"Wh-why is that any of your concern?!", Esma snapped then flinched her hand away. "I just... I know that he broke into your room.", Darby confessed. Esma's face put on a serious and scared expression. She started to sniffle. "But how...-",
"Shh... it's going to be ok.", he whispered, rubbing her arm. Esma leaped onto him and hugged him tightly. She started to sob, deeply. "He...h-he beat me....a-and....agh!", Esma wailed. She calmed down and backed away from Darby. Darby put his hand on hers again. "Ah...you shouldn't see me like this. I'm so stupid. It's like my ex said. I'm stupid and ugly. He would hit me and cut me. I still have s-some bruises and cut marks from him...", Esma muttered then rolled up her sleeve to show Darby her bruised and cut arm.
Darby put his hand to his mouth as she rolled down her sleeve. "I don't know who your ex is but he is 100% wrong to call you stupid and ugly. Esma. You're the most beautiful and smart girl I've ever met in my life. I would decease if anything happened to you.". Tears strolled down Esma's cheeks and then she kissed Darby.
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Thursday. Clay threw the blankets off of him and onto the floor. Adira came in with his breakfast and outfit. "I'm free today. All I have to do is linger around this dreary mansion.", he groaned. Adira gave him his food and outfit then quickly made her exit out of his room without saying a word.
Downstairs:
"I haven't ate this much food in ages! Ah! It all tastes so good!", Tobias exclaimed. "Well how much do you usually eat in a day?", Charlotte asked. "Usually just 2 pieces of toast with a glass of milk a day.", Tobias responded.
"Huh. Well that's why you're so frail and thin boned. You're skinnier than a toothpick!", Charlotte scoffed. Clay came downstairs and sat down at the table. "Tobias. I don't plan on keeping you here any time soon. But if we lose in court for custody-",
"Court?! Custody?! Who's keeping me?!", Tobias questioned. Clay gazed at Charlotte. She sat up. "Well, sweetie... me and Oliver were planning on keeping you. Your original parents sound like monsters and I can't just see a kid get neglected like that. Plus, we've always wanted a child.".
Tobias's face lit up. "R-really?!". Charlotte nodded. Toby started to cry. Charlotte hugged him.
Meanwhile:
Darby took Esma's journal and went to his room. "July 21st. I didn't think things could get any better. The downfall and wrath of my ex would soon come back again. For now in the mansion, I just have to play poker and pretend I'm doing ok. Till this day I vow that I would never fall in love again. I'm too afraid of change. His memories haunt me. But the man in the Hickory Hill mansion is making me forget. Every time I look at him everything just... blends into each other. Everything just feels right when I see him. And I'm not going to use any name's for the two men I'm talking about here. Actually, for the ONLY man I'm talking about. Because my ex is such a child. When he didn't get what he wanted he would take it out on me. Even if I didn't know what the fuck he was talking about. The other day I started to dig my nails into my skin when I answered the door. It scares me too. I have to do it with someone else or I feel as if I'm not safe. Because every time that my ex got home he would push me to the ground and cut me. I have to stop writing now. Darby is calling for me.".
He dropped the journal. "I'm not the one she was talking about...".
At the front door:
Anastasia knocked over and over again, with all of her energy. Adira answered. "Anastasia! What a pleasure to see you here!", Adira exclaimed with a kind grin on her face. "I'm calling off the marriage for Ryder of Chilly Meadows.", Anastasia declared. Clay walked up behind Adira. "Good. Have fun.". Clay went out of the door and hopped on Ciara. "Don't be mad! I'm sorry I didn't mean to I just wanted to because I thought he would be better for me and-",
"Stop meddling! All you do is go on and on and on! When do you ever shut up?!", Clay shouted then rode off into the woods on Ciara.
In the kitchen:
Darby came up from behind Oliver and put his hand on Oliver's mouth. Oliver struggled to let go as Darby plugged his nose. "If you go near Esma, I swear I'll cut your little fucking neck off. Touch her, your fingers will be gone.", he threatened.
"That's gonna be kind of hard... Since we live in the same mansion.", Oliver grunted then elbowed Darby in the stomach then punched him in the face.
"And I'm not on your girl! I'm with Charlotte, dumbass!".
Darby grabbed a fork and stabbed Oliver in the hand them pushed him to the ground. Oliver screamed in pain. "I really don't give a shit. Just don't touch her or I'll rip your pretty little hair out of your head. And if you tell someone, I can and will mark my words. ".
Esma entered the kitchen. "What the hell is going on?! I heard shouting.". "Oliver burnt himself on the oven. Everything is ok.", Darby lied. "Oh can I see it? I could probably help heal it-",
"I-I'm fine, Esma.", Oliver reassured. He put his hand behind his back and pulled the fork out.
Esma slowly nodded then looked through the cabinets. Oliver left the kitchen then went straight to Charlotte.
"Charlotte, get the fuck over here. We need to talk.", Oliver demanded then grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her out of the living room.
"Ow, Oliver!", she grinded through her teeth.
He pushed her into her room and locked the door. "The fuck was that for?!", she shouted.
Oliver put his hand over her mouth. "Don't say anything. Be quiet. I don't know if he's listening. But that mother fucker stabbed me in the hand with a fork. I'm bleeding. Esma came into the kitchen and I had to lie to her. That fucking butler is insane. He threatened me if I touched Esma or told anyone about this.", he whispered.
Charlotte widened her eyes then smacked him. "What the hell did I do?!", Oliver shouted.
"You left her down there in the kitchen with a ticking time bomb?! Are you fucking stupid?! And he stabbed you with a goddamn fork?! Are you ok?!", Charlotte questioned then grabbed the hand with the wound.
Downstairs:
There was a knock at the front door. Esma and Darby went to get it. When the door was opened Esma nearly fainted.
Her skin got chills and her face went paler than a sheet.
"Darby... Meet my ex boyfriend... Blade.".