Chapter 9 IN THE STUDY (Demilia’s POV)
"You want the truth so badly, Demilia?" He whispered with a hushed voice. "Your brother's deal with me isn't just about debt as you you have been made to believe..." He stopped, clenching his jaw. "...that very night that he sold you..."
"What exactly are you trying to say?" I asked, already losing it.
His eyes darkened, more like it was being haunted. "Go ahead before me. You are free to play with your little toy. Maybe that way, you would be able to discover what your lovely brother has been hiding from you all these years. It might be half the truth your brother wasn't."
And with that, he turned to leave, releasing me from his tight grip. I was left trembling on the balcony, my mind going wild with different thoughts, heart pounding restlessly.
>>>>>>>>>>
Hours later, I found myself sitting on the edge of the bed I was given to, with the gala dress tossed carelessly like it worth nothing on the floor. By now, the penthouse has become very silent, except for occasionally movement outside. Since my return, my mind had not stopped replaying the events of the evening, not even giving me a second to rest. The confrontation wa still fresh in my head, his harsh words ringing non stop in my head, not to talk of the closeness that almost led him to kissing me. A d to think i was almost ready to accept his lips on me was unbelievable.
I quietly opened my clutch, and there was the metallic key, safely preserved. I pulled it out, staring at it for a few seconds.
"What are you exactly, and what secret do you hold?" I whispered to it like a living thing. I held it to my palm like a delicate object that needed my protection.
Then, all of a sudden, my memory flashed back to when I first came to Ethan's house, remembering how strange his study looked. It was the only room he never aloows me go close to. He never for once left it open, always locked.
Curiosity took a great part of me, and I found myself getting restless to find the truth.
I hesitated a bit, trying to figure out if I was doing the right thing, but I moved the next second. I glanced around me like the walls were instructed to keep close eyes on me. My heart beat had accelerated, beating uncontrollably. "Don't get yourself involved in this, Demilia," I muttered to myself, but I was still moving. "Don't you dare take another move."
But I was already few steps away from the study.
Not long, I slipped inside so quietly that I didn't even hear myself move. He must have intentionally left the room open, or there may be more to it.
The room smelled somehow different today. More like cedar and power. His usual desk was standing idle by the window, sleek and intimidating like the owner. I carefully approached it, a d at same time, half expecting Ethan to appear behind me. The drawer handle was shining like it had glod coated on it.
My fingers trembled slightly as I contemplated opening it and aborting mission.
Click.
I turned it smoothly without giving it much thought. I was here for the truth, and that's what I will get.
I swallowed hard, then pulled the drawer with my whole strength.
Right inside it were different documentsz photos, and suspicious sealed envelopes. My eyes caught sight of the one with a familiar name, and it was written in both letters: Drake Dante. My stomach dropped on seeing that. Ethan was right after all. I was the ignorant one being taking advantage of here.
And to think it didn't take me so much to find the papers were still unbelievable.
I quietly lifted the file, curiosity taking over me as I went through the papers. There were financial transactions, different bank statements. Thwte were also photos of d Drake in dark alleys, and with him were weird looking strangers that he was shaking hands with. And then, one of the photos made my breath cut and return again.
It was my picture.
I was standing in a silk dress, my fave somehow not showing because it was hidden in a mask. Then my hand was bound to resist movement.
The caption was even more dangerous than the photo itself. Below it was the caption: Lot #6: Sold - Blackwell Holdings.
My knees wobbled weakly on sighting that, my world spinning around.
Ethan was there all along. He wasn't just part of the deal as I had thought all these while. He was the deal himself.
Not long, the door behind me creaked open, indicating the presence of an extra body. My heart tore a million times, almost exploding.
"Couldn't stay in bed, I see. Sleep was far from you " That was Ethan's voice from the doorway, soft and strangely low.
I froze, not knowing how to react. "I...was...just..."
"You were curious for answers," he replied, stepping inside. "That's bravery, and a beautiful thing to do... until the moment it turns back and kill you."
My hands shook slightly as I tried to get hold of myself. "You lied to me about everything."
He smirked, his eyes unreadable. "I can't remember promising you the truth."
"You fcking bought me like a commodity," I spat in anger, tears streaming down my cheeks. "You were the one behind everything, the one in that mask. Abd you went ahead to paid money just to own me, like I was a property."
He didn't flinch, not even once. "I only paid for survival. I paid for yours and mine."
"That's never to be called survival. There's a big difference." I snapped. "What you did is cruelty."
He took few steps closer, his presence suffocating and intimate at same time. "Abd yet, I still have you here with me."
I met his gaze, my eyes glaring hard at him. "Because you ensured I have no route of escape."
For a second, neither of us said anything. Though his gaze had softened, more like regret, or with another thing, bit it vanished in a blink.
He took the file from me, placed it back in the drawer and locked it again.
"Whatever you think you've succeeded in seeing," he said quietly. "you're still not prepared to see it."
"Then, why don't you tell me what I'm ready to see." I demanded sternly. "Because, Evey blessed day, I'm lett to wake wondering the version of you I would meet...the monster or the man..."
"Maybe you shouldn't bother differenciating as they are the same."
I wanted to scream out loud, to pour my anger on someone, to demand for the details, for the answers, but the words were ceased up in my throat.
He quietly turned and took his leave, leaving me to wallow in thoughts. "Goodnight, Demilia," he murmured. "And ensure to keep that key in a safe place. You will definitely need it sooner than you think."
With that, he clicked the door shut and was gone, and I was left standing in the study, speechless.