Chapter Ninety-Eight

It was time. Benedict Astor was about to mention my secret conversation with his housemaid. I turned my back towards the door, preparing myself to flee after confronting him about having demon spies.

“Who told you about it? Do you have ears in every corner of your home?” I carefully took the smallest step back.

“I don’t know what you mean by that, but I have two perfectly well-functioning ears in this room. I heard your sister talk about your heart-wrenching breakup loud and clear,” he said.

“What?! You were referring to my breakup all this time?”

“Well, of course. What were you thinking? Is there something you should tell me?” Mr. Astor narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

“No, uh.” I scratched my head, thinking of a plausible explanation. “I thought you were talking about my mother or someone else related to me.”

“Ah, I see,” said Mr. Astor. Astoundingly, he didn’t press for more information. “I would love to talk about your mother, but right now, I have something else in mind that can greatly benefit you.”

“Like what?” I moved backward a little more, and my back accidentally hit the door. Derrick habitually closed the door behind him, making me feel even more unsafe to be alone with a monster like Benedict Astor.

“You sneakily crawled to the door because you still doubt my intentions.” He walked toward me with the gait of a predator. I put one hand on the door handle, ready to run out of there if that psycho dared to lay a finger on me. I tightly shut my eyelids when he came uncomfortably close. I screamed bloody murder once his hands grasped my shoulders. “There is no need to scream, girl,” he said, pushing me away from the door. I stopped screaming and opened my eyes upon hearing the creaky sound of the door. It was not an attack. He just wanted access to the door. “Look, the door is now open for you to escape whenever you want,” Benedict taunted me. “Your ear-splitting screams made it seem as if you were expecting me to touch you indecently.”

Indecent touch? Getting murdered was the only thing in my head.

For Satanists, no crime or sin was too wicked. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Astors were part of a trouble or regularly participated in orgies.

“I can never accuse my uncle of wanting to do something so shameful to me. However, I admit to being scared of you because of what my parents…”

“We have talked enough about hate,” Mr. Astor interjected. “Now, let’s talk about love. You recently lost a man, and I have the perfect replacement for him to offer to you.” His eyes twinkled with mischief.

Was my uncle hitting on me? It made me sick to my stomach to think about him being interested in me romantically or sexually.

“What do you mean? I am not interested in whatever you’re about to say,” I cringed.

“Are you sure? Because I have someone handsome and wealthy waiting for you. He is undoubtedly a thousand times better than your disloyal ex,” he said, grinning widely.

Gross, disgusting, nauseating! I don’t have words to describe my inner feelings. So his long, deep stares were a look of lust instead of suspicion. The moment he would clear his revolting intentions to me, I would hit him in the face, kick him in the nuts, and storm out of there at once.

“Who is he?” I asked, already disgusted by the unspoken answer.

“My nephew, Charles,” he replied, sending me into a state of instant relief and surprise.

“Nephew?”

“The one who shall be joining us for dinner today. He is handsome, single, and around your age. He also comes from generational wealth and has a doctorate in biology. I can introduce you to him if you want,” he answered.

I didn’t know how to feel about that offer, but I was relieved he was not the one interested in me.

“Uh, I will not mind making his acquaintance, but I am not ready to jump back into dating anytime soon,” I said.

“Why? Are you still not over your ex?”

“No, sir. I am not.”

Desmond wasn’t an easy face to forget. He had increased my standards for a lot more than sex. Keeping aside the lies, he had always gone out of his way to make me feel special and safe. A human man could never give me the same things as him.

Did Desmond only allow me to leave because he was confident I wouldn’t find satisfaction in another man? In that case, I should teach him a lesson by flirting with someone new. Desmond could be watching me from the shadows. Flirting well could make him reveal himself out of jealousy.

“Perhaps I should be open to romance. Please introduce me to your nephew and put in a good word for me. Tell him about my relationship status if you can,” I said, masking anger at Desmond with excitement.

“Well done. I admire the change in your tone. You are one intelligent woman who knows better than to cry after a loser,” Benedict Astor lauded me. “My nephew is not the kind of man any female can say no to. You’ll see when you meet him. I can already imagine a wedding. It’ll bring us closer as a family if this beautiful thought manifests into reality.”

“Sure,” I said, pursing my lips.

The description of this flawless man didn’t excite me a bit. I also had no plan to marry anyone related to the right hand of Satan. My reasons for saying yes to private time with his nephew were completely different. I needed to let Benedict Astor think I was interested in Charles to keep his attention away from my actual mission to be there.

The maid wanted to meet me on the second floor, and I needed to speak to her as soon as possible.

“You haven’t shown us our rooms for the night,” I mentioned. “Where shall we be staying?”

“We have arranged four separate bedrooms for our guests on the second floor. Now, if you want to share yours with Charles tonight, that’s totally up to you.” Benedict Astor winked at me pervertedly.

Yes! I couldn’t care less about his sick jokes because he gave me exactly what I wanted without asking.

Those Satanists better prepare to rot in jail and then hell.