Chapter 49 Starvation
‘I am his precious huh? Fine then, I will show him,’
Settling her aim of dismaying him, the upcoming Sunday, she decided to not eat anything so her weakness would weaken him.
She was starving but just to tingle his whole functioning, to test him, she remained stubborn.
She walked across the apartment with him following her trails, trying to convince her hopelessly.
“Doing this will only worsen your state, Bella. Eat something.”
“Leave me alone,” She hissed.
“What do you want to eat? I will make it, I will get it, just say it but don’t remain like this,” He spoke tenderly.
She didn’t reply yet to make her eat something, he presented the plate luxuriously, hoping it might increase her appetite.
Declining to hold the slightest perception of goodness and stumble upon the edge of his limit- only to infuriate him- she threw the plate away, spilling the food on the ground.
“I said leave me alone,” She growled at his face, glaring into his soul.
He blinked, taking a moment to comprehend what she did.
Glancing at the broken plate and scattered food before turning back to the unflinching woman.
Tightening her grip on her dress to control her increasing heartbeat, praying he won’t do anything extreme too.
He stared at her face for the next few seconds as a blazing rage twinkled in his gaze, glaring at her, making a fist to not let wrath dominate him.
Before she could open her mouth to speak something, he furiously slammed his hand on the table, drawing a startled shiver from her.
Absolutely displeased when she wasted food, he wanted to give her punitive but decided not to and growled.
“Fine then, starve yourself,”
Moving back cautiously, he cleaned the fallen food and walked out of the room, leaving her all alone to think what she did.
She certainly felt horrible about throwing food like this and seeing his fury, she almost thought he would hit her or something.
“Huff…”
Exhaling, placing her hand over her heart, she blinked to perceive what happened and glanced at the door.
Sighing, she remained stubborn, thinking he would return.
‘God, I am so hungry, if he insists again, I will eat,’ But, he didn’t.
It was midnight, he was sleeping next to her, not bothering to question or even force her to eat.
Deep in slumber and since her head was dizzy from starvation, she quietly got out of the bed and went to the kitchen to find anything to eat but the pots were empty, everything was cleaned.
“Shit,”
Cursing under her breath, she could barely stand let alone to cook something for herself and began to search for something instant only to receive a mocking, groggy chuckle from the man.
“Done with your little rebellion?”
Lowering her head with rapidly brimming mortification, she pressed herself against the counter for support when the muscular man approached.
“I… just wanted to hurt you,”
Biting her bottom lips anxiously, she whispered weakly.
“You did,” He sighed.
Pinching her cheeks and taking out the leftover from the fridge as she cursed herself for not checking it first.
“But it took its toll on you and was it worth it?”
He reheated the food and served it again for both of them and placed the plates down.
Tugging her hair behind her ear, she sat down and began to eat hastily and asked with her mouth full.
“Are you hungry too?”
“Now I am hungry again,”
He smiled as they ate in silence but William was staring at his food, he couldn’t swallow a bite anymore as if something was bothering him.
She didn’t want to ask, the second she was done, she rushed back to the room.
With a cold smile, he watched her traces leave… like he always did.
The second she was gone, he twirled his fingers around the food.
Slowly rubbing his arm, as if someone had scarred it and put the food back before falling back on the bed, staring at the ceiling.
Undesirable thoughts began to consume his peace and carrying the eeriness, an unwanted memory knocked on his mind.
….Something he buried in the corner of his heart for betterment yet today Arabella’s one action revived it.
“How dare you, Luke!”
Their Aunt, Liyah, who was taking care of them after their parent’s death, was about to hit Luke for breaking a vase but fifteen years old William came in between.
“Aunt Liyah, please don’t hurt him, I am sorry in his place!”
Hugging Luke, who was panicking, crying, afraid of his Aunt’s anger held William’s shirt, hiding his face there.
“William!”
He sobbed, not letting him go yet reassured that when he was in between as a shield, he would be safe.
“Don’t worry, I am here.”
He gave him a brief smile before turning to their Aunt.
“Auntie, please, he is young, he didn’t know that vase means this much to know,”
“That is why he must be taught a lesson to know how to behave,”
She growled, trying to rip William from Luke but he didn’t allow it and poured all his strength to ensure his brother remained close.
Ignoring the pain when she dug her long nails on his skin as a struggle to pull the boy away, who was hissing in pain.
“Don’t hurt my brother please… I-I will take his punishment, I will do anything you say. I will clean it, hit me, but not him,”
Shutting his eyes, he begged continuously, “Please, please, please-”
Her jaw clenched, slapping him across his face, harshly ripping him away from Luke who shivered in dread, tears spilling down his face.
“William-”
“You stay there little brat,”
“L-Luke, don’t,”
William kept looking down, subduing the stinging sensation which was transparent through the tears in his eyes and the red mark appearing.
“Then clean it up and stay hungry. You won’t have dinner,”
Growling, she left the boys as they began to clean it up.
Luke saw his brother sniff, lips quivering but not saying anything, they were cleaning and he called in broken tone.
“Wi-William,”
“As long as I am here, there is nothing to worry about, okay?”
“B- But,”
“It’s alright, I will clean this up. You go and study with Helena. I will be there in a few minutes,” He forced a smile, giving his back a pat.
He made a miserable face but trusting his brother, he ran back to the room and the second he was out of sight.
He slammed his hand down, rubbing his cheek that was hurting a lot as her nails scratched it badly. Wiping his tears roughly, he swore to work hard and get out of this shithole one day.
He spent the time calmly but as night grew darker, hunger got the best of him.
He couldn’t sleep, he failed to find comfort and groaned with starvation, he came down to find some leftovers when he saw everyone sleeping.
Tiptoeing, he checked the refrigerator only to get caught by a thick scent of smoke on his face.
“You think I wouldn’t know you will come to eat?”
Gasping, he was frightened when she was right behind him, smoking with a ruthless smirk, teasing the starving boy.
“I am sorry, Auntie, I was starving, I couldn’t sleep. I am sorry-”
She leaned forward, forcing him to turn to her, closing the door of the fridge.
“Are you hungry, William?”
“Mhm, I am sorry, please-”
“But you know what? Bad boys don’t get anything but punishment,”
“No, no, no,-”
Grabbing his arms roughly, she stared dead into his eyes and without a warning, she pressed her scorching cigarette on his arm, earning a painful cry from the young boy.
“No!!”