Fay, and Grant waited in the living room, while Ace saw the lawyer off.
Her eyes trailed every inch, and corner of the spacious room. She had to stretch her neck to see the end of it.
With every new art, painting, and arrangement she discovered, she got even more mind blown.
"So pretty," she blurted, unable to hold it in anymore.
Grant, observing her from where he sat, smiled. "It really is, right?"
She turned in shock when she heard his voice. She had totally forgotten his presence in the room.
"It is." She nodded.
"Want to know who decorated it?" He asked, a little too enthusiastic to spill.
Her eyes sparkled with interest, as she fully turned to face him. "Tell me please!" She urged impatiently, as her legs tapped against the opulent Arabian carpet.
Before he could speak, the door opened, its sound interrupting them.
She moved her head towards it, and saw Ace come in. Her heart instantly skipped a beat. Every Time she saw him, he grew even prettier. It didn't matter that he always wore a brooding look, he looked just perfect.
His eyes caught her staring, and she quickly withdrew it, feeling exposed.
"Do you still need me for the night sir, or should I leave you alone with your bride?" Grant rose to his feet, ready to give them their space.
His lazy eyes retreated from Fay's hair, and moved to his personal assistant. "You've done well today. You can retire for the night."
"Okay sir," he was already halfway out the door, when he suddenly paused. "Sir?"
"What is it now?"
"The manager handed the lady's phone to me. It's right here." He put his hands into his pocket, and retrieved a phone.
The happiness in Fay's eyes dimmed when the phone became visible. She bit her lips, feeling ashamed at the sorry version of a phone she had.
She wondered what Ace was thinking, but couldn't bring herself to look at him.
"I already said she doesn't need that." He frowned.
"Her Aunt has been calling."
"My Aunt?" She gasped, and jumped to her feet. "I have to answer. I told you she'll kill me." She hurried towards Grant.
Ace, who had predicted that move, got ahead of her. He stood in front of her, blocking her from going through. "Leave us alone, Grant," he said behind his shoulders.
"No, he can't leave. I have to answer. She'll kill me," she repeated in panic.
She took a step forward, but he moved his body slightly, blocking her path again.
"What are you doing?" She asked, her eyes already watering.
He didn't answer until he heard the door close. Now, they were truly alone.
"No one is going to kill you. Definitely not the aunt that treats you like crap," he said.
"You don't know that. Besides, she may be mean to me, but she did raise me after my parents death. I'll forever be indebted to her."
He searched her teary eyes as she spoke. He could hear her clearly. Problem was, he didn't understand her. Didn't understand why she felt indebted to someone who treated her terribly. That at her age, she had to work and fend for the same woman who she was supposedly indebted to, whilst using such a horrendous phone.
"Forget her. She's not a part of your life anymore; at least for a year. If by the end of our one year contract you still feel like reaching out to her, then by all means." He half shrugged.
"Are you forbidding me from reaching out to my only family, right now? But that's so cruel!" A horrified look flashed through her eyes, as she stared at him.
He blinked. "Did you think you were going to get the kind of money I'm willing to give you, by just doing whatever you like? Common darling, you signed the contract. For the next one year, I own you. Do you understand that?"
She shuddered, and took a step back. She had known there was a possibility she was selling herself, but she had been too blinded by the dismissal of the man she thought was the love of her life to think clearly.
Now the details were clear, and it was all devil in it.
"Do you understand?" He repeated when she didn't respond immediately.
"I do," she affirmed weakly.
She was too drained to put up a protest. Even if she wanted to, he had the law to back him up. He was also physically stronger than her. Not to forget, richer.
"Good girl," he said, and moved ahead of her. He walked quite a distance, then paused. "Are you coming or not?"
He had made it clear she was his plaything now. Like a zombie, she turned around, and followed him.
Quietly, she trailed behind, as he resumed walking. Her thoughts were all jumbled up, but at the top was her family.
She could just picture the worried look in her aunties eyes. Not because she cared about her, but because she was supposed to receive her paycheck today. They knew that everytime she did, she always went grocery shopping.
"But if I don't go grocery shopping, they can't eat," her conscience said, and the water in her eyes increased.
She held her breath to wade off the tears threatening to spill. Scared to death of his reaction, if he found her crying, she hugged herself instead, and raised her head up, as they climbed up the stairs.
Her legs were becoming weary, but she kept her composure as they arrived at a hallway.
He took a few steps forward, and stopped in front of a door. Opening it, he walked in.
When she walked in, he was standing in the center of the room. She stopped at the door, gently closing it behind her.
"What do you think?" He asked.
She wasn't sure what he was asking her about, so she went with the first thing that popped into her head. "It's nice," she said.
He noticed she didn't say it in that enthusiastic tone, and wondered why. "It's yours," he announced.
Despite her wariness, and anxiety, her eyes bulged. The second he said it belonged to her, she clearly saw the room. It was wide, spacious, with a giant bed, dressing table, and closet. Things she had never owned in her entire life.
"Really? All this for me?" She gasped.
'Now that's more like it,' he thought, after her newest reaction. "Yep. Tomorrow, you'll meet the house helps. You'll notice it's quiet up here, and that's because this floor belongs to just me, and now you too. My room is the last to your left. Don't come searching for me, until I call for you."
While he listed his rules, she observed her new room. She was already obsessed with it. To crown it all, they had used the prettiest shade of lilac to design it. Her absolute favorite color.
She feared him, but she loved the room, so much so, she could actually hug him right now.
"Do you understand?" He asked when he was done.
Thankfully, she heard that part. "Absolutely!" She saluted, and his eyes narrowed.
Once more, she had caught him off guard with her outlandish actions.
"She's trouble," a voice in his head said, and he had to agree with it.
Everytime he was close to her, he grew more curious. He wasn't sure what he wanted to know, or if he just wanted to know everything.
Bottom line, he hated that feeling, and planned to nip it in the bud before it grew even more uncomfortable.
"Well, goodnight then. Rest tonight, I'll see you briefly tomorrow."
"Goodnight!" She raised her hand to wave, when her stomach rang loudly.
She gaped, and covered her stomach as her face instantly turned crimson. She shut her eyes, hoping he would walk past her, and pretend he didn't hear anything. But she felt a presence before her, and opened one eye to see him looking at her.
"What are you doing?" He raised a curious brow.
"Nothing," she said, as the other eye popped open.
"When was the last time you ate?" He didn't know why he asked that, but he did.
"This evening," she lied through her teeth.
"Right, that's why that—" he pointed at her stomach, "sounds like that."
"It's nothing. I just have a stomach upset. It's really nothing. I'm totally fine," she explained, rushing through her words as she did.
He took one step forward, closing the gap between them. She jerked in shock, and ended up pushing herself even closer to him.
"Sorry," she quickly apologized, and was about to pull away when a hand wrapped around her waist, stopping her. She instantly froze, unable to move.
"Now that I have your full attention, I need you to listen," he bent his head to her ears. I'll say this just once. I absolutely hate lies," he whispered into them. "When I ask a question, be honest with me. So let's try this again, when was the last time you ate?"
"La-st night," she stuttered.
Swiftly, he pulled away and whipped out his phone.
"Tell the chef to come upstairs now!" He ordered, and ended the call.
When he turned to her again, her mouth was agape, as she just stared at him.
"There's a bathroom behind that door. Go freshen up. The chef will be here in five minutes. Goodnight Fay," he said, and walked out of the room.
Soon as the door closed behind him, she stumbled forward, and let out a breath she had held in.
"Oh God," she whispered as she held on to her thumping chest. "Whatever have I gotten myself into?"