Sera woke up to the soft morning light slipping through the tall windows of the grand bedroom. Her whole body ached, not from hard work, but from the heavy weight of her new reality. For a second, she hoped it had all been a bad dream. But the cold, strange room made her remember it was real.

The huge mansion, which was now her home, was silent. Too silent. The maids who had taken care of her when she first arrived were nowhere to be seen. Dimitri had sent them away, leaving her to handle everything on her own.

"You are the lady of the house now," he had said the night before, his voice cold and distant. "It is your responsibility to take care of it."

Lady of the house. The words felt like a joke. She was not a wife she was a prisoner in a golden cage, stripped of her freedom and forced to obey Dimitri's every order.

○●○

Dragging herself out of bed, Sera glanced at the clock. It was barely six in the morning. Her stomach twisted as she thought about the long day ahead.

She made her way downstairs, her bare feet making soft sounds against the marble floor. The kitchen, usually so lively, was empty, its shiny counters untouched. A note was on the counter, all in Dimitri's neat writing.

Clean the house. Prepare breakfast. Do not miss a spot.

Her fingers tightened around the paper, knuckles turning white. Anger bubbled inside her, but there was no one to take it out on. Dimitri was already gone, off handling his business while she was left behind to play the role of his perfect, obedient wife.

○●○

Sera started with the kitchen, scrubbing every counter, every floor tile, until they shone. Each movement felt like a small act of defiance, her anger giving her energy to keep going. But as time passed, the reality of her situation settled in.

By the time she finished cleaning the living room, her arms ached and sweat dripped down her face. She leaned against the wall, breathing heavily.

"This is what you wanted, isn't it?" she muttered under her breath, imagining Dimitri's cold stare. "To humiliate me."

Hearing the front door open, she snapped to attention, straightening up and wiping her face. Dimitri walked in, filling the room like he always does. He observed everything, his face betraying no emotion.

"You missed a spot," he said, his voice calm but firm.

Sera's jaw tightened. She clenched her fists, forcing herself to stay quiet.

"Is this how you plan to run my house?" Dimitri continued, stepping closer. "Messy and incomplete?"

Her cheeks burned with anger and shame, but she refused to let him see her break. "It is not your house it is our house," she said, keeping her voice steady even though fury boiled inside her.

Dimitri raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "That is the spirit, Sera. Fight back. But do not forget this house, like everything else, belongs to me."

○●○

The rest of the day was a cleaning frenzy. Sera scrubbed, dusted, and polished that whole mansion till her hands were raw and her legs ached. She did not stop to eat. She did not even pause to breathe, afraid that if she slowed down, Dimitri would return and find something else to criticize.

By the time the sun started to set, she finally allowed herself to sit down for a moment. The dining room was silent, the only sound coming from the clock ticking on the wall. She stared at the empty plates on the table, her stomach rumbling.

But before she could gather the energy to eat, the door opened again.

Dimitri stepped inside, loosening his tie as he looked around the room with sharp eyes.

"Dinner is not ready," he said, his voice flat.

Sera's heart sank. She had been so busy cleaning, she had not even started cooking.

"I... I was about to start now," she said quickly, standing up.

Dimitri did not say anything. He just watched as she rushed into the kitchen, his gaze heavy on her back.

○●○

Cooking was another thing Sera had to learn fast. She struggled with the ingredients, her hands shaking as she tried to make a meal that would meet Dimitri's impossible standards.

When she finally placed the plates on the table, Dimitri sat down without saying a word. He picked up his fork, took a bite and chewed slowly. His face gave nothing away.

After what felt like forever, he finally spoke. "It is fine."

That was it. No insult, no complaint. Just two simple words.

It should have made her feel better, but instead, it only made her anger grow. She sat across from him, barely touching her food, just pushing it around her plate while he ate in silence.

Out of nowhere, Dimitri spoke again. "You will get used to this."

Sera's head snapped up. She glared at him. "What makes you think I will ever accept this?"

Dimitri met her gaze, his dark eyes steady. "Because you do not have a choice."

○●○

That night, as Sera lay in bed, exhaustion weighing her down, she could not stop the tears that slid down her face. She felt trapped, like the walls of the mansion were closing in on her, stealing her breath.

But even in her worst moment, something inside her refused to give up. Dimitri had taken away her freedom, her dignity and her choices.

But he had not broken her.

Sera promised herself she would find a way out of this nightmare, no matter how long it took. She would not let Dimitri win.

Because no matter how hard he tried to control her, there was one thing he did not know Sera was stronger than he thought.