The Cage Built by Blood
Where it started
It Started When I Met Him.
People say humans can get used to anything.
Pain. Loneliness. Even cages
I Used to think that was pathetic.
Now I think they were right.
The room smelled like cigarettes and rain.
Somewhere nearby, a clock ticked slowly.
Everything was annoying lately.
The silence. The memories. The feeling of someone missing even when nobody was supposed to matter that much.
A quiet laugh escaped me.
How embarrassing. I thought to myself
Outside the tall window, the city lights blurred together beneath the storm.
Funny how people always call love beautiful......But Nobody talks about what comes after.
Not the pride. Not the silence. Not the way two people can destroy each other while desperately wanting to stay.
Maybe that’s why cages exist.
Not to keep people trapped.
But to stop them from leaving.
My fingers tightened slightly around the glass in my hand.
Somewhere downstairs, voices echoed faintly through the mansion.
Laughing, smiling, chatting happily.....
The very thing that ruined everything.
A sharp breath left my lips as I leaned back into the couch slowly.
I thought to myself If I could go back—
Would I do things differently?
..... But the answer was No
I would still choose them.
Again. And again. And again.
The storm outside grew louder.
I Almost imagined hearing laughter again.
The kind that used to fill empty rooms so naturally.
The kind I destroyed with my own hands.
Silence returned quickly after.....
It always does and that's what haunts me the most.
Love was never the thing that ruined us.
Fear of losing. Fear of needing. Fear of saying the wrong thing too late
And by the time we realized it—
We were already bleeding inside cages built by blood.
Daniel Valemont Blackthorne
It started when I met him.....
Family dinner
Nevan Aster de Luca’s POV
It started with a name I already hated.
People think I talk too much.
But silence is dangerous.
Silence gives people time to think.
And thinking usually leads to remembering things better left forgotten.
So I learned how to laugh instead.
not important but needed
Stop moving.
Nevan Aster de Luca
I literally moved once.
not important but needed
You’re still moving.
Stared dramatically at the poor employee fixing my tie while he looked seconds away from quitting his job.
Nevan Aster de Luca
Blink twice if the Blackthornes are forcing you to suffer too.
The man looked terrified immediately
Rich family employees never knew how to react to me.
Behind me, my mother sighed softly
Vivienne Rosalia de Luca
“Nevan
I looked at her through the mirror.
Vivienne Rosalia de Luca
This dinner is important don't mess it up
I smiled lazily while adjusting my cuffs
Nevan Aster de Luca
Everything is important to this family.. Other than me. "murmured the last part*
Nobody answered that because it was true
Every word. Every action. Every smile.
Carefully monitored like we were all performers pretending to be human.
The de Luca mansion buzzed quietly with preparation around me while servants walked in and out carrying expensive wine and flower arrangements.
Nevan Aster de Luca
Honestly?
Nevan Aster de Luca
It looked more like a funeral than an engagement dinner.
After getting ready we left for the Funera- Dinner... I mean dinner
The drive to the Blackthorne estate felt unbearably long.
And rain tapped softly against the car window while city lights blurred outside.
Across from me sat my father.......Reading documents.... Like we are going to a meeting not dinner
I leaned my head against the window dramatically nd said to him..
Nevan Aster de Luca
You could at least pretend this isn’t a business meeting.
Luciano Aster de Luca
“It is a business meeting.”
Right.....Forgot who I was talking to...
Luciano Aster De Luca The MOST WORKAHOLIC guy in the world... My father
Nevan Aster de Luca
What if your future son-in-law kills me?
Luciano Aster de Luca
He won’t.
Nevan Aster de Luca
How comforting.
My father finally lowered the papers slightly and looked at me.
Luciano Aster de Luca
Daniel Blackthorne is disciplined unlike you
Nevan Aster de Luca
That’s rich people language for emotionally constipated.
Luciano Aster de Luca
“Enough.”
Finally after so long we reached.
The Blackthorne estate looked exactly how I imagined.
Massive. Cold. Perfect.
Like someone built a palace and forgot humans were supposed to live inside it.
The moment I stepped out of the car, cameras flashed everywhere.
Reporters crowded behind gates while security pushed them back.
Ah yes.
Public humiliation.
My favorite hobby.
I smiled brightly and waved dramatically at the cameras.
My mother looked Horrified
My father looked exhausted
Then the mansion doors opened.
And suddenly the noise around me disappeared.
Daniel Blackthorne stood at the entrance beneath warm golden lights.
Black suit. Perfect posture. Sharp brown eyes colder than the rain outside.
He looked at me once and somehow managed to look disappointed already.... like I give a fuck.
I walked toward him slowly with my hands in my pockets
Nevan Aster de Luca
Well,*I smiled lazily while looking at him* you must be my future tragic love story.
Daniel stared at me blankly.
Daniel Valemont Blackthorne
“…What?”
Oh this was going to be fun.
I placed a hand over my chest dramatically.
Nevan Aster de Luca
Damn. No smile? No warm welcome? You’re breaking my heart already.
He looked at me coldly and replied
Daniel Valemont Blackthorne
You are loud
I gasped softly more like dramatically but not much
Nevan Aster de Luca
And you’re rude. *I said to him*
His expression barely changed.
Which honestly made me want to annoy him more.
Behind us, our families exchanged greetings and fake smiles while workers rushed around preparing dinner.
I rolled my eyes and thought,
They should seriously join the entertainment industry with there level of acting..... They will win best actor and actress' for sure
But Daniel never stopped watching me carefully.
Like he was trying to figure me out.
Or decide if I was a problem.
Maybe both.
Daniel’s eyes stayed fixed on mine.
Daniel Valemont Blackthorne
You don't act they way people describe you
Nevan Aster de Luca
*blinked once before tilting my head slightly*
“Oh? And how do people describe me?”
Daniel Valemont Blackthorne
“Careless.”
Nevan Aster de Luca
*I smiled faintly* "And?"
Daniel Valemont Blackthorne
“Difficult.”
That made me laugh.
Not because it was wrong.
Because it was true.
Nevan Aster de Luca
“Funny,” *I looked at him carefully for the first time* “they say worse things about you.”
For the first time—
Daniel’s expression shifted slightly.
Suffocating
Nevan Aster de Luca’s POV
Perfect Families Make the Ugliest Cages
The dining hall was suffocating..
Everything looked expensive enough to buy a country.
Crystal chandeliers. Gold details. Perfectly folded napkins.
And not a single person looked happy to be there
I sat beside Daniel while servants quietly placed food onto the table.
Nobody talked for the first few minutes.
Just forks. Glasses. Fake smiles.
I was seconds away from causing a scene for entertainment.
I glanced sideways at Daniel.
He looked exactly the same as before.
Cold. Elegant. Emotionally unavailable
Nevan Aster de Luca
“So,” *I leaned back lazily in my chair while looking at him, * “do you always look like you want to murder everyone at dinner?”
Daniel didn’t even look at me.
Daniel Valemont Blackthorne
“Do you always speak this much?”
Nevan Aster de Luca
“Yes,” *I smiled brightly. *“It’s part of my charm.”
Daniel Valemont Blackthorne
See no charm.
I gasped softly and placed a hand over my chest.
Nevan Aster de Luca
That was unnecessarily cruel.
Across the table, my mother sighed quietly.
Vivienne Rosalia de Luca
Nevan "warning tone*
Nevan Aster de Luca
What? I’m bonding with my future husband. *with a innocent smile*
Daniel Valemont Blackthorne
“Don’t call me that.”
I dramatically looked down at my plate.
Nevan Aster de Luca
You’re hurting my feelings in front of both our families. How tragic.
The tension around the table thickened instantly.
Honestly it was kind of funny how uncomfortable everyone looked.
Like they expected us to magically fall in love over soup.
Finally dinner somehow became even worse when business discussions started.
Stocks. Partnerships. Investments.
Nevan Aster de Luca
"So boring" *in a low voice*
I stopped listening after awhile.
Quietly grabbed my phone beneath the table.
*************************
📲 this means msging
📳 this means on call
*_* for action
"_" for talking
don't get confused like i did so I added "_"
sorry forgot to tell before
Iris Vale Rosario
Alive? 📲
Nevan Aster de Luca
Unfortunately 📲
Iris Vale Rosario
Escaped yet? Or anything soon? 📲
Nevan Aster de Luca
Nope.... Thinking about setting the mansion on fire
A tiny smile appeared on my face.
Daniel noticed immediately.
Daniel Valemont Blackthorne
“Something funny?” *he asked quietly while looking at me.*
I locked my phone and smiled lazily.
Nevan Aster de Luca
“Just talking to someone I actually like.”
As the words left my mouth his expression darken for the first time.
I smirked and thought that it was very intresting of him to show such expression.
Hours later, dinner finally ended.
Thank god.
The adults stayed behind discussing business while I escaped toward the balcony for fresh air..
Rain still poured softly outside.
Cold wind brushed against my face as I leaned against the railing quietly
The estate looked beautiful at night.
Too beautiful.
Like something pretending not to be rotten inside.
Daniel Valemont Blackthorne
"You disappeared "
I glanced sideways slightly.
Daniel.
Of course.
I smiled faintly while looking back at the rain.
Nevan Aster de Luca
“Congratulations. You found me.”
He stood beside me silently.
Close enough for me to notice the faint scent of expensive cologne and rain.
Neither of us spoke for a moment.
Daniel Valemont Blackthorne
“You hate this,” Daniel said quietly.
Not a question.
A statement.
Nevan Aster de Luca
“Was I supposed to hide it better?”
Nevan Aster de Luca
“You’re not subtle.”
Nevan Aster de Luca
“And you’re emotionally constipated.”
Daniel looked at me flatly.
Daniel Valemont Blackthorne
“…Did you just call me emotionally constipated?”
Nevan Aster de Luca
"Yes."
Then Daniel sighed quietly.
Daniel Valemont Blackthorne
“This marriage is important,” he said after a moment.
Nevan Aster de Luca
"There it is,” I smiled bitterly while gripping the railing slightly. “Buisness"
Daniel Valemont Blackthorne
“It’s bigger than that.”
Nevan Aster de Luca
"Then what is it?”
Daniel looked away first.
Ah.
So even he didn’t know.
Interesting.
I leaned slightly closer with a faint grin.
Nevan Aster de Luca
"You know,” I looked at him carefully, “for someone about to marry me, you haven’t asked a single thing about me.”
Daniel’s brown eyes met mine again.
Daniel Valemont Blackthorne
“…What am I supposed to ask?”
This man genuinely had no social skills.
Nevan Aster de Luca
“Incredible,” I whispered dramatically. “You’re actually hopeless.”
For the first time that night I saw it.
A tiny smile appeared briefly on Daniel’s face.
Small. Quick. Gone instantly.
But it was there.
And somehow
that surprised me more than anything else.
Helo everyone I'm nilo
I wasn't planning to upload this cs till nov but i forgot i set a timer so here we are
Plz read it and rate dw i won't leave it in between a lil late update but not completely left
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