Lily's POV
My life, my decisions, my very existence was now in his hands, and I was powerless to change that all because of some stupid contract.
With every step I took, my resolve grew stronger, my determination burning like a flame in my chest. As I reached the bedroom, I closed the door behind me and leaned against it, taking a deep breath to steady my nerves.
"I need to think," I whispered to myself, my hands shaking as I sank down onto the bed. "I need to find a way out of this, a way to reclaim my life from his grasp."
For a moment, I was paralyzed by fear, by the sheer weight of the task that lay before me. And then, like a lightning bolt striking from the sky, an idea struck me, a plan so audacious, so bold, that it took my breath away.
"If he wants to play games, then I'll play along," I thought, my lips curving into a smile that was both ruthless and seductive. "But I'll do it on my terms, and I'll bring him to his knees."
With a newfound sense of purpose, I stood up, the weight of the world lifting from my shoulders as I began to plot my revenge.
With a determined stride, I walked towards my closet, pulling open the doors with a decisive movement.
"If he wants me to be his wife, his dutiful, obedient wife, then I'll play the part," I thought, my eyes scanning the rows of expensive gowns and dresses that hung from the racks. "But I'll use every tool at my disposal to bring him down, to shatter his illusions of control and power."
With a flourish, I pulled out a white gown, the fabric shimmering in the dim light of my room, a vision of purity and innocence.
"This will be the first step," I thought, a thrill of excitement coursing through my veins as I held the gown against my body. "I'll lure him in with the illusion of perfection, the illusion of submission."
With a quick movement, I began to undress, shedding my clothes and stepping into the gown, the fabric sliding over my skin like a silk veil. "He won't know what hit him," I whispered, my lips curling into a smile as I looked at myself in the mirror.
I stepped out of my bedroom, headed down the stairs, my feet falling silently on the plush carpet as I made my way down the stairs, I could feel his gaze on me.
I smiled, my lips parting in a coy smile as I tilted my head to the side, letting the veil of my hair fall over one shoulder. My heart skipped as he moved closer to me slowly and reached for my cheek...was this actually working? I can't believe it!
"You should really look in the mirror when you dress, Lily," he spat, his voice like ice as he gestured to my gown.
I turned my head sideways so I could see where he was pointing to, my heart sinking as I saw the thin line of crimson staining the pristine white fabric, a single drop of blood staining the illusion of perfection.
"Next time when you're getting ready make sure you take a good look at yourself in the mirror..I don't want you embarrassing me" his expression twisting into a scowl of disgust.
As I stood there, frozen in horror, the source of the stain became clear to me. The wooden shelf in my closet, the one where the gown had been, had been dusted with a thin layer of red powder, the remnants of a broken glass vial of perfume that had shattered yesterday.
I turned to Chris, my face pale and my eyes wide with fear as I waited for the him to finish yelling at me.
"Go change, Lily," he ordered, his voice low and dangerous as he glared at me, his eyes burning with barely contained rage.
I nodded before I turned and fled up the stairs, my feet pounding on the carpet as I raced to my room.
As I reached the door of my bedroom, I slammed it shut behind me, locking it with trembling hands as I feared he'll kill me if I made another mistake.
My heart was beating so hard in my chest that I didn't hear him approach, didn't notice the sound of his footsteps on the stairs until it was too late.
Now, as I stood with my back pressed against the door, my hands gripping the handle so tightly that my knuckles were white, I heard his voice from the other side, cold and deadly.
"Open the door, Lily," he demanded, his words like daggers.
I stood there, paralyzed with fear as I waited for the inevitable. As much I hated to admit it, he did scare the shit out of me. He spoke through the door, his voice as smooth as silk but with an undercurrent of menace that chilled my blood.
"I'll pick your outfit this time, Lily, infact I already have," he said, his words dripping with condescension. "It's clear that you can't be trusted to dress yourself, so I'll make sure you look presentable for the photographers."
I heard the sound of his footsteps receding down the hall, and for a moment, I breathed a sigh of relief.
I waited, my heart pounding, as the seconds ticked by, my mind racing with possibilities of what he might choose.
And then, the door opened, and he stepped into the room, a dress draped over his arm. It was a black gown, the fabric shimmering like liquid darkness, the bodice tight and revealing, the skirt long and flowing.
He held it up, his gaze fixed on me, his expression inscrutable.
"Put it on," he ordered, his voice like ice. "Now."
I hesitated, my mind still racing, but there was no choice. With trembling hands, I took the dress from him, my fingers brushing against his as I did so, a jolt of electricity shooting up my arm.
"I'll give you privacy," he said, his voice low and dangerous, his eyes burning into mine. "I expect you to be ready in five minutes. Not a second longer."
With that, he turned and left the room, the door clicking shut behind him, leaving me alone with my thoughts and my fear.
I stood there for a moment, my mind blank as the enormity of the situation washed over me.
I knew that I couldn't go on like this, couldn't let myself be manipulated and controlled by a man who clearly didn't care about me at all....but I was hopeless...I had lost my freedom and I wasn't getting it back anytime soon.
I stripped out of my clothes and slipped into the black gown, the fabric caressing my skin like a lover's touch.
As I stood in front of the mirror, the dress shimmering against my skin, I began to think of a plan, a way out of this nightmare that I had found myself in.
I knew that I couldn't simply run away, Chris' influence was too great, his reach too far-reaching.
But I also knew that I couldn't stay here, couldn't continue to subject myself to his manipulation and abuse.