Chapter 9
CRYSTAL
After that breakfast I had with Leonardo, I hadn’t set my eyes again on him for up to a week. It seemed like he just vanished into thin air.
I had gone upstairs after having breakfast with him and sat by myself in the my bedroom– or should I call it a prison cage. I didn’t come out again until evening. I was truly growing accustomed to just enjoying my own company.
I felt free whenever I was with myself, away from the clutches of Leonardo and his callous attitude.
The broad grin on my face when Maya had told me Leonardo had to catch a flight to Australia was so wide that it could have torn my lips apart.
I felt so happy. I felt so free. The beast was no more around me. Even if it was just for a short period of time, I still felt extremely happy and I had this sudden freedom to do whatever I want.
I actually thought of running away but I realised the brute actually increased the security measures inside and outside the doors of his mansion.
He didn’t want me to escape but at the same time he treated me like a piece of rag.
For him beating me up that day all because I didn’t want to join him for dinner was the total height of it all.
I couldn’t stand this man neither did I even want to breathe the same air with him. He was nothing but a beast and a wicked human.
I truly hated Leonardo and I wished for my hatred never to falter or wane over the coming days.
His sudden departure out of the house brought me immeasurable pleasure and tranquilty. Even though the security measures had been trippled, I still felt so free for once in so many days.
I grew more closer to Maya and even helped her out in the kitchen.
I had started memorizing the names of most of the maids and also became close to them. One thing I found truly strange and amusing was their loyalty to Leonardo.
They all spoke so highly of him, so eloquently and so heroic as if Leonardo was some sort of philanthropist.
Maya praised him alot and I got to find out that she actually raised him following the death of his mother when he was just a young boy. She was his godmother. I suddenly found myself feeling sorry for him but then I remembered all what he did to me and how he forcefully made me sell myself to him.
Leonardo was not a human. He was incapable of feeling human emotions. He was a beast in the body of a human.
I sincerely wished Leonardo would never come back here but today was the day he would be arriving. I was submerged back into that feeling of dread, gloom and anxiety once again.
I never knew how afraid I had become of him until today. Just the very mention of his arrival by Maya sent cold shivers down my spine.
I repeatedly glanced at the wall clock in my bedroom. Watching the hour hand and the minute hand tick continuously in anxiety and fear was killing me.
He was scheduled to arrive around eleven and now it was 8:30.
I was so doused in fear that I almost began choking on the air.
The air in the room suddenly felt too tight for me to breathe in.
Would I leave in this sort of fear all my life? Would I just be scared by the mere mention of Leonardo’s name like this forever?
Oh God.
There was a slow knock on the door and I jerked up on my bed immedately. It got me startled and also shivering in fear.
“C-c-come in”I stammered.
Maya walked inside with a smile on her face. A smile–that was one thing never missing from her face.
She was always beaming with smiles. She was such a cheerful elderly lady.
“How are you dear?”
“I am fine Maya what about you? Do you need any thing?”I asked calmly.
She shook her head at me and softly laughed. “Leonardo is back. He brought back gifts for you downstairs and is requesting you see them. They are downstairs”
I gulped and my breathing got hitched. I slowly nodded my head and forced a smile on my lips. “Yes Maya. I’ll be right there”
She smiled back and closed the door, leaving me to my fate.
My eyes quickly darted to the clock on the wall. It wasn’t even eleven yet. He was scheduled to arrive by eleven so why did he come so early?
God. I thought I would get atleast two hours of peace and freedom before his arrival but damn it. The brute just had to show up early.
I got off my bed with wobbly feets and dragged my pale self outside my room.
I felt like a prisoner once more. A glorified prisoner living in a castle.
I briskly walked downstairs, eyes roving around for any trace of Leonardo. Fortunately for me he was out of sight.
Out of sight means out of mind but reverse was the case for me.
The more I didn’t see him, the more frightening thoughts of him lurked around my mind, plunging me into a bottomless pit of dread and captivity.
Once I reached downstairs, my orbs trailed to a huge pile of giftbags lying in the middle of the imperial living room.
I walked over to it, doe-eyed and jaws ajar.
Did he really buy me all these gifts?
There were various things ranging from designer dresses to shoes to necklaces and perfumes. Expensive handbags and different makeup sets were all littered around.
I’m sure he picked all these from his travel around Australia.
This man was so mysterious. He beats me up, forces me to eat with him, treats me like a property and then buys gifts for me.
What exactly was in Leonardo’s mind at times? What was he thinking? That was truly something I would never find out.
My eyes and hands rummaged through the expensive piles of gift. I didn’t know if I should feel happy or scared by his sudden display of kindness towards me.
“You like them right?”Irina, one of the maids I had become friends with cheekily asked me.
I could only nod my head. The gifts were very beautiful and expensive and I honestly didn’t know if I should be happy about them or not.
I already had enough clothes and he added more and also spiced it up with other accessories.
It felt so ironical to me. His gifts were portraying him as a kind person but the opposite was the case.
Leonardo was nothing close to kindness and he would never be such in my eyes. I would always loathe him and despise him for everything he did to me.
No matter how many gifts he got me he would never be a saint to me.
“Crystal”Irina called out accompanied by urgent tappings on my shoulder.
I quickly glanced at her.
“What were you thinking? I’ve been talking to you”she explained.
I never realised I zoned her out.
“Um I’m so sorry”I apologised as I blinked severally whilst massaging my temples.
“Are you good? I wanted to tell you that master wants to see you in his chambers”
The bomb was dropped. My breathing got clogged in my throat and my eyes widened in apprehension.
“Are you… sure?”I hesistantly asked, hoping she would say it was just a trick but deep down I knew it wasn’t possible.
She nodded her head at me. “Is something wrong? You seemed tensed”she asked with curious eyes.
I put up a plastic smile and shook my head. “It’s fine. I’ll be going to meet Leonardo”
She gave me a satisfied nod and I made my way upstairs at once.
I had never been in Leonardo’s private room before. I had no business in there but today he wanted me to come there.
What would he do to me?
Force his bloody self on me? I definitely won’t go down without a fight.
I approached his door and once again, apprehension and agitation took control over me.
I knocked on the huge black doors with shaky hands before pushing it open gently.
The room was dim but the sunset lamp provided a measurable amount of light to it, feeling the room with its soft rays.
It was just like I imagined it. Black marble decorating the walls of his room, an ostentatious kingsized bed placed in the middle, scarlet coloured duvets and black sheets decorating it. There were two grey doors by the right, probably leading to his closet and bathroom.
I noticed various tall book shelves aligned perfectly but the darkness forbade me from seeing more.
By the far end of the room stood three long windows drapped in gold coloured curtains. The eager wind blew the curtains vigorously as they danced to its rhythm providing little view of the luminous moon whose rays shone through the foggy clouds.
There was a vanity table at the centre and various plant pots were spotted around each corner of his room, feeling the room with their beautiful flowery scent.
Opposite the fire place sat Leonardo in chair, his gaze staring into the low flames, the flames giving off an orange glow around the room. Only the sound of the wood cackling could be heard in the room, everywhere was dead silent.
I took few mortified steps forward and heard Leonardo sigh.
“You called for me”I spoke up, my voice barely above a whisper, trying to stop the jitters from spreading across my body.
There was a brief silence after I spoke up. The silence was eating me up. There was usually a sign before a storm but my life was filled with storms already.
He stood up and slowly faced me. Dangerously hot and yet sinful, his blue orbs peered into my frightened eyes.
He took a few steps forward as I instantly retreated backwards.
He noticed it and then stopped.
“Did you like my gifts?”He asked, his voice raspy, tucking his hands into his pockets.
“Why did you get them? I didn’t ask you for them”I bodly stated with an unknown temerity coursing through me.
I deserved to know the reason.
He chuckled darkly and took some steps forward. The more he came towards me, the more I moved back until I had hit my back against the door of his room.
I was totally caged. He gave me a mischievous smirk and placed his two hands by the door on both sides of my body, totally restricting my movement and locking me in.
“You are too curious Crystal. Curiosity kills the cat”He whispered huskily as he leaned down towards me. He had this spicy sweet scent of cinnamon radiating off him. It was like a drug intoxicating and hitting me strong.
“My obsession”I heard him breathe out. His head descended and met with my neck.
My breathing got hitched and I gulped.
What was he doing?
“W-what?”I nervously asked with my tone shaky.
“You are my obsession”he whispered onto my neck, his hot breath lingering on it. His hands slowly moved from the door and onto my waist, griping me and pulling me into himself.
“You are mine Crystal. Just mine”