“Have you completely lost your mind?” Isabella’s glare burned with a mix of fury and terror.

Ethan ignored her resistance entirely.

He lifted her easily and carried her toward the dining table.

He set her down firmly on one of the chairs.

His gaze was icy as he looked down at her.

“Is this your way of threatening me? Refusing to eat or drink anything?”

Isabella was bewildered by his behavior.

She didn’t want to argue or engage.

All she wanted was to get out of this suffocating place as quickly as possible.

Her eyes darted to the wall clock.

It was eight-thirty.

The guards changed shifts at nine.

That was her chance to escape, the moment Lucas was scheduled to arrive.

Ethan sat across from her, his expression cold and unyielding.

“You’re not leaving this table until you finish your meal,” he stated, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Sophia watched the tension mount, irritation simmering inside her.

She had only meant to disrupt Isabella’s escape plan.

She never expected Ethan to care this much.

He was angry just because she skipped one meal.

A sharp sting of jealousy pierced through Sophia.

She felt invisible, excluded.

Isabella clenched her jaw, thinking through her next move.

Her mind was set on one goal: escape.

Though she wasn’t hungry, she decided to play along to avoid further conflict with Ethan.

She picked up the serving spoon, took a piece of fish steak, and placed it on her plate.

She began eating without any real appetite.

The sauce coated her tongue, but she barely registered the taste.

As she chewed mechanically, her eyes kept drifting back to the clock.

With every minute that passed, her nerves tightened.

Once Ethan saw her take a few bites, he seemed to relax slightly.

He poured a glass of water and set it beside her hand.

A sudden idea sparked in Isabella’s eyes.

She pretended to adjust her position and “accidentally” knocked over the glass.

Water spilled out, soaking Ethan’s suit and leaving a dark, spreading stain.

“Oh my god! Ethan, are you okay? Did it burn you?” Sophia sprang into action.

She grabbed napkins and began dabbing at his suit, her face full of concern.

Her voice dripped with disapproval as she scolded, “Isabella, how can you be so careless?”

Isabella ignored Sophia’s criticism completely.

She went back to eating as if nothing had happened.

Ethan’s face darkened with irritation.

He let out an annoyed grunt and stood up.

“I need to change,” he said coldly.

Immediately, Isabella put down her fork.

She stood up, determined to lock herself in the bedroom and keep Ethan out.

But before she could take a step, Sophia’s sharp voice cut through the air.

“Where do you think you’re going, Isabella?” Her tone was laced with sarcasm.

Isabella froze and turned to face her, caught off guard.

“Planning to climb out the window?” Sophia sneered, her voice full of contempt.

A cold wave of fear washed over Isabella.

Sophia had guessed her plan exactly.

Isabella’s face went pale.