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Cross didn't need to be told Meredith was innocent. He felt it deep inside him that she was a good person who wasn't capable of stealing and it was quite obvious Marc was out to antagonise her . But to be completely sure of her innocence, he walked into his computer room which he usually kept locked and checked the CCTV. And when he saw that Marc had planted the watch in Merdtih's room, he was deeply disappointed in him.
"What have you called me into your room for? Do you have a deal for me or some place you want us to go have fun?" Marc asked enthusiastically, patting his cousin's baxk as he sat beside him.
"I called you in the privacy of my room to inform you that I know you've been plotting against Meredith. She never stole from me, you did! And I am highly disappointed"
"What? How could you accuse me of such a thing! I have been living with you for months, has…"
"Enough of the lies! Meredith is here to stay and I am warning you to stay far from her!"
"What has she done to you? You are acting like you ar under some spell. Can't you see nothing good would ever come out of this arrangement between you and her? Come on! I framed her because I wanted her gone! I did! Open your eyes already!"
"Don't do it ever again!" Cross yelled at Marc before turning his face away from him. Marc knew Cross would not listen to a word he said then, so he walked out of the door, feeling threatened by Meredith's presence.
Cross had never treated him so poorly, yet since Meredith came into their house, he has more than once embarrassed him. He would not let that filthy girl continue to stay in their mansion. He wasn't trying to push her away only because of his envy and hatred for her but because he knew what her presence in Cross' life would do to his father. And he cared more about being in Cross's father's good graces than his son's own. He knew all about so much about Cross's father that his son had no idea about and he knew whatever Cross had going on with Meredith would not sit well with him.
Hitting the wall of his room angrily with his fists, he decided to lay low for a while before devising another means to make Cross push her out, himself.
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It had been two weeks of living in Cross's mansion and doing nothing but eat and stay locked up in her room. She was getting tired of her boring life but each time Cross came home, it made her feel alive. Occasionally he even teased her and even locked gazes with her. Perhaps he was already thinking of taking what he paid for. Meredith often thought fearfully when he stared into her eyes. But he didn't! And she wondered when it would be and if he was even that interested in her.
Cross on the hand wanted her badly but he knew spending a night of passion with her would remind him of Beauty. And who knows what he might do if he thought it was Beauty beneath him. He couldn't bear harming an innocent girl over another person's sin. When she ate, he often watched as she ate gracefully while avoiding eye contact with anyone. And each night, he had to control the urge to knock on her door and enjoy the pleasures of being with her. He was falling for her, wasn't he?
Meredith barley left her room and Cross hardly visited her but before he left for work that morning, he knocked and she opened the door. He felt like caressing her as she watched him through the half-open door but before he could she was already backing away towards her bed.
"I think I should get you better dresses"
"I think it would be better if you let me go or let me have some fresh air. I am tired!"
"Are you upset? I thought you were fine?"
"How can I be fine when all I do is eat and stay locked up in here. I need my life back!"
"You can't have any life without me!" He stated coldly, and Meredith suddenly became terrified of him. Her future in the mansion flashed before her eyes and she wasn't sure she could cope with it. Tears of frustration streamed down her eyes.
"Well, what am I supposed to do here?"
"I don't mean to keep you locked in but…"
"But what? Are you afraid someone I know may find me when I go out with you? Why are you trying to be on the side of that evil home?"
"I signed a contract okay and I won't go against it!"
"Oh no! I can't believe you mean to keep me locked up in here forever!"
"No, of course not! I have a massive designer brand and it could do better with the touch of a woman. That can be your way to spend time away from the home, if you are interested in Fashion designing" he drew closer to her, touching her teary face.
"Don't touch me!" She moved away from him.
"I will touch you whenever I want"
"Then you are cruel!"
"No, I am not" he said in a soft tone and enveloped her in a warm hug before taking her lips in a very hot kiss. Meredith had no idea what to feel for this strange but attractive man. But the more she tried to pull away from him, the more she got attracted to him.
"I have got to go now! Stay safe okay?" He said normally like her guardian, leaving her in a mess of her emotions as he walked away. For a moment there she had seen the side of him he often kept hidden and she wanted to know him. No! She needed to leave!
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While Cross and Meredith were slowly falling for each other, they had no inkling that Marc was plotting something else. His heart often constricted in anger when he saw Cross staring at Meredith with longing eyes. Whatever they had would never be. So, that very morning when Cross left for work, he made himself scarce from the home. But thirty minutes after Cross had left, he came back into the house. He knew Cross had a CCTV in his home for him to have known he planted that watch in Meredith's home. He went ahead to cover the CCTV camera in each area of the house with a tape just to make sure Cross wouldn't know what was about to happen.
Now, it was time to put his latest evil plan in motion. He called the one of the cleaners dusting the house and asked her to knock on Meredith's door.
"But we've cleaned there already and we have no reason to disturb the lady" she protested.
"Do as I say now!" He barked at her, prompting her to half-run and half-walk to Meredith's door to knock on the door.
"What did they want?" Meredith thought angrily as she laid on her bed reading a new novel.
The knock came more than twice and she had no choice but to move to the door. Something told her not to but the note of urgency in the cleaner's tone made her unlock the bolt.
And when the door opened just a little, someone pushed from the outside, throwing her on the floor. Her eyes widened in fear as she tried to stand on her feet when she saw Marc standing there with an evil smirk on his face. But Vross had promised her there was surveillance to keep Marc in check.
"How long did you think you would continue to hide from me in my own home" he screamed, grabbing her dress and ripping it apart.
Please! Meredith wanted to plead but she knew the mad Marc would not listen to her. So, she must fight hard or he would have his way with her. Her screams filled the room as he threw her on the bed and she knew any time now he would force himself on her.
Don't you just hate Marc? Do you think he will succedd?