Moana
I sat in the quiet room for what felt like an eternity; two hours, maybe more. Jericho never came to see me, but truthfully, I was scared of what lay ahead. I was scared of him.
Suddenly, the door swung open, revealing him. His eyes weren't on me at first, but I was frozen in fear. Then he snapped his gaze to mine, his eyes piercing.
"Why did you secretly fall in love with him?" He asked, menacingly.
I couldn't say anything; I was too scared. He looked completely deadly and scary. I stuttered, "It just happened, master,"
Jericho took a step closer to me, angrily, "And what about the pregnancy? Why did you keep it a secret?"
What could I say? That I was scared he'd kill me? I quickly apologized, hoping to appease him.
But instead, he dragged me up to my feet, "Do you realize you're mine? Your body, and even the baby you're carrying. I deserves to know everything!" He spat insanely, yelling at me.
My anxiety, which had subsided slightly, worsened again, "I knew I was yours, master, but you would have killed me if I'd told you. Besides, I don't think you wanted a product of constant torture," I stammered, fear gripping me.
His face twisted in rage, and he pushed me hard against the wall, "I might not punish you for keeping the pregnancy a secret, but you won't escape punishment for falling in love with him," He snarled.
I expected him to punish me immediately, but instead, a lady walked into the room, "Take care of her, but not medically," He stated, in a tone that implied something sinister, before he walked away.
The lady attended to me warmly, her kindness a stark contrast to the cruelty I'd faced. She was friendly, just like Lily, and I found myself opening up to her.
"Is he going to kill me?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. Her expression turned sympathetic, and she looked at me with pity-filled eyes.
"I don't know, dear. He's full of darkness, and no one can tell what he's going to do just by looking at his eyes," She replied, gently.
I nodded, knowing she spoke the truth. His eyes were like empty voids, devoid of any emotion or compassion.
"But what if he kills me?" I asked, my voice trembling with fear.
"Death means nothing to him. He's capable of anything," She whispered, sadly, causing her words sending a chill down my spine.
~•~~
It had been two weeks since the incident with Lucas, but Jericho hadn't punished me. Instead, he had stopped assaulting me and locked me in his room. The maids brought me my daily meals, and I was left alone with my thoughts.
I wondered if Jericho was doing this to make the rest of my life one of sadness. The thought sent a shiver down my spine. I would be sad if I died knowing he didn't make it happen sooner.
Lost in my thoughts, I didn't notice the door swinging open. Jericho walked in, his eyes fixed on the mirror as he began to remove his shirt. I gasped as I saw his back, it was bleeding severely, and yet he didn't flinch.
But that wasn't all, he had also been shot in the neck. He brought out some instruments and began to remove the bullets from his body. I watched in horror, my eyes fixed on the bloody scene.
He didn't groan or make a sound until he had removed all the bullets. Then, he put on a new shirt and informed me that we needed to leave.
Out of anger and frustration, I found the courage to ask, "Where are we going?"
Jericho looked at me dangerously, eyes blazing with anger. He didn't respond, and instead, his men arrived to escort us away.
After walking a few meters, we arrived at our destination. That's when I saw it a beautifully crafted ship that looked expensive.
"Get inside the ship," Jericho said, coldly, making me jolt back to reality. I hesitated, wondering where we were going. Were we traveling by water?
I sat next to Jericho in the ship's passenger seat, trembling with fear. This was my first time traveling, and the speed of the ship made me feel like we were going to fall at any moment. I felt dizzy and nauseous.
Jericho, on the other hand, looked completely at ease, as if this was just a leisurely cruise for him.
After a few hours, some attendants emerged from below deck, offering me some food and addressing me casually. I wondered where they had been hiding, and then I realized they must have been instructed by Jericho to keep a low profile.
I noticed he wasn't eating anything, despite the attendants offering him food. He looked angry, and gave them a dark and foreboding look.
"Sir, would you like something to eat?" One of the attendants asked him. He ignored them completely. The attendants exchanged nervous glances before retreating to the lower deck.
I couldn't help but wonder what was wrong with him. He seemed even angrier than usual, and I had no idea what had triggered this mood.
✓•~~
After our journey came to an end, the evening sun cast a warm orange glow over the landscape. Everyone else had returned to their rooms, leaving only Jericho and me to make our way to our destination.
I trailed behind Jericho as he walked towards a compound, the sound of sizzling food and crackling flames carrying through the air. An elderly woman stood outside, stirring a pot of stew.
His low voice cut through the evening air, "Granny,"
The elderly woman's eyes snapped towards us, her gaze locking onto his face. Shock, anger, and confusion warred for dominance on her weathered features.
"Jericho? Is that you?"
My eyes widened in surprise as I watched the scene unfold. The woman was his granny. I couldn't believe that the ruthless man I knew had a family.
"Koko, leave me. I don't want to see your face here," The woman yelled, using a pet name that sounded endearing.
But Jericho didn't back down. Instead, he walked closer to his granny.
"Are you seriously asking me to leave after all these years? I know I've wronged you, Granny, but I've come to make amends," He explained.
Her expression faltered, and before I knew it, she had wrapped her arms tightly around his waist. Tears streamed down her face as she muttered.
"Of course, I missed you so much, Koko, my grandson," She cried, bitterly, leaning on his shoulder.