Chapter 58 ~ Sick bastard

Chapter 58 ~ Sick bastard
ELLA

I watched with a confused look as Adrian walked out the door. He ignored my question but decided to threaten me instead.

Very typical of him.

Ignoring the pain shooting through my center from the way he’d pounded me, I stood and grabbed a towel, heading to the bathroom for a hot shower. 

The steaming water hit my skin and soothed my sore muscles, making me wish I could stay in there forever hidden from the battles and responsibilities that waited outside.

But a girl could only dream.

I walked back to the room and picked a change of clothes. As I zipped up my dress, my thoughts drifted to what a mess I had become. 

Sleeping with the enemy when I should’ve been hating that man with every breath. 

He planned on killing my grandparents, and here I was… letting him inside me like he owned me. I should’ve been fighting him, negotiating, trying to change his mind doing something that could save them.

But he’d crept under my skin and refused to leave… not until he took my soul too.

The last time I spoke to them, it didn’t go well. But they were the only family I had left, and I couldn’t afford to stay mad at them forever.

As I descended the stairs, it hit me again just how massive this mansion was, and how I had no idea which room Lila was in.

Jane approached with her hands folded in front of her and a small smile on her face. 

“What would you like for lunch, Miss Ella?”

“Something light. But make a full meal for Lila with chicken, please,” I said, returning the smile.

“Alright, ma’am.”

“Oh, and... uh, which room did Jay take Lila to?” I asked, and noticed how she hesitated.

That hesitation didn’t escape me. I tilted my head slightly. “Well?” I asked, my tone sharp with curiosity and quiet urgency.

She glanced around before finally answering, 

“In the guest room, Miss Ella.”

“Yes, love, I know that. But which one? This house has fourteen rooms. It’ll take me years to find her.”

“Please follow me,” she said quickly.

I nodded and followed her as she led me back upstairs, this time to a different wing of the house. When we approached one of the guest rooms, I turned to her and smiled. 

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” she replied with a smile before turning back to her tasks.

The door was slightly ajar. Through the small gap, I caught a glimpse of Lila and Jay talking. Relief washed over me. Maybe there was a rational explanation for their closeness.

After all, Jay had barely said more than three words to me since I got here.

As I entered, Lila looked up her eyes reflecting a mix of surprise and guilt.

“Ella,” she greeted, her voice uncertainty.

“Everything okay?” I asked, glancing between them. The subtle tension lingered.

Lila exchanged a quick glance with Jay before responding, “Yeah, everything’s fine.”

I eyed them both, a silent acknowledgment passing between us that something was off. 

But I decided not to press at least for now. My life already had enough complications, and maybe this was a mystery best left to unravel on its own.

“Good,” I said, forcing a smile. “Lunch is being prepared. I asked for something light for myself and a full meal with chicken for you, Lila.”

“Oh really!? That’s so cool!” she beamed, clapping her hands excitedly. “I could get used to this everything being done for you!”

I laughed.

As we made our way to the dining area, her questions didn’t stop. And honestly, I was grateful. Her presence was helping take my mind off everything else. She peppered me with curiosity about everything and anything.

“How’s the mansion treating you?” Lila grinned, her eyes sweeping over the lavish surroundings.

“It’s like living in a castle,” I replied with a real smile.

While we ate, she continued with her lighthearted questions, and I appreciated the fact that she hadn’t pressed me on things I couldn’t explain.

“So, Ella, have you explored the whole mansion? It’s like a maze!” she asked, her eyes wide with fascination.

I chuckled. “Not yet. I’m convinced there are secret passages just waiting to be discovered.”

“That would be so cool! Like a real-life adventure,” she said, nearly bouncing in her seat.

Life back at the bar had been so hard, our boss a nightmare. Moments like these where we could laugh, talk, and feel normal were rare. And they made my heart warm in a way I hadn’t felt in a long time.

Lila grinned. “Oh! Ella, we should have a movie night. Popcorn, blankets the whole deal!”

I found myself smiling at the idea. “That sounds like a plan.”

Provided my captor doesn’t detest the idea.

Before she could reply, she walked in.

The woman I hadn’t seen in a long time.

Mother hen.

Adrian’s mother.

But something was different about her this time. 

The fire in her eyes was gone. She looked older, wearier like life had beaten the steel out of her spine. When our eyes met, she didn’t speak. She just gave me a small nod and gestured for me to follow her.

I wasn’t sure if I should feel threatened or relieved. She’d always hated me, after all.

“Who’s that?” Lila whispered.

“Adrian’s mother,” I replied, watching her expression shift into a shocked ‘O’.

I stood from my seat, but before I could move, Jay stepped in front of me.

“I’m afraid you can’t see her alone, Mrs. Moretti.”

“Oh really?” the woman snapped. “Ella, you’ll regret every second you stand there wasting time.”

She could be plotting to hurt me. Maybe even kill me. But something about her tone made my skin prickle with warning.

“It won’t take long,” I whispered to Jay, trying to keep my voice low so Lila wouldn’t overhear. “I won’t let her touch me.”

The last thing I wanted was to explain why I couldn’t be left alone with my supposed future mother-in-law.

“Five minutes,” Jay muttered. “Boss will probably kill her for this.”

“Literally?” I blinked, startled by his bluntness.

The look Jay gave me said everything I needed to know: don’t push it.

I quickly followed her to a secluded room, my heart pounding. She shut the door behind us.

“While you’re here playing house, Adrian is about to kill your grandparents.”

The words didn’t register. Not immediately.

“I don’t really give a damn whether you die or rot in hell,” she added, “but I need them alive.”

“What?” I asked, certain I had misheard her.

She scoffed. “Are you dumb, or just stupid?”

My stomach twisted violently. Nana had tried to warn me. She’d said she needed my help, and I hadn’t given her time to explain. I’d brushed it off. I’d come back here, showered, and had lunch after sex while Adrian was out killing my only family?

I staggered back a step as the realization hit me.

What kind of sick bastard does that?