Chapter 51 All the Cards

Chapter 51 All the Cards
After all the abuse I'd received from Malcolm, I wasn't about to back down even if he did have me strapped naked to a chair.
"You think you scare me? Well, you don't!" I said, straining against the restraints that held my wrists and ankles in place.
"Scare you? Don't be ridiculous," said Malcolm, his gaze roaming up and down my body in a way that left me feeling very confused.
"I'm not your servant! You can't just whip me into submission!" I shouted.
"No, no, you don't understand," said Malcolm with a little sigh. "I love you. And all this hurts me more than it hurts you."
"You're a crazy man!" I retorted, doing my best to act brave, even though I was very frightened.
"Now, are you going to behave or not?" said Malcolm, his eyes narrowing. "Because I simply cannot tolerate your disruptions for a moment longer. I've tried being reasonable with you, but you seem determined to defy me. If you continue to push me, I will have no other choice but to take drastic measures."
I wanted to keep fighting him, but the truth was that he was holding all the cards. He had my mother drugged up and me strapped to a chair.
I could scream and shout as much as I wanted to and no one would ever hear me. I realized that the only way I was going to get out of this was to pretend to submit.
"You're right, Malcolm," I said, trying to sound contrite. "I'll be good. I swear."
"Much better," said Malcolm, reaching out one hand to tenderly cup the side of my face. "You're such a lovely girl when you want to be."
"Yes, Daddy," I said, shocked to discover that tears were rolling down my cheek.
"Excellent," said Malcolm, giving me one last lingering gaze before standing up and walking over to the far side of the room. He then pressed a button on the wall.
A moment later, a short little man came in, looking nervous and apprehensive, wearing a white lab coat.
"Allison, this is Doctor Jaffers," said Malcolm. "Please lie still as he examines you."
Examine me? I was completely unprepared for that. When Malcolm had restrained me in the chair, I thought it was because he wanted to whip me or physically hurt me in some way. Now it made sense why I'd initially thought the chair looked like it belonged in a dentist's office.
Doctor Jaffers had beady little eyes which surveilled me with such coldness that I felt a shiver run down my spine. He activated a switch on the chair and it slowly began tilting me to a more horizontal position until my legs were up in the air.
It was like the most humiliating gynecological visit ever, and it got even worse when he took out his tools and began poking and prodding at my insides.
That's when I realized that all of this was related to my so-called pregnancy. Malcolm was convinced that I was carrying his child, but the truth is that I'd forgotten all about it.
I certainly hadn't experienced any symptoms like morning sickness, and my stomach was as flat as ever. In fact, I'd probably lost a few pounds since coming to the estate.
But now that Doctor Jaffers had his cold, metal tools prying me apart, it came to me that this pregnancy might be all too real. What was I going to do then? Malcolm would never let me leave if I was bearing his child.
Even if I somehow managed to sneak off the grounds of his estate, I knew he'd hunt me to the ends of the earth to claim what was his. I was well and truly trapped!
After finishing his exam, Dr. Jeffers pressed a switch to return the chair to its upright position. He then turned to Malcolm and nodded.
"All good?" said Malcolm, an excited sparkle in his eyes.
"Yes, sir," said Doctor Jeffers. "The vessel appears to be perfectly healthy."
"Wonderful! Thank you, Doctor," said Malcolm.
Dr. Jeffers nodded and then let himself out of the room, leaving me infuriated. Had that simpering bastard really referred to me as a vessel? What kind of medieval patriarchal bullshit was that?
Almost as if Malcolm had been reading my mind, he turned to me and said, "My hope had been to welcome you into my family, but if you insist on repeating your shameless behavior, I will be forced to treat you as merely a vessel for my unborn child. The choice is up to you."
Oh, God! I knew Malcolm had some mental health issues, but this was more sick and twisted than I ever could've imagined. Was he really going to treat me like some kind of brood mare?
"Alas, your mother's illness has rendered her incapable of ever giving me my rightful heir," said Malcolm.
So that was what all this was about then? Malcolm was keeping me around as some kind of back-up for his plan to establish a dynasty? Something was seriously wrong with him, and I was beginning to regret not doing more research on what had happened with his previous wives.
"What about Jack?" I said.
"He is no longer of any concern to you, or to me," said Malcolm with a rueful smile.
"So you're just using us to get what you want?" I said as the horrifying truth dawned on me.
"Of course," said Malcolm. "That's the way the real world works, my dear. You either use people, or they use you. And I am Malcolm Kent. No one is ever going to get one over on me!"
I could see the insanity behind those blue eyes I'd once found charming. My heart raced as I realized that there was only one way I was going to survive.
"I understand," I said, doing my best to give him a reassuring smile. "And I'll do whatever you want. The baby's needs come first."
"Despite your wicked ways, I always knew you were a smart girl," said Malcolm before leaning over to free me from my restraints.
I sat up, rubbing my wrists where the manacles had chafed me. "Oh, there is one thing I'll need though," I said, looking Malcolm square in the eye.
"Yes?" said Malcolm, wary.
"I'm sick of those fucking white dresses," I told him. "If we're going through with this, I need something else to wear."
Malcolm hesitated for a moment but then nodded. "As you wish," he said.
"Oh, and one more thing," I said, hopping to my feet. "I need an upgrade to my room. Something with an en-suite bathoom. And a big tub. Long hot soaks will be good for the baby. I'm sure you've got something like that in this big ass mansion."
"As you wish," said Malcolm, smiling when he heard me say the word 'baby.'
I then walked over to the door and let myself out, uncaring that I was still naked. The staff were terrified of Malcolm, so I knew they wouldn't say anything. And if I'm being honest, choosing to be naked at that moment was a power move. It showed that I was no longer scared of Malcolm.
I realized that this pregnancy was my ticket to everything I had ever wanted. Running off to the cops would get me nothing. But as long as Malcolm thought I was carrying his child, he'd do anything to protect him or her, and that meant the ball was now in my court.
There was a very big grin on my face as we walked down the hallway because the tables had now turned, which felt pretty darn delicious, I must admit.
Now it was me who held all the cards!