Prison For Love, Drowning In Deceit

Alexis Brandt POV:

I woke with a gasp, the taste of salt still in my mouth. My eyes fluttered open to a familiar ceiling, a familiar room. Austin' s bedroom. The drapes, the furniture, the scent of expensive wood and faint cologne – it was all exactly as I remembered. For a moment, a fleeting, treacherous moment, I almost believed the last five years were a nightmare.

The door creaked open, pulling me back to the brutal reality. Austin stood there, his eyes flitting away from mine the moment they met. A flicker of something – guilt? embarrassment? – crossed his face, but it was quickly masked.

"Eva… she had some complications," Austin said, his voice flat, devoid of emotion. "She needs to rest. You'll bring her some porridge." It wasn't a request. It was an order.

My blood ran cold. He wanted me to serve her? The woman who had stolen my life, who had just tried to drown me? The humiliation was a raw wound. I wanted to scream, to shatter something. What was he doing? Was this some twisted punishment?

"Your temper," Austin continued, his voice hardening, "it always gets you into trouble. You shouldn't have shown up."

His words were a punch to the gut. He used to say my stubbornness was what he loved about me, that it made me strong. Now it was a flaw. A reason for his cruelty. I felt a chill spread through me, numbing my limbs. There was no point in arguing. No strength left to fight.

I rose slowly, my body aching, and picked up the tray. The porridge steamed, innocent and bland. I walked towards the guest room Austin had prepared for Eva.

The door was ajar. Eva lay propped against silken pillows, a picture of delicate suffering. She glanced up as I entered, a smirk playing on her lips before she twisted it into a pained grimace. "Oh, Alexis. It's so sweet of you to bring me food after everything. My poor baby, it's been such a fright." Her voice, though soft, carried a subtle note of triumph.

I placed the tray on the bedside table. As I reached for the bowl, Eva' s hand shot out. It wasn't an accident. She deliberately knocked the bowl, sending scalding hot porridge splashing over my forearm. A sharp cry escaped me as the heat seared my skin. A fiery red patch bloomed instantly.

Eva shrieked, a theatrical performance. "Oh, Alexis! How could you?! You tried to hurt me! My baby!" She clutched her stomach, her eyes wide with feigned terror.

Austin burst into the room, his face contorted with rage. He rushed to Eva' s side, his hands gently checking her. "Are you alright, my love? What happened?"

"She... she tried to burn me," Eva sobbed, pointing a trembling finger at me. "She's so jealous, Austin. She wants to hurt me and our baby."

His head snapped up, his eyes blazing. "Alexis!" he roared, his voice laced with venom. "How could you be so vicious? You' re an animal!"

My face was pale, my arm throbbing. "I didn't," I said, my voice barely a whisper. "She did it on purpose."

But he wasn't listening. His rage eclipsed everything. "Get out!" he yelled, grabbing my arm, his fingers digging into my raw skin. He shoved me out of the room, slamming the door shut with a resounding thud. "Go to my study! Stand there and think about what you've done!"

The impact sent a fresh wave of agony through my arm. I stumbled, the skin tearing, a new blister forming. In the study, I leaned against the cold wall, my head swimming. I peeled back my sleeve. The burn was angry, already festering. I could hear Austin's muffled words of comfort to Eva from the next room. His gentle voice, soothing her, while I stood alone, bleeding.

A dark, desperate impulse seized me. I touched the wound, pressing down, welcoming the sharp pain. It was a distraction, a shield against the deeper, invisible wounds. The world spun. My legs gave out. Darkness consumed me.