Bella shot Zoey a puzzled look. Zoey, the usually chill middle-aged lady who always had Bella's back, looked kinda freaked out today.
"Ms. Grey, Mr. Windsor's back. He's in the study upstairs," Zoey said, pointing up.
Bella's face, which had been all warm and rosy, went ghostly pale at Zoey's words.
"Mr. Windsor wants you in the study when you get back. Be careful," Zoey added, giving Bella a reassuring nod before heading off.
Bella took a deep breath. She stared at the stairs, dreading the climb but knowing she couldn't dodge it.
She took her time, each step feeling like a mountain. She tried to keep it quiet, hoping the guy in the study wouldn't notice her.
When she got to the study door, she knocked softly. Sterling's voice came from inside, cold and commanding.
"Come in."
Bella opened the door and stepped in, staying close to the entrance. There was still a good distance between her and Sterling, who was behind the desk.
Sterling was buried in work documents. He barely glanced up when she entered. "Why are you standing so far away? Get over here!"
Bella took another deep breath and walked closer. This time, Sterling finally put down his papers and looked at her.
"If I remember right, you're turning 18 soon, huh?" Sterling asked out of nowhere.
Bella's legs felt like jelly. She wanted to bolt, to get the hell out of this nightmare house.
Sterling had once said he'd take everything from her once she was an adult, including her virginity. This was Bella's last line of defense.
Suddenly, Sterling's eyes landed on Bella's shabby, worn-out school uniform.
"Are we broke or something? Can't even get you decent clothes?" Sterling said, frowning.
"I don't want your charity!" Bella snapped, meeting Sterling's gaze with eyes full of defiance and hate.
Even though Bella lived in Sterling's house and was looked after by Zoey and the others, she always refused Sterling's help. She wanted to show that her dad, Lucas, wasn't the sinner everyone said he was.
Sterling was pissed that Bella dared to talk back. His icy stare made her brief moment of bravery vanish.
The tension in the study was thick. Just as Bella was bracing for whatever punishment was coming, there was a knock on the door.
"Mr. Windsor, dinner's ready," the butler, Owen Reed, called from outside, giving Bella a moment of relief. For now, she was safe.
After dinner, Bella went back to the storage room where she stayed.
In this tiny space, Bella felt like she could finally breathe. She looked out the small window at the world outside.
Snowflakes as big as goose feathers were falling from the sky. It was snowing again this winter.