Chapter Thirty-one

Brenda had been feeling trapped for days now. Damien still forbade her from leaving the house, but at least he had stopped locking her up in her room. She was free to move around the house, but only within its four walls. And while Damien had changed the guards on duty and given them strict instructions to keep Brenda from leaving, she had given up on trying to escape. It was clear that Damien had the power to control her every move, and she was resigned to spending the rest of her days in this luxurious prison.

But today was different. Brenda woke up with a sense of enthusiasm she hadn’t felt in a long time. She decided to bake some cookies, something she hadn’t done in years. She entered the kitchen and started to prepare everything, humming a tune. As she worked, the house was filled with the delicious aroma of freshly baked cookies.

Damien had been holed up in his office for hours, working on a deal that could make or break his father’s empire. When he finally emerged, he walked s