Page 5 of Chasing After You

The next morning, my bedroom door was locked from the outside.

Eventually, the maid—Camille, the only one who ever actually looked me in the eye—slid my breakfast through a tray slot built into the large wooden door that I’d never noticedbefore.A tray slot. Who has a tray slot built into a bedroom door? Were they always expecting something like this to happen? I’d never noticed the door being worked on, so it must have been installed before my adoption.

“You’re to stay in your room unless called for,” she said gently, not meeting my gaze. “Mr. Halbrooke’s orders.”

That was just day one.

By day two, my phone and laptop had vanished. When I asked, Camille hesitated and then whispered, “Temporarily confiscated.”

On day three, I wasn’t summoned at all.

No chores. No errands. No excuses to be near Dorian.

No Dorian.

I tried to ask her, quietly, if he was okay and if he’d asked about me. Her face faltered for just a moment before she turned away and said, “He’s being kept busy.”

I imagined them dragging him from one activity to the next—scheduling his every breath, surrounding him with strangers who smiled too much and listened too little. I could almost see Victoria smoothing back his hair, telling him this was for the best. Telling him I was a bad influence. That love wasn’t the same thing as loyalty.

That I’d abandoned him.

But he’d never believe that. Not Dorian.

Still, the isolation worked its slow poison. Days bled together. The tray slot clinked three times a day. The door remained locked. I had no way to tell the time, no idea what was happening outside my walls. The estate was huge, sprawling, but they’d shrunk my world down to twelve by twelve feet. Thank god my room had a small bathroom attached.

They didn’t yell. They didn’t hit me. That would’ve been too obvious. Too messy.

Instead, they simply erased me.

And the worst part—the part they didn’t understand—was that I could’ve endured all of it,everything, if I just knew Dorian was okay. But as each day passed, I grew increasingly worried about him.Was he eating alright? Was he studying?

Victoria finally visited me after what seemed like a century of isolation. She entered my room, a look of disdain aimed towards me.

“Have you learned your lesson?” She asked, one perfectly styled eyebrow raised.

I nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Hmm…” Was her response.

“Um… May I ask how many days it’s been? I lost track.”

She scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Don’t be so dramatic. It’s only been three weeks.”

Three weeks?I wasn’t sure how to react to that.

Victoria continued, “You should be grateful to me, really. Daniel wanted to keep you in here until your birthday, but I told him there was no need.”

“I… um—”

“I know, I know. I’m amazing. Anyways, I proposed that we have you work again. He would never admit it, but you’re the best worker we have, Joshua. So, you have a choice, but obviously you’ll want to choose my option. We can do things my husband’s way, and continue your isolation for the next two months, or you’ll go back to work. Of course, you won’t be allowed contact with Dorian, and we’ll make sure your schedules never match up, but if you’re good and manage to do your work quietly without any trouble, you’ll be allowed to see Dorian on your birthday to say goodbye.”

My breath hitched. “Does that mean I wouldn’t get to say goodbye if I choose the first option?”

Victoria nodded smugly. “So? Your choice?”

“Two,” I rushed to say. “Option two, please.”

“Perfect! I knew you’d see it my way. We’ll work out a schedule for you today, and you’ll start tomorrow. Remember, though, if you break the rules, there won’t be a goodbye. Understood?”