Chapter 50 — Seven Hours in Heaven

"They killed my favorite character. Can you believe that?! He had been the one earning them the name from the beginning, and what they did? They killed him. HIM! How could they? Don't they ha- Em? Em! Are you even listening?"

I snapped to attention. "Huh? Yea-Yeah! I love the pizza too."

"What?" Anna watched me with a frown between her brows which soon reached her lips. "Em, where have you been lost?"

"Nowhere! Nowhere at all. I'm fine. I'm fine." I put up a smile.

"Yes, you're fine, and we're eating nuggets not pizza," she stated, her chin slightly tucked.

I looked down at the chicken nugget in my hand and let out a breath through my mouth. I hadn't been me since the ball. It was as if my body was moving around without my soul which I left at a particular hallway. My brains refused to believe that questionable encounter with Hunter ever happened, and the things occurred afterwards, like the next morning my cabin at the Delgado office being packed with White Lilies, my favorite flower, or later at the restaurant the spotlight being illuminated on me while I had a mouthful of pizza and the singer singing.

Ah! That was so embarrassing. I was certain he was behind all these. What sinister plan was he plotting once again?

"Earth to Ember!" Anna waved a hand in front of my face.

I shut my eyes tight as my cheeks warmed up. "I'm sorry, Anna!"

"You should be, lady!" She pointed an accused finger at me.

I sent her a toothy smile, holding my ears.

"You were thinking about him, weren’t you?"

My smile faltered. "What? No! I was not. He is not worth it. He is a...a..."

"Evildoer? Plotter? Sinner?" Anna suggested.

"All of them."

Suddenly my butt vibrated, and I jumped. "Ugh!" God, that feels wrong! Reaching my back pocket I pulled out my phone and checked the caller ID immediately answering the call.

"Hey, Karen! What’s up?"

"Ember, darling! Can you meet me at the address I just texted you?"

Frowning, I checked the new message. Rose Garden Hotel.

Putting my phone back against my ear I questioned, "What're you doing there?"

"It's important. Please come."

"Alright. When?"

"Right now."

I nodded. "I'll be right there."

Turning to Anna I sent her another apologetic smile. "Uh...I have to—"

"Go, go. I'm sure Karen has something important for you." She waved her hand off as a slight smirk played in her mouth.

I eyed her suspiciously. "Something you know, Ana?"

"Of course not. How am I supposed to know, silly? Now off you go. Wouldn't be nice to keep the lady waiting."

I shook my head. She's just crazy. "See ya." I took off from my seat at the shop.

"See ya after seven hours."

I turned around. "What was that?"

"Nothing, nothing. Go!"

Was she high or something today?

~~~

Arriving at the hotel, I stopped at the receptionist's desk where a blonde sat. Thick glasses rimmed her face.

"Excuse me. Can you tell me which room Karen King is staying?"

She stood up face brightening up slightly. "Are you Mrs. Ember King?"

"Yes?"

"Ah, ma'am is waiting for you in room number 263 on the eighth floor," she replied with a smile.

"Thank you!" I turned around when she called again.

"Ma'am, our manager will show you the way, but first leave your phone here, please. Karen's request."

I frowned. That was an odd request. What was that lady trying to do?

Nodding, I turned off my phone, left it with the girl, and followed the manager to the eighth floor to the said room. He ran a card on the lock and the door opened with a click.

"Here you go, ma'am." The middle-aged man gestured to me inside with a smile.

Muttering a thank you, I entered.

"What did you have to say, Karen?" I halted in my track as a familiar suited figure stood in the middle of the room with his back towards me.

He turned around and froze, his eyes widened a teensy bit.

"You! What are you doing here?" I shot, my heart palpitating.

"I could ask you the same question." One of his brows lifted.

"Karen called me here. She said it was important."

The huge TV screen on the wall activated on its own, and a chibi woman who suspiciously resembled Karen popped up. "Welcome to your seven hours in heaven. Have fun!" she chimed.

"What is going on?" I trailed as my eyes widened when the sound of the door clicking reached my ears. Swirling around I ran to the door and twisted the knob. Nothing happened. The door didn't budge. "No, no, no." Panic rose in my heart as I began banging on the door. "Let me out! Hey! Let me out, I said!"

I turned around and looked at him. "Are you not gonna do anything?!"

He lifted his relaxed shoulders infinitesimally. "If that's Karen's doing, I do not want to waste my time and energy at useless endeavors."

"You..." I reached my back pocket only to find it empty and let out a groan. Glaring at him I extended my hand. "Give me your phone."

"Do not have it."

I stomped on the floor. "I hate you, Karen!"

"Don't. You will break the old lady's heart."

"And she will break your bones if you say that word to her face!" I snapped.

"Correct." He began taking off his clothes one by one.

I eyed him with horror. "Wh-What are you doing?"

"I am not waiting seven hours for a shower," he said, his fingers smoothly unbuttoning his shirt.

Right then I squinted my eyes at the glinting circular band tightly wrapped around his ring finger, and for a second my breathing stopped. The ring. The wedding ring I never saw him wearing before proudly adorned his finger now. His words from the ball repeated in my head. 'I will win you over, Ember King.'

Is he really saying the truth? Has he really changed? His hateful eyes from that day surfaced in my mind. The hatred they possessed could never change so rapidly. My jaw clenched. This is just another of his filthy lies.

I launched towards him and jabbed a finger on his bare chest. "You...T-This is all your doing, isn't it? Keeping me locked in a room with you for seven hours and doing these...w-weird things- What the heck do you think that'll do, huh?"

His hand moved swiftly wrapping around my finger, and he loomed nearer, amusement visible in his physiognomy. "I can assure you I would not waste seven hours of my time after such childlike behavior. But- since we are here, we shall see what happens." His voice came to a low whisper at the end as a smirk danced in one corner of his lips.

I pulled my finger off his grasp like it was on fire, or perhaps it was. "N-Nothing will happen."

"You make the perfect King with this attitude," he spoke, his hands going to his belt.

My eyes widened, and I turned around closing my eyes. My cheeks turned red as the clink of his belt touching the floor reached my ears. God help me!

Soon as a door closed I opened one eye and slowly carefully looked around. A sigh of relief left my mouth when I found no sign of a naked Greek god. My hand lifted touching my warm cheeks when my eyes landed on the open window beside the bed. Trotting to it I peeked over. Fortunately the roof of another building was just inches away, unfortunately, it was two stories down. I calculated the damage in my head.

Hm...a broken leg? Perhaps a few broken ribs? Or just dead.

What was I so scared of? I was scared I would tumble under his intense gaze. I was afraid my facade of strength would crumble and let out the vulnerable little girl I really was. I was afraid to step in his decoy once again and shatter the pieces of my heart I was still trying to mend from his last blow. Every time I closed my eyes I saw him laughing and pointing at me saying, 'You are such a fool, Ember. You are such a fool.'

My heart churned and eyes burned just from thinking about it. Mincing to the sofa I plopped down and held my face to force the tears to go away.

Have faith, Ember. You are strong. You can-

Just then the door to the bathroom opened and out came the devil in a towel loosely draped around his hips, his raven hair soaking wet, steadily dripping on the carpet, and rippled abs glistening from the soft kisses of sunlight peeking through the window.

"Bloody hell, I can't!" I muttered and glanced at the window.

His eyes moved from me to the direction, a crease appearing between his brows.

Before my brains could think of another option I stood up and dashed to my escape from this amaranthine abyss. Holding the pane I lifted my leg up on the sill when two strong arms wrapped around my torso pulling me away from my escapade as a scream left my mouth following by more.

Flopping on the bed he clasped my mouth. "Have you gone crazy?" he hissed.

"Mmhm bhmmn!" I replied.

"If you scream once again I will throw you off that window myself."

"Mhmmmnnn!" I began wriggling in his lap. "Mhmn hmn!"

He sighed, and his breath hit the back of my ear causing goosebumps to rise all over my back. "If. You. Do. Not. Stop grinding like that, you will make me do something you will regret," he lowly hissed into my ear.

My eyes went wide as my movement came to a complete stop, and adrenaline pumped through my veins. Suddenly I was thrown off his lap, my back hitting the soft mattress as he climbed on top of me, his chest rising and falling with unsteady breaths.

"W-W-What're you doing?"

He gazed at my eyes intensely, the very one I had been fearing. "Why are you so damn stubborn?"

"If you think coming and talking about winning me over will fool me and make me step in your trap once again, then you are dead wrong, Hunter King. I'm no more the girl you once blackmailed into a fake matrimony and commanded around till your purpose was attained." With all my might I pushed him off me and climbed over, my hands at both sides of his head, and eyes flared up while his displayed shock and admiration. "I will checkmate you before you even begin your dirty game this time."

Getting up I stalked towards the door. "You, Manager! If you don't open this bloody door right now, you'll have a bloody storm wrecking your expensive place, like—” I took a hold of the exotic-looking vase from the glass table, "this." I let go of it as it hit the floor smashing to pieces. "Or this." I threw the lamp from the bedside table.

Soon the click of the door sang to my ear, and the manager came in looking horrified. Sending him a death glare I dashed out of the hotel.

Win me over or lure me in another trap? Ha! He'll have to work harder than this.