Chapter 11 FRUSTRATED (Demilia’s POV)
The silence that followed was almost defeaning. The kind that can suffocate someone. I could literally hear my heartbeat.
"Why again were there other photos...?" I asked just after a moment of staying silent. "Of me before this nonsense marriage? Before everything happened?"
He held my gaze, his eyes very heavy and darker than I know it to be. "Because, even before your brother gathered the mind to approach me for the deal, I already stationed men to follow you to Evey of your location."
The word came out too harsh, hitting me like a gunshot. "You...did what?"
"You can't blame me for my actions. That was my little way of trying to know who I was investing in."
That was another demeaning word. "Investing?" I whispered unbelievably, my voice cracking into something I barely could recognize. "You are making it sound more like I was a business project, and you needed a huge returns on investment."
"Well, I won't drby the fact that you were that to me. And I needed to make out all the money I could from you." He said, then continued softly. "But that was at first."
I chuckled at how fluent he was with his words, selecting the right one to elfut every situation.
“At first?”
His jaw flexed, like he has something else to say. "Then, without warning, you became something I couldn't place my fingers crossed on. I couldn't go ages with placing a price on you."
My throat became dry just hearing him talk. It was so painful, that he now pretends everything is okay while alot had been happening. "Don't dare coat words with sugar just to sweenten the ares that would hear it. It would be very cruel if you playing the victim in the crime you single handly planned.
He reached out suddenly without warning me, his left thumb brushing my chin affectionately. He lifted my chin in a go, forcing me to hold his gaze. "You think I wished to be in this situation in the first place? You meant meant to be a transaction, a temporary distraction, Demilia. You weren't supposed to matter to me, just a toy I can easily control."
"Then, the heavens had started punishing you. Making you love someone who would never forgive your cruelty to her."
His froze, but did a great job in covering up, making his face unreadable. I couldn't say if it was anger, regret or both of them.
I took the chance to move back by just two steps, still standing my ground. "You claim your sim of buying me was to protect me," I started, my voice shaking a little. "Fine. But I would love you to prove it. Let me go just to show you meant every word you said."
He stared at me, more like I was requesting gof the impossible. "I would like to tell you this: you wouldn't last even a day our there without me."
"Try me and see for yourself."
His lips curved in a smile, a very dangerous one. "Go ahead as you wished. Run as you can. Let's see how far you can get before reality finally dawns on you that freedom isn't as sweet as many sugar coat it to be."
I turned away from him, my heart pounding non stop, but I had told myself I wasn't going to cry. "You will definitely regret this, Ethan."
"Maybe," he replied, showing unconcerned attitude. "But at least, it's a good thing that I will definitely locate you wherever you are when you do "
>>>>>>>>>>
By the time I finally reached the elevator, my hands were shaking nervously to the point I was unable to press the button. I had no idea where I was going, and I cared less. All that mattered to me was that it wasn't this place. Anywhere far from Ethan's penthouse would be a heaven for me. I needed to feel one thing, that I existed out his shadow just this once.
But the moment the elevator door finally slip open, and my face lit up with smile, two guards were already positioned by the sides waiting.
"Mrs. Blackwell," one of them called, bowing to me slightly. "Mr. Ethan gave the instructions that no one should permit you to leave the vicinity tonight."
My stomach churned, my heart dropping into my stomach. "He did what?" I asked in confusion.
The guard moved awkwardly, like he was being forced to hold me hostage. "His exact words were... 'She's free to run, but not far from sight.'"
The audacity only made me burst into laugher. It wasn't funny, neither did it call for laughter, but that was the only thing keeping me sane from screaming my lungs out. "Kindly tell your boss," I started, my voice still the same. "That even expensive cages made of gold, still waste in trapping birds."
None of the moved. They stood still, watching and waiting for me.
"That's fine," I muttered when I saw none of them was willing to make a move. I stormed back toward the penthouse, my mind a whirlwind of emotions. My heart was too heavy to carry the burden, my soul burning, rage threatening to rip off my heart from the rub cage.
When I finally got to the living room, Ethan was there,but by the window, backing me. He was holding a glass of whiskey in his hand as usual.
He didn't turn when I entered. He must be mocking me in his mind, trying to show off his power where I am. "Going somewhere?"
I crossed my arms, but not without glaring daggers at his back, of which if left alone, I won't waste a second in stabbing him. "You must be hallucinating to think by locking me up, I would stay back."
"I don't think so, darling." He said rather too calmly. "I will ensure that happens."
I moved few steps closer, not knowing what gave me the courage. "You're truly insane."
He turned sharply, his gaze still steady. "Maybe. But you're still here with me, and that's all that matters."
I hated that all he said was the truth. And worst of all, I hated the part of me that was rebelling against me, craving to understand him, even after what he did to me.
"Why me, Ethan?" I asked my voice breaking. ",Out of the thousands of women in the world, you could have chosen any of them because of your power and influence, why choice to ruin me?"
Or maybe I should let him know about my pregnancy, about another man's child inside my womb. That my brother already messed me up before selling me to him. Maybe that would get him to free me. But will I survive the storm it would bring?