A month had passed, yet Sylvia couldn't find a way to escape the hell she was living in. Every day she got ready to serve Favian's needs as his maid, and each night she found herself crying and cursing him to death while she wailed under him in the bed.
Every morning before the bath, she counted the bruises and marks he left on not only her body but also on her soul.
He was not only abusing her body but was also ripping away her soul piece by piece to the point where she became numb to her torture.
If anyone from Larnwick found that the witch from one of the oldest families was living a life of a slave, the hell would break loose.
Every day a part of Sylvia was dying, and she had no control over it. She had to endure everything if she wanted to hope for a better future and accomplish her goal.
Once she found her wand, she would free herself from the clutches of that monster. Then she would attain the power she was dreaming of. And then she would give back Favian everything that he had forced upon her.
Sylvia was waiting in the kitchen for the cook to prepare breakfast for Favian. She was lost in her thoughts to realise the man was done with his work.
He had already prepared the tray. Sylvia was facing the other side, gazing out of the window. She didn't notice the man approaching her from behind until he placed his hand on her waist.
Sylvia jumped away in shock. Turning around swiftly, she glared at him.
"Do you want me to complain about you to Lord Golding?"
He smirked, chuckling at her response. "Do you think he would care?"
"Why don't we test it?"
Sylvia's retort made the man clamp his mouth shut. He knew his fate if Lord Favian Golding finds out about this. But what he should do?
She was beautiful, young, fierce and smart. He had heard her cries and Lord Favian's grunts on more than one occasion. Every time, he imagined himself in Lord Favian's place with Sylvia in his arms.
That mere thought made his member hard in excitement.
He cleared his throat and went for a glass of water to control his situation. "You can take the breakfast." He muttered without giving her another glance.
Sylvia didn't care and picked up the tray before she walked out of the kitchen.
That had become her life since she arrived at this place. She still didn't know where she was. Nobody was allowed to speak to her other than Gianna. Sylvia had no friends or anyone to talk to. She was all alone!
Sylvia walked out of the villa and into the garden at the back side of the large building where Favian was sprawled in a chair, soaking the morning sunlight.
She glanced around but found no one else. Sylvia cursed under her breath. Spending a night with him was enough torture for her to spend even an extra minute alone with that man.
Her grip on the tray tightened. Favian's closed eyes opened to see Sylvia making her way toward him. His lustful eyes followed her every move. The dresses he had arranged for her fitted her figure perfectly, accentuating her curves and the fullness of her breasts.
He had been with many women after the death of his four wives. But none of them allured him the way Sylvia did. He didn't know why though.
Sylvia tried to ignore his heated gaze on her and placed the tray on the table. She placed the dishes and poured a glass of juice for him before she straightened up.
She didn't say anything and kept her gaze downcast. Favian's lips twitched under his thick moustache.
"Come here." he ordered.
Sylvia tensed instantly and wished someone would appear around though she doubted that shameless man would care what that person would think about his behaviour.
He was practically a god of this place, and no one dared to question his actions let alone condemn them.
Sylvia slowly stepped forward. When she was within Favian's reach, he leaned forward and grabbed her hand to pull her onto his lap. Sylvia landed on his lap, crashing against his chest with a gasp.
She desperately searched for someone to help her, but she should have known better that nobody would help her after living in that place for about a month now.
Favian's arms tightened around her waist before he buried his face in her dark straight hair. Ripples of disgust emerged inside her, yet she remained still in his lap, fisting her dress tightly.
"You smell amazing, Sylvia!" he murmured against her skin, scratching it with his moustache.
"I want you not only in my nights but also in my days now!"
He grabbed her face and turned it to face him. He ran his tongue over his lower lips as a sickly grin appeared on his face. Sylvia knew what it meant.
She inhaled a long breath, readying herself for what was about to come.
Not a second after, she felt his thick lips on hers as he kissed her hungrily. Sylvia had learned her lesson on the third night after coming here.
She complied with him and let his tongue enter her mouth though all she wanted to do was puke her guts out.
His moans made her gag. Her eyes were shut tightly as she didn't wish to see his ugly face. When Favian was satisfied, he let go of her after pulling back. Sylvia quickly stood up on her feet and jumped away from him as far as she could.
"Do you wish for anything else?" She always avoided calling him 'my lord' because Sylvia Ibsen was her own lord!
"Much more," Favian answered, running his tongue again on his lips with a smirk. "But in the night."
Sylvia avoided gulping her saliva. She wanted to get out of there and rinse her mouth to wash away the tobacco-filled taste of his tongue.
She turned around and left in silence, relieved that he didn't object. Sylvia was on her way inside the villa when she caught her raven waiting near the bushes for her. It flapped its wings, seeing her, signalling her that it had some urgent news.
Sylvia was curious. She had never seen her raven act so strangely. It looked... agitated and... something else that she couldn't figure out.
Making sure that she was not being watched, Sylvia jumped into the bushes, finding some privacy for herself. She couldn't stay there long as Gianna was always hot on her tail.
That filthy woman would look for her sooner or later.
"What happened? You look upset." She stretched her hand, and the raven came to sit on it.
Sylvia smiled softly, running her hand over the raven. But the bird didn't react in glee as it usually did whenever she pampered it.
Something was definitely wrong! The clouds of worry began to gather over Sylvia's head.
"Tell me. What's wrong?"
She listened carefully to what her raven told her. But when those words registered in her brain, they also brought a slap of realisation with them which left Sylvia heartbroken.
"No... no, that can't be true! Tell me it's not true!" Her whole body shook as tears brimmed in her eyes.
How could it be possible?
She had made sure that something like that would never happen. Then how?
But when all she got was confirmation from her raven, she fell on her knees with a cry of agony that remained stuck in her throat. She couldn't even express her pain.
Her head began to spin as dark patches clouded her vision while she kept chanting- it can't be true.
Gerald Livingstone, the only man Sylvia had ever loved yet sacrificed for her goal, was gone. He was no more. Gerald Livingstone was dead!
"It's all my fault! I shouldn't have left him in that situation. I shouldn't have. It's because of me. I left him there to die..."
Before she wailed more, the darkness consumed her whole, and her body went limp on the grass.