-hope.

She hopped off the bed and dropped beside me on the floor, her energy practically buzzing. She grabbed my shoulders and shook me with exaggerated dramatics. "What. Is. Wrong. With. You?"

I couldn't help but laugh, shoving her playfully. She grinned, relentless.

"Come on, Lucy! I'll be with you every second. We can go anywhere you like. We'll make new friends, meet some hot guys, and maybe-just maybe-get you laid. Forget about Mr. Arrogant for a while." She chuckled.

I smacked her with the nearest pillow. "You're insane."

She yelped but only laughed harder, her joy infectious.

The truth? I wanted it. I wanted the taste of freedom she dangled before me, even if it was temporary.

"Fine, Sophie," I breathed, my heart pounding at the decision. "Let's do it. Where should we go?"

"Woo-hoo!" she cheered, leaping back onto the bed. "That's a surprise, babes. I'll book the tickets. For now, we're going shopping. You need new outfits."

I laughed, shaking my head, but excitement coursed through me like wildfire.

For the first time in a while, I felt the possibility of life beyond this cage. Beyond Marcelo.

Still, a darker part of me couldn't help but wonder-

If he really didn't care, why did it hurt so much?

And if he did... how would he react when he finally realized I was gone?