CHAPTER SEVEN
"Amy, you need to rest now, okay?" the woman replied, with a soothing voice.
Cherry's patience snapped, and she corrected her abruptly,
"¡Rayos!( darn) I'm not Amy! My name is Cherry, Cherry Rubio not Amy!"
Who is Amy, and why do you keep calling me that?"
Her voice rose, and the woman's eyes widened slightly, a little surprise crossing her pale face.
The ladies-in-waiting paused, their eyes darting nervously between Cherry and the woman.
Cherry's eyes got filled with tears as she grasped the woman's hands with a trembling voice.
"Por favor, lléveme a casa, ya que quiero regresar." (Please, take me home. I want to go home).
The woman's expression turned to a sympathetic one, but her words only added to Cherry's confusion.
"You're already home, dear. This mansion was built specifically for you. And, sweetie, you're Amy, my little princess Amy."
The woman's smile was genuine, but Cherry's mind recoiled in shock.
She tried to protest, but the woman swiftly intervened, nodding to the workers.
"Take her to her room, help her relax. She must be exhausted."
The woman whispered urgently to the man, "What's wrong with her? She thinks she's someone named Cherry.
I think she needs urgent attention, maybe some therapy to help her."
The man shrugged nonchalantly.
"She'll be fine Lady Yo, she just needs extra care."
Cherry's gaze rolled across the ladies approaching her, their faces were filled with fear.
It was clear they were intimidated by her, and Cherry's anger and frustration only seemed to intensify their trepidation.
Noticing their hesitation, the man stepped forward.
"Don't worry, I'll handle this," he said with a low and soothing manly voice, as he reached out to Cherry with a gentle, reassuring hands.
"No! I'm not falling for that again!" Cherry exclaimed, her voice trembling.
"I trusted you once, and look where it got me - stuck in this strange place with a name that isn't even mine!
If I let you take control again, who knows where I'll end up next?
Maybe some kind of dream world or heaven, but I won't be a pawn in your game again!"
Cherry's words poured out in a torrent, her eyes flashing with determination as she backed away from the man's outstretched hands.
She was resolute, refusing to be swayed by his calming words or gentle gestures.
The memory of her previous experience still remained, and she was determined to maintain what little control she had left.
"Just come with me, trust me!" He still offered.
Despite her initial resistance, Cherry hesitated.
Maybe..., just maybe, she had misjudged him. After all, he was the first familiar face she'd seen since this ordeal began.
Probably, if she appealed to him, he could help her escape this surreal nightmare and return her to the comfort of her own home.
Guilt struck her; maybe she had been too harsh in the car, or maybe her flirtation had been misinterpreted, leading to this strange punishment.
Cherry's expression softened, and she took a step forward.
"Okay, I'll go with you," Cherry said, her eyes still rolled around the circle of female workers surrounding her.
"But please, can you make those flies stop following me?"
She gestured dismissively, rolling her hands in a circular motion, shooing away the women.
The memory of her past experience, where she had to hide from her boss's wrath by concealing herself in a trash bin, flashed back.
She had lied against him which caused her to lose her second Job.
The humiliation and stench of that moment still remained, and the presence of these women, watching her every move, brought back the same feeling of discomfort.
"It's like they're attracted to me or something," she muttered with a sign of distaste in her voice.
She recalled how the flies had swarmed around her, drawn to the smell of her body after she emerged from the trash bin.
"Please, wait here," he requested, holding up a hand to halt the entourage of female workers.
They obediently paused, allowing him to escort Cherry alone.
He guided her through the mansion's beautiful halls, leading her to her room.
As they reached the door, he stopped and allowed her to lead the way, "go on," he said but Cherry didnt understand what he meant.
Seeing confusion on her face he gently took Cherry's hand, using her thumb to activate the biometric lock.
Cherry's confusion deepened as she asked,
"Why does my thumbprint have the power to unlock this door in a house I've never seen before?"
She asked as she began to pinch herself, trying to discern if she was dreaming or if this was reality.
The man's response only added to her confusion:
"Because, ma'am, this is your room."
The loud beep of the door's unlocking mechanism reverberated through her entire being, making her jump slightly.
As the door swung open automatically, Cherry's eyes widened in astonishment, revealing a lavishly decorated space.
She stood frozen, her mind struggling to comprehend the implications of his words.
'How could this be her room?'
The man stepped inside the room, expecting Cherry to follow closely behind.
However, after a moment, he realized she wasn't moving.
He turned around to see her standing frozen in the doorway.
"Come in Miss Amy, why are you still standing over there?" He asked as he moved to the switch and put the light on.
Cherry remained motionless in the doorway, her gaze fixed on the room's interior as the man's gentle urging to enter the room fell on deaf ears.
The man's words echoed in her thoughts - "this is your room" - but everything about this place felt foreign.