Kasa snorted at her accusations, he forcefully shoved her to sit down.
" Stop overreacting " he hissed " I have a job now " He said smugly and his wife raised her brows.
Since when ??? , Hadn't he just been seized yesterday? How had he gotten a job so fast.
" Di.... D ....did you hit your head ? " Kasa heard his wife say and he just rolled his eyes.
" Here, use it for yourself and the kids. I wont be back until midnight , don't worry about me. Have fun " Was all Kasa lazily said his smirk still intact.
He had already stood up to be on his way, and he saw his wife immediately move to block his way.
" Tell me, Kasa—how does a man find honest work the day after being seized? Or should I stop asking questions that you clearly can't answer ? "
" Why can't you just trust me for once? Take the money, feed the kids, and stop questioning everything—I' ve got it under control. " He scolded, irritated.
" Control? Yesterday, you were crawling in dirt, and now you're parading with money. That's not control ,Kasa—it's trouble, and you know it "
Kasa didn't even waste time listening to whatever it was she was saying, he just walked out like it meant nothing.
Her eyes trailed after him before gently coming to settle on Amara who also stared back at her mother.
They both had a bad feeling about this and the fact that Kasa refused to share any information with them, made everything more worrysome.
It didn't stop there, the nobleman never came back but Kasa brought home with him a huge amount of money every single day. They could now afford to live properly but this didn't stop Amara and her mother from worrying. Even the neighbors and villagers started to wonder what exactly he now did to cause such a drastic change.
Just like that three years swept by and everything has never been so peaceful, with Kasa bringing home money everytime even though he never disclosed where ever or whatever he was doing.
Most times, he was never home and he no longer hit his wife and children, apart from bringing money home. He never stayed to spend time with his family, all he cared about was the money .
Little did they know that Kasa was actually spending time at the red light district. A place for prostitutes and promiscuous men.
The red light district had a pulse of it's own, a strange yet dangerous hum that Kasa had grown used to.
Those that saw him frequent the unholy place kept their mouth shut. Some out of pity for his poor family and others simply because they just didn't care.
Men at the tavern smirked, women turned their noses up, but no one said a word to his face.
Now that he had money everyone tried to suck up to him. Flattering, bootlicking, seducing all sorts of things to impress him, though he couldn't compare with the nobles, still in a village where everyone groveled in poverty his little wealth felt like a lot in their eyes. Kasa felt like he was ontop of the world.
One day however, he came home alighting from the local carriage , the cold biting into his skin as he walked down the small alley leading to his home, the dust rising at every step he took. It suddenly occurred to him he actually never had enough to buy himself a carriage or actually move out of the shabby house to a better one. They just had enough to feed and manage themselves. All thanks to old man Jenkins the thugs in their village no longer disturbed them.
' Life was good ' For someone like Kasa who had just crawled out of poverty. This was what kept replaying in his mind.
He was now closer to his small house, he walked a little faster. Tonight, being outside just made his skin crawl and for the first time in three years, he felt like spending the night in his house.
The front of the small house was now visible and Kasa saw four figures sitting outside, he stopped in his tracks upon realizing who was actually sitted with his family.
" Kasa, why so gloomy? " Old man Jenkins slowly stood up like he was welcoming an old friend. The small family all just sat quietly with Kasa's wife serving the cunning nobleman wine, her hands clenched tightly against the wine jar, she didn't like this nobleman at all. If he would ever stop treating her like some errand woman. Amara sat with her brother wrapped around her, her small eyes glaring at the nobleman for inviting himself over. He was now sitted like a king sipping from her mother's favorite cup like it was something normal. She absolutely hated how he acted like the house was his instead. For a brief moment their gaze clashed, but trust the now nine years old Amara to stand her ground— she stared back till he looked away, a small smile on his face.
" Come on. Join us" He smiled so hard his canines peeking out.
Kasa's face paled a little, he knew exactly why Jenkins was here.
This crazy nobleman had actually came to his house after three years.
Kasa forced his feet to move towards the nobleman, he offered a short bow not forgetting his place even though it was his house.
" Sit, drink , smile. You're in my house now, even if it has your name on it. " Jenkins spat without a care in the world.
" Hmmm " Old man Jenkins hummed in satisfaction after sipping from the cup the woman had offered him.
" Such fine wine, as fine as the lady who served me this " he teased, locking eyes with the most naive woman he had ever met. He saw anger in her eyes, but she held it in, he had always seen her doing this. Locking in her true emotions and putting up with every and anything life threw at her. To him it was pathetic, he wanted to see her burst for once.
" Amara, come let's get more wine for our noble guest " Her soft voice fluttered into his ears and he smiled.
Kasa caught his wife briefly eyeing him with eyes that said a lot before she disappeared in with his daughter. Now Jenkins smile had fallen, his predatory eyes lingered on the young boy who shrank back as much as possible in fear, before it finally drifted towards the stiffened Kasa.
"You know Kasa I've always admired men like you. Desperate, hungry. You'll do anything for a taste of power won't you ? But power comes with a price. I'm sure we both know why I'm here " he dropped his wine a little harshly before slowly standing up. Kasa's breath quickened as Jenkins suddenly grab him by the neck.....