The few days I had not been eating anything and was starving myself. It was not like I wanted to starve myself. I just was desolate and gloomy that I didn't want to eat. I had lost my appetite. I would leave early for work before Stefan and come home earlier than him and go to sleep. Stefan also took no interest in really seeking me out to talk. He would just bring a new girl or sometimes the same one and the two of them head in his study. And as if the universe didn't hate me it was always when I needed a drink of water that I will go down see him making out and go back upstairs without really getting the drink I wanted. Maria was told I was having all my meals in the office. She was suspicious at first but, then I reassured her as to how tasty the food was. I was basically describing the cafeteria food that Iris would talk about.
Whenever I would be near Stefan's presence and it was avoidable and I could go the other way. I did. The times I couldn't like in meetings. I would hide in the corner and be invisible. I was sitting in the library again when I heard Stefan's voice.
I quickly got up and ran to a secluded spot in some corner. I breathed out in relief.
"What are you doing here?" I heard a voice ask me. I looked back and saw Hayden. I shook my head and smiled at him.
"Don't do that you scared the crap out of me." I told him. He just smiled goofily at me.
"What are you doing in the library? And especially in the corner?" he asked.
"Firstly, lower your voice you are in a library. Secondly, I like working in slightly quiet places when I need to." I said.
"You are really something." He said as he walked closer and stood in front of me.
"What do you mean?" I asked confused.
"I mean you have this mysterious vibe and I am completely digging it." He said as he steeped slightly closer. He could move an inch forward and our chest would be an inch away from touching. He dipped his head low and smirked at me. I took in a breath and then he moved forward as he looked down at my lips. I moved my face a little and I heard his voice right next to my ear.
"See you next time." He said as he stepped back. He walked away with a book in his hand. I looked down at my shoes feeling slightly weird. I decided that needed to get calm and went to the washroom. As I walked into one of the stall. I heard it open and a girl's voice speak up.
"You should have seen everyone's faces when he was scolding them. He was so angry even when Dove was trying to calm him down." A girl said.
"I saw him come in calmly walk into the library with Dove and Henry talking about some project. They went to find some book. He was browsing and suddenly he stormed out and began shouting. Out of no where." Another girl said.
"He has been having these mood swings for a few days now I wonder why?" The first girl spoke up.
"Yeah. It must be because of the Kristen shoot that is coming up." The second girl said. I furrowed my eyebrows and wondered what was that.
"Right. I mean if she is going to be the model for this shoot it is going to be really fun seeing a jealous Dove. I mean she always has been pretending to be his girl. Some say that she is really his wife." The first girl said.
"I mean he even got the second assistant so that there is less work on Dove so that they can have as many quickies as he wants." The second girl said.
"Oh my god! Did you see her. She looks so sick and dirty. Gross. I mean she is not even that pretty." The first said as her voice was laced with disgust at the mention of me.
"Actually she has caught a lot of the men's eye. I mean have you seen how Hayden talks about her to Garret so many times. It is so annoying." The second one says.
"Exactly, she isn't that good either. She looks starved and poor." The first one said.
"Anyway the only competition that Dove has is coming soon." The second one said.
"I want to stay away from her wrath when she does come." The first one said.
"It will be hilarious to see her flirt with all the others male models to make Mr. Black jealous." The second one said. I heard the door open as the laughter in their voice faded. They had left and I was thinking about who was this she who was Dove's reason to be jealous. I walked back out and this time went into my office. I found Dove walking in to my office after a little while.
"Within the next two days the Kristen project will come up and I would like you read these files to get up to date." She said as she handed me a few files. I browsed through them and told them I will be ready.
She swayed her hips and walked off as flipped her hair. I rolled my eyes and closed the door. I sighed as I stared at the files in front of me.
My phone began ringing and it was Bill calling me. I smiled and picked up the phone.
"Hey Bill!" I said excitedly. I have not talked any of my family members in such a long time.
"Hey honey! I wanted to share some good news with you." He said.
"Oh! What is it?" I asked.
"Well there are two. The first one is that Stefan asked for Damon to come assist on some kitchen appliances problems his company was facing." He said.
"Oh yes. Our specialists were reaching a few dead ends. It will be good if he comes. I am so excited to see him." I said as I smiled.
"We are all glad and relieved that we have an opportunity to bring home to you in some way. Now, the second good news is that we have paid altogether 19 million pounds. Soon we will be able to pay a full 13 million pounds and you will be free." He said excitedly. I smiled sadly at my lap. I was happy that soon I would be able to leave from here. But, I was still in a way sad that I would leave the life I had here. You have no life here. You work and don't go out with your friends. The only people you are close to hear is Maria and Alan. A voice in my head told me and it was right. I shook away the sad thoughts I felt.
"That really is great! I can't wait to come back home." I informed him.
"What? Yes I will be right there." I heard Bill say.
"Okay honey. I wanted to share the news with you. I have got to go to meeting. Talk soon. Bye, Love you." He said.
"Love you too." I said and hung up the phone.
I began working on the file and read through it. The Kristen project was a jewellery line that was being opened. There was a few headshots of the model. She was really pretty. She had light blue eyes. Blonde hair that was not the platinum colour that Dove had and she had blush pink lipstick. Her smile made her show off a set of perfectly white teeth. She looked like a girl Stefan would definitely have gotten in bed with. Her entire look made her worthy of being the face of any product no doubt. I sighed as I finished up for the day and headed home. I was waiting for Alan when I heard Iris's voice.
"Hey Diana. We are going to The Barrel do you want to join us?" Iris asked. I wanted to say no because Stefan's rules but, I thought through it. He would have gone to see one of his floozies.
"Miss?" Alan asked as he opened the door for me.
"I am not heading home today Alan. I will be going out with friends." I told him and looked at iris who was grinning.
"But, miss if the bo--" Alan said looking a little scared and worried.
"It is quite alright. You can take us there." I said as I got in and made Iris walk in with me as well. Tris also sat in the back of the car. Garret was sitting next to Alan in the front. Alan drove us to The Barrel. We chatted about the latest gossip in office between Carly and Reiner. Apparently, Reiner was cheating on his hooker looking girlfriend, Tris' words.
We reached The Barrel and Alan pulled me aside.
"Miss, if Mr. Black finds out it will be bad." He said in a low voice.
"It doesn't matter. It will be quite alright." I said, "We can leave early."
I walked in and joined Tris, Garret and Iris at a table. Hey had ordered beers for everyone.
"There are five beers for four people. Tris have you been doing math again?" I teased her.
"Hey! No that is for Hayden and he is coming in five minutes." She said as rolled her eyes at me playfully. We all laughed. Soon Hayden joined us and he sat next to me. He was close but, not that much. I mean the table was also rather small.
"Do you want to dance?" Hayden whispered in my ear. I looked at him and nodded. He took my hand and went to the dance and began dancing. It was fun. Soon Tris, Iris and Garret joined. During one on the more peppier songs Hayden put his hands on my hips and pulled me close. I was tipsy and I let it happen. Suddenly, I felt a tapping on my shoulder. I looked back and saw Alan standing there. I furrowed my eyebrows. He asked me to follow him. I was walking away when Hayden pulled me back.
"Where are you going?" he whispered in my ear. I looked back at Alan who still wore worried look.
"I need to go. It is getting late. I will see you tomorrow. I loved the dance moves." I said as I smiled and walked off. I gave him one last look and saw him staring at me with a smile. I smiled back and headed out. Alan wouldn't say word throughout the ride back home. He wore a worried and tense look the entire way home. His worried aura rubbed off on me as I began to get anxious. I walked in the house and saw that all the lights were off. I tip- toed to my room and changed into my pyjamas. I was putting my top on my head when I heard my door slam open. I pulled my top down and turned around to find an angry Stefan standing there. He was shaking with rage and his hands were clenched. Knuckles white. I took in a deep breath as he slammed the door shut and stalked over in my direction. By no time he was in front of me and had tight grip on my forearms.
"WHERE. THE. HELL. HAVE. YOU. BEEN?" he asked through his gritted teeth. His eyes were dark. I began shivering.
"ANSWER ME!" he shouted and flinched.
"I-I- I went out with Iris, Tris, Hayden and Garret to a club." I said. His grip on me tightened and I whimpered out in pain.
"What was rule number five?" he asked me darkly.
"Never leave the house without your knowledge." I said as I looked down.
"And what did you do?" he asked.
"I went to the club with friends after a day in the office." I said.
"And?" he asked.
"And what? I was told to tell you where I go if I leave the house. I left the office and left for the club." I answered him as I looked at him angrily.
"You are tell me your whereabouts wherever you go!" he shouted yet again.
"Why? I don't mean anything to you. And another month and a half and I should be free!" I screamed at him back.
"What are you talking about?" he asked.
"I will leave once the last 13 million of your debt has been paid and I will be free of you this prison of yours and I will finally be able to go home. After your debt has been paid I will get divorced and I will find a man who will love me and cherish me. I will have a happy life without pain and hurt. I will be free of the devil." I shouted at him. He squeezed my arms and I yelped in pain. He pulled me out of the spot and pushed me against the wall. He towered me. He let the grip on my hands become slightly lose.
"You will forever be mine! Once the debt is paid. You will still not be free of me. You will still remain---" I cut him off.
"Your useless asset. I am your useless asset and leverage against my family. Why do you need to keep after all the torture and loneliness I have faced these five months here?" I said.
"Don't interrupt me!" he said as he squeezed my arms yet again, "You will remain my wife. My asset. The thing I can show everyone at parties and Galas. Once in debt to the Devil always in debt to the devil." He smirked and said.
"I will run away! And you won't stop me!" I said, "We had a deal. I will be the leverage right until the debt is paid. We signed that contract!" I said.
"I wrote the contract." He smirked at me.
"No! You can't do it. You promised no more tricks. I don't want to stay here. I can't I am sad and lonely! I want to leave please!" I whimpered as he tricked me.
"I can fix the loneliness." He said as he came closer. I squirmed and kicked him. He took my hands and put them on top of my head. His eyes looked down at my lips. He came in closer and shifted to my ear.
"I can make you feel good without loving you. You let your loneliness go away as I fuck you well and hard." He whispered. His words made a shiver go down my spine. He nose touched a sensitive spot in my neck and my breath hitched.
"Do you want me to take the loneliness away?" he asked. His lips moved against my neck.
"I would prefer it if you go fuck one of your floozies than suggest that you will take my loneliness away." I told him. He pressed my wrist hard. I whimpered.
"Don't ever disrespect me!" he said as he looked into my eyes. I closed my eyes to avoid him seeing the tears in them. His arm snaked around my waist and he pulled me close. My heart picked pace and I could hear it in my ears.
"You have ignored me these past few days and haven't any food. You lied to Maria. You disobeyed the rules and I will make sure that you get your punishment soon enough." He whispered in my ear and left. I opened my eyes and I felt cold all over. I rushed to the bed and got under the covers. Stefan was gone and it was like everything around me was cold. Which should be weird because he was cold and his presence should have been cold and impassive like his heart. Instead everything felt hot. My body felt like it was hot in his presence. My cheeks felt hot. The air was hard to breath in. Why did I feel like that then? Did I miss his touch? I shook my head at that. It was ridiculous and impossible. I hated him and I will always hate him. There is no way in the world that I was feeling uneasy without him being there. I hugged Pua to get some comfort. But sleep was not coming over me. I wanted to feel Stefan's presence. His attention on me for some reason. I wanted him close. I ran my hands over my ear, my forearm and wrists. They were all cold. All the heat had vanished. It's like my touch didn't comfort my own skin. I frowned. I just looked at the darkness in the room.