The Walkers owned another property not far from there, a modern mansion situated on top of a hill, surrounded by beautiful gardens. 

The mansion had been built and prepared to be John’s home when he got married.

Elizabeth gazed at the elegant mansion with admiration. The location offered a breathtaking view of the city in the distance. 

For a moment, she allowed herself to imagine having breakfast beside John, gazing at that serene landscape.

The car stopped in front of the imposing entrance. One of the security guards opened the door for Elizabeth to get out, while John exited on the opposite side. 

They didn’t exchange a word.

“Come with me,” he said, walking toward the front door and opening it.

The house was empty.

Elizabeth entered the spacious foyer, where enormous glass panels offered a panoramic view of the gardens and the city in the distance. 

From the hall, one could see a large living room, as well as doors leading to the office, the dining room, and the kitchen. A grand staircase led to the upper floor.

John headed straight for the staircase, without looking back.

Elizabeth’s heart ached. Ever since they had left her grandfather’s presence, John had become cold and distant. 

Anxious, she watched him climb the steps without saying a word. 

She knew what awaited her in the bedroom, but she hadn’t even had a chance to mention that her experience with men amounted to nothing more than a few attempts at dating that had never gone beyond the occasional kiss. 

Elizabeth slowly climbed the stairs.

The silence in the house seemed to heighten her unease. The air, lightly scented, felt suffocating amid the tension building in her chest.

Upstairs, there was another living room and several doors. John was standing in front of the largest one, waiting for her. Without saying a word, he pushed the door open and went inside. 

Elizabeth followed him hesitantly.

The room was spacious and elegant, with large glass windows overlooking the valley. The enormous, impeccably made bed dominated the room. 

John took off his jacket and loosened his tie with cold, almost automatic gestures. Elizabeth stood before him, frightened.

He didn’t even look at her and walked over to the closet where her clothes had been carefully arranged, pulling them all out and tossing them onto the bed.

There weren’t many. Martha had told her that John had asked her to bring only the essentials and that John would provide everything she needed.

Elizabeth, stunned, couldn’t understand what was happening, watching her clothes being brutally torn off and thrown onto the bed.

He turned to her, his face serious, his voice sharp:

“There’s no need to feign surprise. I know you’re not here for love, and I don’t intend to keep up any pretense within this house. This marriage is only on paper.”

The words hit her like a slap in the face. She swallowed hard, trying to keep her composure, even as a lump tightened in her throat.

“I… I don’t understand…” she whispered, her voice trembling. “We haven’t even had time to get to know each other better…”

John stared at her, his eyes filled with restrained anger. 

“I don’t need explanations, Elizabeth. I just want you to fulfill your part of the agreement.” 

Those words were like a punch to the stomach. Even more painful was what followed. 

Without warning, John began tearing her clothes off, one by one. 

Elizabeth stood frozen, horrified, feeling as if she were in a nightmare from which she couldn’t wake up. Tears blurred her vision. 

The man she had loved from the first moment she saw him now treated her with contempt, as if she were a nobody.

After tearing all her clothes to shreds, he went back to the closet and grabbed a few bags of dark, austere clothes. He threw them at her feet.

“This suits your new life better,” he said cruelly. “Don’t harbor any romantic illusions. You’re not worthy of sharing the same room as me. You’re just someone who sold herself.”

Elizabeth felt the ground disappear beneath her feet. She was completely bewildered, trying to process what was happening.

“And don’t think you’ll have a luxurious room. Your place is in the servants’ quarters, downstairs, next to the kitchen.”

John walked to the door, and before leaving, he delivered the final blow in a dry voice:

“When I get back, I don’t want you here. Take those clothes and throw everything in the trash. I don’t want to see any trace of you.”

And he left, leaving her alone.

Elizabeth stood there, in the middle of the room, devastated. The silence returned, now heavy as lead. 

His words echoed in her mind, raw and cutting. She felt her chest ache as if it had been torn in two. She fell to her knees, overcome by despair. 

Tears streamed down her face, accompanied by sobs that came from the depths of her soul. 

Her world was collapsing. The man she loved accused her of being there out of self-interest, knowing nothing about her, about her true feelings.

She crawled to the bed, trying to gather the torn pieces of her clothes and, along with them, the pieces of her own heart. 

She never imagined John could be so cruel. For the first time, she truly feared everything that was to come.