[Erin]
The ride was quiet. Akim focused his gaze on the road. It was already night. It was too dark for me to see outside or hint me anything of where we were going. I couldn't seem to find my voice to speak, despite the blasting cold air conditioner inside the car, and I was sweating bullets.
Good thing that Akim give me his coat or else, I'll be freezing my butt off in this seat. It is my first time riding in a luxurious car. I have never even imagined being inside of one. However, I never thought that it would be like this. I couldn't enjoy how smooth it drives on the road. Fear was overwhelming all of it.
My clammy palms clasp tightly on the seat belt. I was staring at the dark road ahead. I am not seeing anything, aside from the two-lane street we are now taking and the high walls at the side. The car swerves over the curve street, and just on the end of the road, a gigantic black gate emerges. It was so high that I couldn't even see the peak at this vantage point.
There were no guards, nor anyone that would open the gate for us. I thought Akim would get out of the car, but instead, he took out something from his pocket. I caught a glimpse of what looked like a metal card. He rolled down the window and tapped it on the blinking red dot over the square sensor embedded on the wall.
The gate groaned, and it automatically slid to the side, giving us enough space to pass through.
After that, Akim continued to drive. It was still a long way from the main gate. I watch the time on the backlit LCD monitor and see that we are almost driving for another ten minutes but still, I don't know where we are heading.
Akim said that we were going to his boss's mansion, but I haven't anything until now. I could have fallen asleep, but a bright light coming from the distance caught my attention.
My breath hitches, my eyes grow wide.
He said it was a mansion, but I ain't seeing one. To be more specific, he could've told me that the house we're going to is a palace.
"Welcome to your possible new home."
For the first time since the ride, Akim spoke. My nerves set into a whirlwind of twists and turns as I take a gander once again at the swelling image of the mansion.
My possible home.
Possible.
He's not certain when he said those things if I am going to live or not if his boss sees my injured knee cap and deemed that I am not a good product worth his purchase. He might even ask the syndicate that auctioned me for a refund.
Akim got out first, and he rounded up to my side and opened my door. He assisted me gently, holding my waist so I wouldn't put too much weight on my injured knee.
My eyes immediately swept over the surroundings.
The mansion stood there as if the surrounding nature had embraced it, that the flora flowed within it as much as around it. Whoever designed it might have loved nature so much. I might be able to see much, but I could say that the vast expanse of his domain was surrounded by mighty oak trees. Centuries-old, I might state. The base of their trunks was rounded with strip lights, giving off an incandescent glows to the flowers beneath its massive unearthed roots.
The dancing water lights on the fountain adorning at the center of the patio take my breath away. A sculpture of an angel perched on the middle, and I am sure that if I dive in there, the circumnavigating structure of the pool would easily drown me in it.
It felt like I was living from one of the books I have read in fantasy.
The only difference was that no Prince Charming would sweep me off my feet or knight in shining armor that would lift me off from the ground and take me with his horse.
No.
Only this one giant of a man goes with the name Akim and his luxurious car. Most definitely, no Prince Charming is waiting for me inside this mansion, rather than a man that purchased me as one of his belongings.
He could even be the devil himself.
Just the mere thought of it sends shivers of fear down on my spine.
"Come, let's get you inside. Your hands were cold as death."
Akim ushered me towards the gigantic double doors. He pressed the small button doorbell just beside the large pillar.
My heart was beating so fast, my hands were sweating profusely, and the wound on my knee began to throb excruciatingly. The fascination I had earlier in this place had vanished immediately, and I didn't even know if my stomach hurt or it was just dread coiling knots in my intestines.
'Oh dear God, please help me. I don't want to die.'
I was silently praying.
The loud bang coming from the other side of the door suddenly clanked, sending me to leap on my feet and almost threw my soul out from my body.
"Easy there, sweet cake, they're just opening the door."
Akim patted the top of my head as I stiffened my spine when the door creaked open, revealing a semi bald-headed man in a black suit with a Charlie Chaplin mustache. He appeared to be in his late fifties, wearing a cuffed long white gloves and a bloating stomach that protrudes in his undercoat, then my gaze landed on his gleaming black shoes.
"Good evening Akim. Boss is waiting for you in his study."
My attention went back to his face. He scrutinized me with his eyes before he turned around and began walking without having Akim say a thing.
My feet felt heavy, and taking a step was quite a difficult challenge for me to do. As much as the pretty marbled cream floor seems to be inviting enough for me to explore inside the mansion. These foreboding feelings that are coiling inside me tell me otherwise.
A gentle nudge on my back brought me out from my trance. I look beseechingly to Akim, begging him, hoping that he will take me out of this place.
"I know how you feel, sweet cake, but let's get on to it and face the reality that there is no escaping for you here." He said, taking me by the waist and lightly push me forward.
Gingerly, I have finally taken a step. I am barefooted and a blast of cold marble collided with the soles of my feet, instinctively eliciting a gasp tearing from my throat. I waited for a moment for my body to adjust to the icy temperature before taking another step.
The interior is as extravagant as I expected. High ceilings, large glass windowsills, teardrops crystal chandelier that glitters with the lights, and lastly, my gaze sweeps up to the grand spiral staircase where we are heading.
The combination of cream, gold, and brown accented on the walls and the immaculately polished wooden rails of the stairs.
I could bet a hundred steps up we needed to take just to reach the second floor, and I was already panting halfway through it. My knees were shaking, and my wound was throbbing painfully. I was only grateful for Akim that held me steadily so I wouldn't tumble down to my envisaged death.
"As much as I wanted to carry you so we can hurry this up, but I cannot, not in here where the boss's eyes are closely watching us. He might be a dear friend of mine, but you're his property now, and having me touching you in places he despises is like putting my head on a spike." Akim suddenly grunted while pushing my back so I could take another step upwards the stairs.
Instead of relieving my inner turmoil, he just worsened the plight I was feeling.
I could only muster a glare throwing at him as I continued walking up the stairs until we reached the second floor.
Akim then led me to another maze of corridors, taking too many lefts and rights until I lost count of it before halting to a white-colored door. He knocks three times first before announcing our arrival.
"Nikolai, we're here."
My heart ramming against my rib cage. I was intently staring at the closed door, but I was actually isn't seeing a thing until it opened, revealing a man that looked scarier than Akim.
Not scarier in an ugly way, it was his imposing presence that made me cower in front of him. I couldn't point out where I would start describing him, but what made my breath hitched was his striking mossy green eyes that pierced me with his intense gaze.
I swallowed hard, skidding closer to Akim. However, what I did make his thick eyebrows furrowed deeply, and a low growl vibrated on his throat.
"Come in."
And that voice almost sends me to the floor.
In fear.
Oh, right. I'm good as dead.
[Erin]My chest tightened as my heart dropped. Figuratively speaking. I believe my lungs are not functioning properly at this time as well, as it is refusing to pump enough air through my system that I will collapse any time at this moment.Akim gently pushes me forward. But I can’t move, my feet feel as if they are glued to the ground. My mouth feels as parched as the Sahara, and I'm literally shaking my wits off with fear.“Come on, sweet cake, move forward,” Akim whispered right
[Erin]What?Everything stops. I’m not even sure if I hear it right.Does he mean that he’s not going to kill me?The cold gun was still pressed on the side of my head, and he was holding the trigger. If anything, he could be jesting me and would blow my head into bits. While Akim stood there motionless as if what this man said astounds him as well.I could feel the sweat trickling down at the column of my neck as the jugular hollow of my throat drummed with tension. My lungs constricted, my knees blaring with pain. Hence my body froze at the moment.Nobody spoke. A pair of mossy green eyes pierced into my brown ones. He removes the gun away from my head and steps
[Erin]The girl smiled at my reaction. My mouth literally dropped when she said that she was going to be my personal maid.I expected to be treated as a slave or something, but I never imagined that Nikolai would appoint someone to look after my personal needs.But on second thought, was this his initiative?My head turned towards the bathroom door where Akim emerged, he was hold
[Erin]A piercing, petrified shriek penetrates the depths of my eardrums, jolting me out of my brief slumber. In the background, the sound of running water slapping against the marbled floor resounded. The bleach white wall blurred in my vision as my lids fluttered open. My nose immediately stings as I try to take a deep breath, but instead of air, water rushes into my nasal passages, instantly wheezing as I gasp for air.“Oh, goodness, Erin! Are you alright? I thought you were dead!” A woman’s voice shouted on my side. I whipped my head, blowing the excess water off my nose as I fully came to my senses. Only to be greeted by Micah's concerned expression hovering above me.I look at her with a baffled expression, my brows furrowed deeply.
[Erin]I didn’t say anything after that and finished off the remaining food, which was only a few pieces of grapes. Both of them waited patiently as I emptied everything on my plate. I stood up, Micah went to usher me, assisting me towards Akim, who is now holding the wheelchair steady as I ease myself in it.I keep my silence. Though my stomach is now happy, my heart fell heavy upon thinking about how my fate twirls around a man’s palm. Playing with its strings and then cutting them whenever he gets sick of me or decides that I am no longer of use to himI felt Akim start pushing the wheelchair while Micah followed on our trail. We weaved through the labyrinth of corners. Navigating from there to here until I lost count of how many turns we took, my attention focused solely focused on the abstract portraits
[Erin]Tears flowed right through the corners of my eyes as I kept my mouth clamped shut, denying him access. Nikolai didn’t just stop there assaulting me with his punishing kiss. One of his hands moved down, rough palms trailing flatly on my stomach until it found the lacy strings of my underwear, and in one swift motion, he ripped it.The fabric bites on my skin. Surely that would leave an imprint. I writhed underneath him, my knees trying to push him, but it was to no avail. He’s too strong for me to even twist my wrist in attempt to twist my wrist and break free.I let out a whimper when he bit my lower lip so hard, gasping as he did so. He took it as an opportunity and plunged his assaulting tongue without permission. I could feel my lips seared and become swoll
[Erin]I hadn’t realized that I had fallen asleep on the bathroom floor, crying. I just woke up having Micah screaming like a banshee when she saw me lying on the cold tiles. I jolted up and stared at her, bewildered, and my brain was still fuzzy from standing up straight in a rush. It was like all the blood on my body left on the floor.“Goodness! Erin, what happened to you?” Her shocked expression greeted me at the bathroom door.I looked down on myself and saw my disheveled state. My torn nightdress, bruised, swollen lips, red bite marks on my collar down to my cleavage, and purple hand imprint on my wrists. I could also feel that my eyes looked like they were stung by a bee from being so puffed up.The memory
[Third Person’s Point of View] — NikolaiThe sound of rushing water slapping against the granite floor resounded on the corners of his bathroom floor. Nikolai stood under the intense pressure of his shower, letting the freezing water cascade on him, cooling down the hotness spreading on his veins like a contagious disease.He was drunk. He didn’t know how he managed to slip into her room. He just came to his senses when he heard her crying.He wanted to kill her. She wasn’t as flawless as he deemed when he saw her in person. He was watching the entire auction process through Akim’s live feed. The moment he set his eyes on her, he knew he wanted her so bad even only through the monitor.She was like a