Housebound with the Blackridge Heirs novel Chapter 39

**Change Begins With You — Jayden Collins**
**Chapter 39**

**Caden**

The sound of the door clicking shut behind her resonated in the silence, a finality that felt far more pronounced than it should have.

For what seemed like an eternity, I remained rooted to the spot, my gaze fixed on the empty space she had just vacated. The air still held her essence, a warm, sharp fragrance that I had grown to cherish, interwoven with the saltiness of her tears. It enveloped me, as it always did, but this time it pierced through me like a knife.

She had confessed that she should be afraid of herself.

What she didn’t realize was how deeply that notion unsettled me—how it sent shivers down my spine at the thought that she might indeed be right.

With a heavy heart, I sank onto the edge of her bed, my elbows resting on my knees as I pressed my palms into my face, trying to block out the world.

Through the bond that tethered us, I could still sense her presence, though it felt faint, like a distant echo reverberating in a cavern. The connection wasn’t strong enough for her to feel me in return—not yet—but I could feel her fear, her confusion swirling like a tempest.

Typically, I only felt her when her emotions were at their peak. If it was a subtle feeling, it slipped past me unnoticed.

The door creaked again, and for a fleeting moment, a glimmer of hope surged within me, thinking it might be her returning.

Instead, Tylon entered, his expression as inscrutable as ever, yet I could see the tension coiling in his shoulders. “She knows everything now.”

I remained silent, my thoughts racing. There was no need for words; the weight of the situation hung heavily between us.

“She’s scared,” he continued, his voice clipped and sharp. “And for good reason. The Council has already sent word that they expect a complete report on the incident at your father’s estate. They’ll be asking questions, Caden. And this time, they won’t just be looking for answers from you.”

My jaw tightened, a reflexive response to the threat that loomed over her. “They won’t touch her.”

“They won’t need to,” he replied flatly. “They’ll observe. They’ll wait for her to falter. And when she does—”

“She won’t,” I interrupted, my tone fierce. “Maya’s not foolish.”

Tylon let out a quiet sigh and leaned against the wall, his posture exuding a sense of weariness. “You keep insisting that as if it changes anything. Do you honestly believe logic will shield her from the age-old rules that govern our world? Do you think the Council cares about reason when they have dedicated generations to silencing dissent?”

I shot him a glare, frustration bubbling within me. “You think I don’t understand how they operate? I was raised in that environment.”

“Then you should know better than to believe you can shield her from the storm that’s approaching.”

A heavy silence settled between us, thick with unspoken fears and grim realities.

The most agonizing part was the undeniable truth that lay in his words.

Yet the mere thought of losing her, of seeing trepidation flicker in her eyes each time she glanced at me, was a fate I couldn’t bear.

“She’s my mate,” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper. “No matter what the Council thinks or what the laws dictate, that truth remains unchanged.”

Tylon studied me for a long, tense moment, his expression revealing a mix of concern and regret. It was the kind of look that suggested he wished I hadn’t voiced that particular sentiment.

“Then you’ve already sealed her fate,” he finally muttered, the gravity of his words hanging in the air like a dark cloud.

The temperature in the room seemed to drop, a chill creeping into my bones.

Before I could muster a response, the door swung open once more.

Leo stepped inside, his usual calm demeanor replaced by a sharper edge, an intensity that sent a shiver down my spine.

“I assume she knows now,” he stated, his tone matter-of-fact. What I appreciated about Leo, in contrast to Tylon, was that while he had urged me repeatedly to be honest with her, he was never one to throw it back in my face. He was practical, focused on the facts at hand and the solutions that lay ahead.

So she knows. Instead of chastising me for my earlier foolishness, he would begin to strategize.

“They’ve started to talk,” he informed me. “Rumors are spreading about your father’s outburst. About her.”

“I think I know who triggered them. I assumed we had a few days before this blew up. But my father…” I snarled, frustration bubbling to the surface. “He couldn’t finish her off himself, so he’s resorting to cunning tactics.”

I should have anticipated this. From the moment I had threatened him and he had let her go, I should have recognized that he wouldn’t relent so easily.

After all, I had been raised by him. He had trained me to be as ruthless and strategic as he was, which was precisely why I had become his enforcer.

The only regret he harbored was that he had trained me too well—until I surpassed him. If I ever chose to eliminate him, it would be a simple task.

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