Chapter 5 - Shadows in the GardenThe evening was warm,
carrying the sweet scent of blooming jasmine,
as I walked out onto the back patio.
Lily was chasing fireflies near the hedges,
her little yellow dress glowing in the dusk,
while Maria sat cautiously on a stone bench.
I carried two glasses of iced tea,
walking over to where Maria was resting,
and offered her one of the crystal tumblers.
She hesitated for a fraction of a second,
looking at the glass as if it were a test,
before finally accepting it with a quiet thanks.
I sat down beside her,
leaving a respectful distance between us,
but close enough to feel the warmth of her presence.
The sun dipped below the tree line,
casting long shadows across the manicured lawn,
signaling the end of a perfect afternoon.
You know,
Maria began softly,
her gaze fixed on her daughter,
you are not what people say you are.
I took a sip of my tea,
letting the cold liquid soothe my dry throat,
before turning to look at her profile.
And what do people say about me,
I asked,
genuinely curious about the whispers of my staff.
They say you are made of ice,
she answered honestly,
twisting her fingers nervously in her lap,
that you care only about money,
and that you have no heart.
I let out a dry,
humorless laugh,
staring out into the darkening garden.
They were right,
I confessed quietly,
feeling the weight of my past bearing down on me.
I was exactly the monster they described,
until a little girl in a yellow dress,
climbed onto my chest under an oak tree.
Maria finally turned to look at me,
her dark eyes wide with surprise,
and a vulnerability that made my chest ache.
You are a good man,
Ethan,
she whispered,
using my first name for the very first time.
It sounded like a prayer on her lips,
a fragile string of hope connecting us in the dark,
and I desperately wanted to be worthy of it.
Suddenly,
a bright flash of light erupted from the trees,
temporarily blinding me with its intensity.
I jumped to my feet,
the glass shattering on the stone patio,
my instincts screaming that something was wrong.
What was that,
Maria cried out,
rushing forward to scoop Lily into her arms,
shielding the child with her own body.
Paparazzi,
I growled,
my hands balling into tight fists at my sides,
scanning the thick hedge for any movement.
Someone must have tipped them off,
telling them I was skipping important meetings,
hiding away in my estate.
I stepped in front of Maria and Lily,
putting myself between them and the flashing cameras,
a fierce protective rage boiling in my blood.
Get inside,
Maria,
I ordered sharply,
pointing toward the heavy glass doors of the mansion.
Do not look back,
and do not stop until you are in the east wing,
I added,
watching her flee into the safety of the house.
The monster they whispered about was back,
May you like
but this time,
I was ready to destroy anyone who threatened my peace.
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