Seraphine nodded and went to retrieve Ariella's belongings. After taking the bags outside and into Asher's car, she returned to the room to inform them that everything was ready. Mrs. Blackwell sighed softly, realizing the finality of the situation.
"I guess you should get prepared too," Mrs. Blackwell said, turning to Seraphine. "Ariella is leaving, so you will be joining with her."
But Asher refused. "No, you will go back to the company security, back to your position. I don't think Ariella needs protection where she's going."
Ariella looked at him, puzzled by his statement.
"What do you mean?"
"You will be at your father's house. What would you need a guard there for? I'm sure you're going to be just fine," Asher answered and stormed out of the room and towards his car waiting for Ariella to join him.
With a heavy heart, Ariella followed him out of the room and towards the car.
Through the whole way, Asher remained silent, and his expression was unreadable. Ariella didn't care much for him. She was filled with so much anger towards him, that just being in the same space with him, while he was like this, was extremely painful. After 45 minutes, the car stopped.
Ariella was in her head. She was thinking of the problems she'd found herself in. How she lost the man of her life, her husband, her marriage and her family, all in the blink of an eye. She was too preoccupied that she didn't pay attention to her surroundings.
The car came to a stop and the driver came around to open her door. When she stepped down the pavement, she was surprised that she wasn't at her father's property. This wasn't her father's house. It looked like a mansion that belonged outside the city. She looked left and right, seeing how the house was surrounded by large landscapes, and she got confused.
"Where did you take me? What is this?" she asked, clearly surprised. "I thought you said you were taking me to my father's house." She asked suspiciously.
Asher didn't say anything, as he instructed the driver to take Ariella's bags from the car and take them inside the house.
"Asher, take me back home now," Ariella commanded, looking straight at him defiantly, but Asher ignored her, as he took her handbag and started heading inside the house.
"Asher, Asher," Ariella called behind him, as she followed and grabbed his arm. "Asher, I want to go home. You promised to take me to my father's house, and I want to go there right now."
"You wanted to leave the Blackwell Mansion, didn't you?" Asher asked as he turned to face her. "So, I brought you somewhere far away from me and far away from my family. You really thought that you could threaten me and try turning my grandparents against me?" Asher gave a mocking laugh.
"Welcome to your new home," he said, continuing inside the house.
"Asher, Asher, I'm not coming in there. I'm not going to stay here. I'm going to stay out here until you take me back to my parents' house." But Asher didn't stop and disappeared inside the house.
Ariella sat down on the steps leading to the house, fuming with anger. Did Asher really think she was just going to get inside this house and suddenly just live here? He was wrong if he thought that was going to happen. He lied to her and told her he was taking her to her father's house. She should have known she couldn't trust this new Asher. He was unpredictable and did things she couldn't have imagined he would ever do, or say to her.
A few minutes later, Asher came back with a woman in a maid's uniform, the driver, and another Oldman. They approached her, and Asher stood a few steps back as he spoke.
"Ariella, this is the housekeeper, Julie and the butler, George. They are the ones who take care of the household. And the driver, you have met him. He will have the car here in case there's any emergency in the house."
He continued, "Now, here are the rules. I need you to stay here and not cause them any trouble. Because if you do, I will lock you up, and I do not want to lock you up. So be a good girl, eat when you're supposed to, sleep when you're supposed to, take your medication and take care of yourself. If there are any appointments, I'll get the doctor here. You're not leaving this property. There is security and the fence is electrified. So I would be on my best behaviour if I were you."
Ariella's eyes widened in anger and surprise. She was caught off guard.
"What? What is this…? What is happening? Are you kidnapping me? Did you just kidnap me? Are you going to hold me here against my will? What are you saying?" she asked, starting to panic. She looked around at the house, then farther away at the large wall, and back at Asher again.
"You forced my hand," Asher said. "I really hoped you would listen to me when I tell you to do something. Then I wouldn't have to use so much energy to get you to do what I tell you. Like I said, there are cameras here. If you don't follow the rules, there will be consequences, and you won't like them."
He walked towards the house and looked back at her expectantly. Ariella stood her ground, unwilling to move. Asher sighed.
"Fine. I guess Julie, the housekeeper can show you around the house. There's a pool in case you want to swim because you need exercise for the pregnancy. There's also a gym, there is a TV room and everything you could ever need. There is also limited network access, but you can't contact anybody outside of here. So don't start getting any ideas for a rescue."
Ashrr looked at her expectantly, as Ariella'sface grew paler with every word. Then he continued,
"If you need anything, anything at all, you will talk to the housekeeper. She will contact me, and I will make sure you have it. We missed the checkup yesterday and today, so I will have a new doctor come here to do the checkup. I'll create a clinic room with everything needed, so you'll be just fine…" Asher said firmly.
"Asher..." Ariella cut him off, her voice trembling with disbelief.
She couldn't believe Asher was talking about holding her against her will, as if he was giving her was making idle conversations. This was wrong and not to mention, it was illegal. Tears welled up in her eyes. She had promised herself she wouldn't cry, but she couldn't help it, finding herself in such a weak position, at Asher's mercy.
"Please have mercy on me, Asher," she pleaded. "Even if you never loved me, you must have felt something for me once, please don't do this to me. It will drive me crazy."
"Ariella, I'm putting you in this big mansion with this big garden and this lush space," Asher said, gesturing around. "There are birds, nature, anything you could ever want. And you think I'm being cruel to you?" He shook his head, "I'm going to go now. Please don't cause any trouble. I don't want you to realize that I can actually be cruel."
He turned and walked toward the car. The driver opened the door for him when he was comfortably inside, he closed his door and then got in the driver's seat. The car drove off, leaving Ariella standing there, staring in disbelief, watching the car as it disappeared down the driveway and leaving her standing there bewildered.
Ariella thought this was all just a dream. She couldn't believe what had just happened.