Kapitel 6: In the silence of the night

(Nicholas)

I couldn't get rid of the feeling that something was off with Isabella. She used to look at me with such admiration, her eyes filled with a love so deep I could feel it when she touched my arm or spoke my name. She used to follow me around everywhere like she couldn't get enough of me. But that was all in the past.

Now, every word between us felt like a fight. Every look she gave me was a challenge. It wasn't just her disagreeing with me; she was pushing me away. Something had changed, and I needed to figure out what.

I sat at my desk, staring at an open book, but I wasn't reading a single word. It was pointless. For days, my mind had been on her, wondering why she was acting so different.

Every moment we spent together felt wrong. She wasn't the same Isabella who once clung to my every word. No, this was someone new. She had become more bold, more... distant. And I couldn't help but think about why.

Our last argument replayed over and over in my head. Isabella had never spoken to me like that before. She had always been so gentle, willing to go along with whatever I said.

But now, it was like she was trying to prove she didn't need me anymore. And while I respected her strength, part of me felt like I had lost something. She used to say she'd do anything for me.

Yet the truth was, I didn't love her. I never did. I was just... curious. Curious why she changed so suddenly. Maybe because, deep down, my heart wasn't with her.

My thoughts were always on Lady Elara. She was the one who mattered to me, the one who made my heart race, not Isabella. But still, I wanted to know why Isabella was acting so strangely.

I stood up, frustrated, and decided to walk through the castle. The halls were quiet, empty except for the soft shuffle of a servant or two passing by. My mind kept going back to Isabella's odd behavior, like a puzzle I couldn't solve.

Then, as I walked near the grand staircase, I saw her. Isabella. She was moving quickly down the hall, glancing over her shoulder as if she didn't want anyone to notice her. My gut twisted. Something wasn't right. Why was she sneaking around like this?

Without thinking, I stepped into the shadows and watched her. She was up to something, and I had to find out what. I couldn't let this go, not now.

I followed her quietly, staying far enough behind that she wouldn't see me. Her steps were fast and sure like she knew exactly where she was going. She wasn't the same woman who used to look at me with longing. No, this Isabella was on a mission. But what was it?

As she walked deeper into the castle, heading toward the older, rarely-used halls, my suspicion grew. Why was she going there? That part of the castle was practically abandoned.

I watched as she paused at a door at the end of the corridor, checking to see if anyone was around before slipping inside. I stayed hidden, waiting. I couldn't just walk in after her. I had to be careful.

Pressing my ear to the door, I tried to listen, but there was nothing. The silence made me uneasy. What could she be doing in there? And why had she changed so much?

After a long time, the door creaked open, and she stepped back into the hallway, her face calm as if nothing unusual had happened. She walked right past me, never noticing I was there. I followed her again, but she gave nothing away.

This wasn't the Isabella I once knew. She was hiding something, and I was no closer to finding out what it was.

By the time she disappeared down another hall, leaving me alone in the shadows, my frustration grew. Isabella was keeping secrets, and whatever it was, she was doing a good job of hiding it from me.

But why did it matter? It wasn't like I loved her. My heart was with Lady Elara. Still, I needed to know what Isabella was up to. Curiosity, more than anything, was driving me now. And until I figured it out, I wouldn't be able to let it go.

I made my way back to my chambers to find Isabella there, getting ready for bed. She looked up at me when I entered, her face calm, like nothing had happened. But that only made me more angry. I slammed the door behind me, the sound echoing through the room.

She flinched but quickly masked it, her eyes narrowing at me. "What's wrong with you now?" She asked, her voice colder than I remembered.

I walked toward her, trying to keep my frustration in check. "Where were you just now?" I demanded.

She looked at me, a challenge in her eyes. "Why do you care? It's none of your business."

My jaw clenched. "It is when you're sneaking around the fucking castle like you've got something to hide."

She rolled her eyes and turned back to the mirror, brushing her hair like I wasn't even there. "I don't have to explain myself to you, Nicholas. You're not my keeper."

Her words only made me angrier. She used to care what I thought and used to be more careful with her words. Now, it was like she didn't care at all.

"You've changed," I said, stepping closer. "You're not the same person you used to be."

She laughed, but there was no humor in it. "Maybe I've just finally figured out who I am."

Her words stung, though I didn't know why. It wasn't like I loved her. I loved Lady Elara. But something about Isabella's defiance bothered me. I grabbed her arm, pulling her to face me. "What are you hiding from me?"

She glared at me, not backing down. "Let go of me."

I didn't move. "Not until you tell me what's going on."

She yanked her arm free, her eyes blazing with anger. "You think you can control everything, don't you? Well, you can't control me anymore, Nicholas. I'm done playing by your rules."

Her words were filled with tension that was thick in the air between us, heavy with meaning. I stared at her, trying to figure out what had happened when everything had changed. She wasn't the same girl who had once followed me around, hanging on every word I said. This was someone different—someone stronger, more distant.

I didn't know what to say, so I just stood there, watching as she turned away from me again, as if the conversation was over. My heart pounded, not from love or desire, but from frustration. I didn't care about winning her back. I cared about the fact that she was slipping away, keeping secrets, and I was no closer to knowing why.

But in the back of my mind, I knew the truth. I wasn't fighting for her—I was fighting my pride. Because deep down, my heart belonged to someone else.

Lady Elara.

And maybe that's why Isabella had changed. Maybe she knew, just as I did, that whatever we had wasn't enough.

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