Chapter 13: The First Week of the Challenge

The first day of the challenge began early. The sun had barely risen when Isabella climbed the stairs to Ethan's room, ready to face what would be one of the most challenging weeks of her life. Alexander had accepted her condition, but she knew that at any moment, both he and Miranda would be watching closely. She couldn't afford to fail.

She gently knocked on Ethan's door, waiting for his response, but silence greeted her from the other side. She knew the boy, although incredibly intelligent, could also be stubborn. Since the day she arrived, he had proven to be quite a challenge, with a strong temperament and a tendency to keep everyone at bay. However, Isabella was determined to change things.

—Ethan, it’s time to wake up —she said softly, carefully opening the door.

The room was dark, the curtains still closed, and Ethan was wrapped in blankets, barely visible. Isabella walked toward him, approaching the bed. She could feel the resistance in the air, as if the boy had decided he wasn’t going to make things easy for her.

—Come on, it’s time to start the day. How about we have breakfast and then think about what we’ll do today? —she tried to soften her tone, attempting not to impose an authority she had not yet earned.

Ethan stirred under the blankets but did not respond. Isabella sighed and leaned in a little more, gently touching the fabric covering his small body.

—Listen, I know you don’t want to do this, but I promise you this week will be different. We’re going to do fun things, and if all goes well, maybe we can stop by that tech store you love later.

The words finally seemed to take effect. Slowly, Ethan uncovered his face and looked at her with those dark, piercing eyes, but he said nothing. Isabella interpreted his silence as a small victory. At least she had gotten him out from under the blankets.

Breakfast was equally tense. Isabella tried several times to start a conversation, asking about his interests, what he liked to do, or even if he had any projects in mind. Ethan only responded with monosyllables or evasive glances, but that did not discourage her. She knew change wouldn’t be instant. It was a daily battle that would require patience and perseverance.

After breakfast, she decided it was time to begin Ethan's education. The promise made to Alexander was not something she took lightly, and she knew she had to help improve the boy's grades if she wanted to prevent him from being sent abroad. But she also knew Ethan would not react well if she tried to force him to study.

—Ethan, I know you don’t like school —she said, sitting next to him at the dining table—. And I know you probably won’t be very interested in what I’m about to say, but I need you to trust me. We’re going to do this differently, okay?

Ethan looked up, intrigued but cautious.

—How differently?

—I’m not going to make you study like you would at school —she explained—. We’re going to do it your way. I know you’re really good with computers, so I thought we could work on some projects together. Things that interest you but that will also help you with your grades.

Ethan frowned, clearly intrigued. Isabella knew she had touched a key point. She realized that technology was the only thing that truly sparked the boy's interest, and she decided to capitalize on that.

—We can start with something simple —she suggested, pulling out her laptop—. How about you help me improve the security of my email? I’ve heard you’re pretty good with that stuff.

Ethan squinted, but he couldn't hide the glimmer of interest that appeared in his eyes. Finally, he nodded, and for the first time since she had arrived, Isabella felt she had managed to connect with him, even if only a little.

Throughout the rest of the day, they worked together on small tech projects. Isabella was surprised by how advanced Ethan was for his age. The boy not only had a brilliant mind, but his ability to solve complex problems with impressive ease made it clear he had a gift. But she also noticed that behind that intelligence lay a great loneliness. Ethan didn’t talk much about himself or his life. Every time she tried to dig a little deeper into his past, the boy would close up like an oyster.

The week continued in a similar fashion. Each morning, Isabella climbed the stairs, facing the same challenge of getting Ethan out of bed. But each day, he resisted a little less. There were moments of small triumphs, like when she managed to make the boy laugh or when he shared one of his brilliant ideas. But there were also moments of frustration when Ethan would retreat into himself again, as if something inside him compelled him not to fully trust her.

One of those moments occurred on the fourth day. They were sitting in the living room, working on a coding project when suddenly, the door swung open. Miranda appeared in the doorway, her heels echoing on the marble floor, and her gaze fell on Isabella and Ethan with a chilling coldness.

—What’s going on here? —Miranda asked, her smile not reaching her eyes—. Is this how you educate him? Playing with computers?

Ethan, who had been focused until that moment, immediately shrank back, lowering his gaze to his keyboard. Isabella felt a pang of anger at seeing how Miranda's mere presence made the boy close up again.

—We’re working on a project that will help him with his grades —Isabella replied, maintaining her calm—. And he’s doing an amazing job.

Miranda squinted and walked toward them, her shadow falling over Ethan, who shrank even further into his chair.

—Is that what you think? —she murmured, with a sneer of disdain—. All I see is a child playing, as always. Alexander should be informed of this.

Before Isabella could respond, Miranda leaned down toward Ethan, whispering something in his ear that Isabella couldn’t hear, but it made the boy clench his fists on the keyboard. Then, without saying another word, she turned and left the room, leaving an unbearable tension in the air.

Isabella waited a few seconds before approaching Ethan, who now seemed on the verge of tears.

—Are you okay? —she asked softly.

Ethan didn’t respond immediately. His eyes were fixed on the screen, but Isabella could see the internal conflict in his expression.

—She won’t hurt you, Ethan —she assured him—. Not while I’m here.

The boy looked up, his eyes shining with a mixture of fear and distrust.

—You can’t stop her —he murmured—. She always wins.

Isabella felt a knot in her stomach. She knew she had to do something more. Miranda was a toxic presence in Ethan's life, and if she really wanted to help him, she would have to confront her one way or another. But she also knew that

in that house, Miranda had more power than she appeared to.