Chapter 5: The face of evil

The morning at the Blackwell mansion had started quietly. Alexander had already left for his business, and the staff moved around, fulfilling their daily duties. Ethan, still lost in his own thoughts after his interaction with Miranda the previous day, remained distant. He hadn’t mentioned anything to Isabella, but she could sense that something deeply troubled him.

Isabella had decided today would be different. There was a promise that needed to be fulfilled, and she couldn’t bear to see Ethan locked in his world of fear and distrust any longer. "Today, I’m taking him out of this mansion. Some fresh, icy air will do him good," she thought as she climbed the stairs toward the boy’s room.

—Ethan, get ready. We're going out for a while —she said, opening the door.

Ethan looked up from his tablet. His face showed a mix of surprise and, for the first time in days, a spark of excitement.

—Really? —he asked, with a hint of emotion in his voice.

—Of course, I promised, didn’t I? Ice cream of all the flavors you want.

Ethan put his tablet aside, a small smile on his face as he began to put on his shoes.

However, as they were about to descend the stairs, the atmosphere in the mansion suddenly shifted. The sound of heels echoed sharply on the marble floor, filling the air with a palpable tension. Isabella felt an unexpected chill run down her spine just before Miranda’s figure emerged in the main hall.

Tall, slim, and with an almost intimidating elegance, Miranda had a presence that left no one indifferent. Her dark eyes first locked onto Ethan, who immediately lowered his gaze as if trying to make himself invisible, then shifted to Isabella with a mix of disdain and curiosity.

—You must be the new nanny —Miranda said, stopping at the bottom of the stairs, with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

Isabella felt the air grow heavier, but she remained calm. She had heard about Miranda, Alexander’s fiancée, but this was her first time seeing her up close. It was as if the temperature in the room had dropped several degrees.

—Yes, I’m Isabella —she responded, holding her gaze steady, though Miranda's presence made her feel uneasy.

Miranda smiled, but the gleam in her eyes made it clear it wasn’t a friendly one.

—You’re quite young for this kind of work —Miranda said, scrutinizing Isabella as if she were merchandise—. Are you sure you can handle it?

Isabella sensed the challenge in those words, but she didn’t let herself be intimidated.

—Ethan is an incredibly smart child. We get along well —she replied, her voice gentle but firm.

Miranda raised an eyebrow, as if Isabella’s response had been unexpected. Then, she looked at Ethan, who had remained motionless the entire time.

—Yes, smart... but also difficult. Not everyone can handle him, dear —she said, her gaze cold enough to make Ethan shiver.

Isabella couldn’t help but notice how Ethan's hands trembled slightly. Something about the way Miranda looked at him reminded her of a predator stalking its prey.

—We’re heading out —Isabella said, trying to cut the conversation short—. We’ve got an important mission today: to eat ice cream in every flavor we can find.

—Oh, really? —Miranda said, feigning interest—. Does Alexander know you're taking his son out to stuff him with sugar?

Isabella felt the weight in those words, but she chose not to let the conversation take a darker turn.

—It’s part of a little promise —she said with a smile—. Something fun for Ethan.

Miranda smiled again, but this time, it was almost cruel.

—Fun. Do you know what would be fun, Isabella? If you realized this job isn’t for just anyone. I’ve seen many nannies come and go, all with the same naivety, and none of them lasted long. Do you think you’ll be different?

Though intimidated, Isabella didn’t let Miranda see her falter. However, the tension in the room grew even more uncomfortable when Ethan, with a slow, almost trembling movement, reached for Isabella’s hand.

—Let’s go, Isabella —he murmured, without daring to look at Miranda.

The gesture was like a small cry for help, and that was enough for Isabella to decide the conversation was over. Without another word, she began to walk towards the door with Ethan by her side, but before they could leave, Miranda delivered her final blow.

—Remember one thing, Isabella —she said, her voice lower but just as sharp—. There’s only one place for each person here, and mine is by Alexander’s side. Don’t get confused.

Isabella gritted her teeth but didn’t respond. She knew confronting Miranda now wouldn’t bring any good, especially when she didn’t fully understand the dynamics between her, Alexander, and Ethan.

Once outside the mansion, the fresh air felt like a wave of relief for both of them. Isabella looked at Ethan, who walked in silence with his head down.

—Are you okay? —she asked softly.

Ethan nodded but said nothing. Isabella decided that the best remedy at the moment was to fulfill her promise.

—Ready for the best ice cream in the world? —she tried to cheer him up.

Ethan looked up, and though his smile was small, it was enough to ease some of Isabella’s concern.

They arrived at the town’s ice cream shop, and as promised, Isabella let Ethan try all the flavors he wanted. Chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, lemon... each spoonful seemed to bring back a little of the joy Miranda had stolen from him at the mansion.

—Do you like it? —Isabella asked, laughing as she watched Ethan devour a cone with three scoops of ice cream.

—Yeah —he replied, his eyes sparkling—. This one’s my favorite.

After several flavors, they sat on a bench in front of the park, enjoying the afternoon sun. Ethan began to relax, his laughter filling the air, momentarily erasing the shadow Miranda had left behind.

However, as she watched him, Isabella couldn’t stop thinking about what had happened at the mansion. She knew the relationship between Miranda and Ethan was tense, but she hadn’t imagined how deep it went. Why was such a sweet child like Ethan so afraid of her? And more importantly, why did Miranda seem to enjoy intimidating him?

That thought disturbed her deeply. She couldn’t shake the feeling that there were more secrets hidden in that house, secrets that, if she didn’t uncover soon, might hurt Ethan even more.

When they returned to the mansion, the tension lingered. Miranda had disappeared for now, but Isabella knew this wouldn’t be their last confrontation. Something told her that Miranda wouldn’

t stop until her place by Alexander’s side was completely secured... at any cost.