Chapter 4: The fear in your eyes
As she got up, she heard the soft whisper of rain tapping against the windows, while the house remained eerily silent. She decided that the best escape would be to focus on her work, on taking care of Ethan, instead of dwelling on a past she didn’t even remember having.
After a quick coffee in the kitchen, she climbed the stairs toward Ethan’s room, hoping the boy had slept well after the nightmare. She knocked gently on the door before entering, but when she opened it, she found him awake, sitting in bed with his eyes lost in the window. His small figure seemed even more fragile in the gray morning light.
—Good morning, Ethan —she said with a smile, trying to sound cheerful.
Ethan barely glanced at her, but Isabella carefully approached and sat on the edge of the bed. She couldn’t shake the growing concern she felt for the boy. His reserved nature baffled her, but after the nightmare the previous night, he seemed even more distant, as if trapped in a world she couldn’t reach.
—How did you sleep? —she asked softly.
Ethan shrugged without saying a word, his eyes still fixed on the rainy landscape. Isabella took a deep breath, feeling like she had to try something different to break through the barrier the boy had built around himself.
—Do you feel like going out today? —she proposed, with a faint hope of changing his mood—. We could go to the library, maybe watch a movie... whatever you want.
The boy, surprisingly, looked at her, though his eyes were filled with distrust, as if he didn't know whether to accept the offer. Isabella held his gaze, trying to convey calm and warmth.
—We can do something you like, Ethan —she insisted gently—. Today is a day to relax.
After a few seconds of silence, Ethan nodded slowly. Isabella felt a small victory. Maybe it wasn’t much, but at least it was a step.
**
An hour later, they went down to the living room together, where Isabella had prepared a small selection of movies. They sat on the large couch, and although Ethan kept a safe distance, his expression was more relaxed than usual.
They put on an animated movie, something Ethan had chosen from the options. Throughout the screening, Isabella noticed that the boy, though still not talking much, seemed more comfortable next to her. At one point, she shifted to get more comfortable, and Ethan, without thinking much, moved a little closer to her, resting his head on her arm. Isabella felt a warmth in her chest that she didn’t expect. The tenderness of the gesture moved her deeply.
—Do you feel better? —she whispered, gently stroking his hair without thinking.
Ethan nodded, though he said nothing. Isabella realized that, little by little, he was starting to trust her, and that simple fact filled her with a strange sense of satisfaction. Something in him awakened a protective instinct in her that she hadn’t felt before. But before she could analyze it further, the living room door opened.
Alexander entered, his imposing presence filling the space. Isabella tensed instinctively. Ethan, seeing him, immediately straightened up, as if a part of him also closed off at once.
—Am I interrupting something? —Alexander asked, his gaze shifting between the two of them.
—No, we were just watching a movie —Isabella replied, trying to sound calm.
Alexander watched Ethan for a moment, and though he said nothing, Isabella could see the flash of frustration on his face. She wondered what kind of relationship they really had. Something didn’t add up. Alexander seemed distant with his own son, almost as if he didn’t know how to approach him, and Ethan seemed withdrawn in his presence. It was a strange dynamic, full of awkward silences.
—I need to talk to you, Isabella —Alexander said suddenly, cutting through the atmosphere with his firm tone.
Ethan looked at his father for a few seconds, then turned his eyes back to the TV, though his posture was much more tense now. Isabella stood up, not wanting to leave Ethan alone but knowing she had no other choice.
—I’ll be right back —she told the boy, who barely nodded.
She followed Alexander into the office, where the atmosphere changed drastically. The previous night was still fresh in her memory, and the image of the photograph haunted her like a ghost.
—Have you thought about what I showed you last night? —Alexander asked bluntly, crossing his arms.
—I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it —Isabella admitted, trying to control the nervousness in her voice—. But I still don’t understand what all this means.
Alexander looked at her intently, as if trying to read every one of her thoughts. Finally, he approached her, his dark eyes full of something she couldn’t decipher.
—Ethan needs a trustworthy nanny —he finally said—, but also someone who’s willing to face the secrets of this family. And you, Isabella... it seems you’re part of those secrets, whether you know it or not.
—What do you mean by that? —she asked, feeling her heart start to race.
—You’ll find out —Alexander replied, his tone was almost a warning—. But I advise you to be prepared. This house... this family, is not what it seems. And if you decide to stay, you’ll have to face everything that comes with it.
Isabella felt a shiver run down her spine. She knew Alexander didn’t speak lightly. There was something dark and sinister beneath the surface, something she couldn’t fully understand yet but that was starting to envelop her.
Before she could respond, a loud noise from the living room startled her. Isabella ran toward where Ethan was, with Alexander following closely behind.
When they reached the living room, they found Ethan on the floor, crying. The TV had fallen to the ground, shattered into pieces, and the boy was trembling, his hands covering his head.
—Ethan! —Isabella exclaimed, rushing to him.
She quickly lifted him up and held him in her arms, feeling his small body shaking uncontrollably. She didn’t understand what had happened, but the fear in Ethan’s eyes was palpable.
—It’s okay, it’s okay, I’m here —she murmured, hugging him tightly.
Alexander observed the scene in silence, his face tense, but not approaching. Isabella noticed his distance, but was more focused on calming the boy, who was sobbing heavily, clinging to her as if afraid the world was falling apart.
A few minutes passed before Ethan calmed down enough to speak.
—She’s not going to leave, right? —he whispered in a small voice, looking at Isabella with fear-filled eyes.
—I’m not going anywhere —she promised, tenderly stroking his head—. I’m here, Ethan. I’ll always be here for you.
The boy nodded weakly, while Isabella held him tightly. But deep down, she herself was beginning to doubt how true that could be. The secrets surrounding the Blackwells were starting to engulf her,
and she knew that sooner or later, those secrets would pull her in with them.