The Silent Bride

ck's

the oppressive silence of my study felt like a weight against my chest. I had

t her mother had made her play with meekness. However, there was a touch of res

that Nancy's treachery had left behind. Cleanliness, detachment, and professionalism were expected. Inste

against the desk. My mobile phone. Frowning at the

ford," I answ

voice crackled through the line. "Yo

phone tighter.

e voice replied, eerily ca

over. "If this is

arrying the mute makes her untouchable? Think a

chair scrape against the hardwoo

lace in your world. And she will suffer if you don't end this

abored breathing remai

ached the door, I hesitated, my hand hovering over the doorknob. What was I going t

eyes met me as she stood there. With her phone tightly gripped an

creen and typed f

n weighed on me. Since I couldn't maintain

longings," I

ows in perplexity.

s goin

ping into the room and closing the

cross the screen as

hat hap

r. As her gaze swept across mine, I briefly caugh

at," I admitted fina

grasp onto the bed. She took a step back, her

voice softening. "I won't let anything ha

reached for her phone

because

deeply. I would lie if I told her she wasn't

the word heavy with gui

by in a blur. Nadia sat rigidly beside me, her phone resting

fingers were fast but sha

than I can count. But this is

she tilted the s

U

to improve the family's reputation. It has made you a target. Someone wants to

ection in the glass ghostlike, her

was more intimate and remote and lacked the luxury I had beco

red, I said. "I'll look

ly forceful as she grabbed

leave m

t arguing. But I was stoppe

to the small living room.

e sank into the couch. I stood by the window and

m glow of her ph

y m

nd turned to her. "

s marriage?" she typed ag

her the standard response duty, family, neces

a choice," I said hon

ction developed between us. We were both pawn

ours later to see her seated on the couch with her phone lit dimly

nting to the bedroom. "This

ned still. Rather, she wrote

f they

't," I sa

immer of trust. However, it vanished as

n the couch later that night. The caller's words, eac

the silence. Every muscle in

with a pallid face and a faint glow on h

someone

d turne