STEFAN (Completed)

Part 55

Lorena was exhausted by the time she got back from the hospital. Her day had been hectic. She worked with the head paediatrician there and the pay was okay. At least for the first time in her life she had her own money. The Romanescus provided her with everything she needed but it made her feel independent.

She had been confused the first time she had gone shopping with Iulia for she had never done that before. Locked indoors, she never had the opportunity to do so and she couldn't hide her excitement at the little things she saw. Iulia humoured her.

She had been aghast the first time Ilianu had told her that he had secured a job for her in the paediatrics department of the hospital. She had thought he was punishing her but after two days she was glad he had done that for her. She had not been able to save her children but she felt as though she had been given a second chance.

She dealt with troubled children and she found it easy to identify with them. When she was with them she was grateful that she was in a position to make a difference in the lives of the children and that was what mattered. She had had no one to talk to or help her out in her time but she could help these kids and she was grateful to Ilianu for that opportunity.

She soaked herself in a tub of warm rose scented water and leaned her head against the edge of the tub as a track from one of Yanni's album filled the large bathroom. She hadn't seen Stefan in over a month. He had come to her a week after the ball with a proposition. He wanted her to be his mistress. She had been tempted to scream and pulled out her hair in her anger. And he hadn't seen anything wrong with his proposal.

"What?"

"I want you to move back with Me." he had told her.

"As what?"

"As my mistress. I'll tend to all your needs and ensure that you lack nothing that you need. I shall give you the right to go out as long as it is not to meet with another male. I shall not imprison you like before. I shall also stay faithful to you."

Did he really think she was going to accept his proposal? Did he expect her to throw herself in his arms and thank him for the rare privilege of being his mistress? Did he even realise that he had just insulted her? So she was good enough to bed but not to claim? He still had a lot to learn.

"Do not insult me Stefan."

His jaw dropped in his surprise but he quickly shut it up. He had obviously not expected that reaction. He had believed that she would be thrilled that he had stepped down the pedestal to ask her to be his mistress.

"I just made you a decent proposal, Lorena. Why are you acting like I just insulted you?" he asked with the innocence of a little child.

"Oh forgive me for thinking otherwise." She said sarcastically. "I might be considered a nobody to you, Stefan but I will not be your mistress even if you promised me the world."

He glared at her but she did not flinch.

"I know you are looking for an easy way to get me back into your bed but if you want that, if you really care about me, you will claim me as your true mate."

"You know that I can't do that. You are asking too much of me."

"I think you are confusing us both. You are the one who is asking too much of me.

"I am in love with you and you want me to be your mistress."

"If you love me as you say you do, then you would accept my proposal. I am giving you the opportunity to be with Me." he told her exasperatedly.