Just when I thought I had come to terms with the degraded version of myself, with not a care in this damn world, I was hit by a bullet train.
All my dimensions of darkness, coldness and evilness went into a tizzy when life came knocking at my door.
Did I really think I would escape this downfall unscratched?
Life bowled me out yet again.
I found out on a cold morning when nausea and sickness became too much to control and I had to run to the bathroom to empty myself. This had been happening for a few days now. I didn't think of it much earlier, ignoring it as something I may have eaten since my food intake had significantly increased. But soon I was feeling sick all day.
There were times when I wanted to tell Noberto but I always feared that he would look at it as an excuse to avoid him. Though he could make me come at his command, there was obviously nothing between us at a deeper level. So he would not believe me that I was NOT trying to make excuses.
Somehow I was able to control not having a disaster in front of him. Usually it would be early mornings when I would be most miserable. After throwing all my stomach contents out, I would return back completely exhausted, unwilling to do or eat anything at all.
When this continued for more than a week, I had to sit down and face the reality. I was delayed by three months now. There had been no periods. I didn't know if Noberto would have let me be by myself during those few days but that question never arose since I moved in Fritz Mansion three months ago.
Three months of unfiltered, unabashed, unstoppable fucking.
This was bound to happen.
I was pregnant!
My hand went to my tummy as I sat on the floor of my bedroom staring myself into the mirror next to the closet. I could not trace anything different in my body, apart from the obvious marks that Noberto had left on me during our intense fucking sessions. But other than those, there wasn't really much. But when I saw closely I could see my breasts had grown slightly bigger, what with the constant kneading and pulling. Or maybe I was seeing myself differently in light of my latest discovery.
My hands were still exploring my naked body for any other visible sign to confirm what my heart seem to have known, when I sensed I was no longer alone in the room. Before I saw, I felt eyes moving across my naked body.
I was afraid Noberto might be able to see my secret on my body. I turned around in alarm. But I need not have bothered. At least not at that count.
For standing in my bedroom, watching me naked on the floor was not Noberto but Albert. I stared into his eyes motionless just like he stood there watching me with horror on his face. It's not that he was seeing me naked for the first time, laugh at my luck, if you want, but he looked more shocked than I should have been.
May be I would have been shocked. May be I would have acted differently. Even though I had been fucked crazy by a man for almost three months, I would have reacted differently at being watched naked by another pair of male eyes.
Eyes which were very different from steel grey eyes. Eyes which were full of emotions and were telling a difficult story of their own. Eyes which were filled with happiness and misery, shock and hurt, need and pity all at the same time.
But right now, my shock was at completely different level. And so, I stood up slowly and walked calmly to the bed. Since I didn't have any dress around, I picked up the sheet and wrapped it around to cover my naked screaming body.
As if my movement guided him too and he came in further into the room. Reaching my bed, he whispered, "Melanie!"
When I didn't react, his hands reached out to my shoulders and he asked, still in shock, "Melanie, what.. how... what happened to you?"
"I think you already know the answer to that one," I replied to him calmly and watched colour leave his skin. He paled at my words and watched me speechlessly.
I don't know whether it was lack of his words or my own sadistic failures which made me say the next words.
"Don't worry, it's not that bad. As expected, I am fully transformed into Noberto's fucktoy."
He visibly cringed at my words. "What are you saying?" He asked me painfully, increasing the pressure of his hands on my shoulders. It was my turn to cringe, making him immediately release me.
"I am telling you the truth. I am truly one of his models now. To pose for him when he wants to paint, to warm his bed when he wants a slut."
"Don't say that. Please," he stopped me. Unable to see what he had done, he turned away. "I thought you had left. I thought you had gone. And while I was sad of your leaving so abruptly, deep in my heart I was happy that you have escaped him. I never knew you were-"
"I never escaped. Never did," I said to his back tauntingly, as if hurting him will reduce my pain. But then lowered my eyes and whispered softly, "And now I never will."
"Why are you saying that? I was a fool to get you here in the first place. But when I saw Noberto working with you I felt something change in him. I thought he was a different man and therefore when I couldn't reach out to you, I thought you have left because of your father. That he had let you go. Oh, what an idiot I was to believe him to let you go!"
I was not in a state to comment. While Albert was repenting upon the past, things which he should have done or not done, my focus was on the future and what I was going to do. I didn't have any confirmed results, but my heart already knew that those signs were true. I was indeed carrying another life in me. A seed planted in my womb by Noberto. His child.
The realization sent a shiver down my body and I started crying as the feeling finally sink in.
Albert turned around and found me crying. If he was shocked earlier, he was devastated watching me cry. I didn't see but his own eyes were full of tears of regret. He was heart-broken himself.
Not knowing what to do, he came back to the bed and sat next to me. "Melanie, please don't cry. Please, don't worry. It will be alright soon." He took me in his arms and rubbed my back soothingly. But he didn't know what I had started. The pain, the shame, the hurt of all these days I had been living in an unreal world with Noberto came back to me in full force.
"Nothing would be right, ever," I cried miserably. I couldn't control the tears as the flood gates were opened. I cried my heart out. For everything that had happened to me and for everything that awaited me in the future.
I didn't know how long we sat there, with me crying on Albert's shoulders. Finally when my tears had dried up, I looked at his wet shirt and tried to move away. He felt me moving and released his hold on me.
Somehow Albert had a calming effect on me. While I did lose it completely for some time but I felt much better after getting those feelings out in tears. And to be able to do this in front of another human being was incredible considering I had been hauled up in this mansion for last three months.
Noberto did step out sometimes. I didn't know where he went, I never questioned him but there were those rare times when he left me to myself in the mansion. I could have stepped out any time. I could have ended this long back. But I convinced my stupid self that that option was not available.
Now with Albert coming I was able to relieve some of those pains. Only a very small part but it was something. But soon behind that release came back the fear that Noberto had been gone for a long time. I didn't know where he was, whether he was somewhere in the mansion or outside but he could be back any minute.
I went rigid with the thought and Albert looked up to see my worried face. He took my hands and said, "Get dressed. I am taking you away from here."
"But Noberto.." I couldn't imagine how he would react once he found out.
"We'll figure that out later. Right now, let us just leave. Quickly." He guided me towards the closet and gave me a small push towards the clothes.
It was weird to hold clothes when I had been living nude for so long. But some part of my brain told me to stop thinking about anything else other than getting out of this prison. One last time picking clothes from that wardrobe, I quickly put on the undergarments and a simple summer dress. Shoes were tricky as they were all heeled but I chose the one with least heels.
Coming back in the room, I found Albert pacing up and down the room. Seeing me, he quickly took my right hand in his, "Come."
There was no time to think, I kept telling my brain or my heart, whichever was trying to persuade me to not leave like this. Noberto would surely get mad and once he found me he would make me repent ever taking such a step. But another part of me, the one that could see a ray of hope, kept me moving on.
We were quickly out of the mansion and Albert made me sit in the passenger seat of his car parked under the portico.
My heart was beating very fast and even as I sat in the car, I was worried, Noberto would show up in front of us any moment. I kept looking back to see if we were getting followed but there was no one.
Noberto was not back. And I was free. At least, at that moment, I was.
Next few days went in a rush. Albert took me to his house as there was no other place he could think of, given our circumstances. Most of the people he knew were common friends with Noberto and he was worried he would find out about me. So that same night, Albert took me to his aunt's place at Provins. He thought staying in Paris wasn't a safe idea.
I couldn't question because even though I was away from Noberto I was still afraid of him. I feared him finding me with Albert and immediately think the worst of me. He would go crazy and I didn't want to face his wrath when he was in rage.
Albert's aunt, Daisy Clement, was a sweet old lady. She loved Albert like her own son. In spite of being saddled with a stranger, she didn't mind. That the stranger was a young girl was something she welcomed in her own lonely life. She loved Albert but he had a life in Paris and had no interest in settling down in Provins. Being close to Paris, he would drop by every few months but that's how much she ever saw him.
So when he stood at her door with a young girl, she immediately took her in.
I was on my edge for days to come. Any sound, any touch would push me into a hysterical reaction. I would jump every time someone rang the bell fearing it was Noberto.
One morning when I was going through the daily routine of morning sickness, Aunt Daisy came to me and gave me a drink. She said it would help me with the morning sickness. I wasn't sure but didn't want to upset the kind lady. Forcing it down my throat I flopped back on the bed.
She came back to the bed and sat next to me. Gently she pushed back the hairs from my forehead and asked kindly, "Which month is it?"
I suddenly looked up in her eyes and a tear fell off my eyes. "Is it so obvious?" I asked.
"Not to all. There is still time for that. But you need to take care of yourself. The little one needs it along with you," she said caring for me. Her hand caressed my hairs softly. I didn't know what to say. I took her hand in my hands and held onto it. My body curled itself in a foetus like position while tears kept falling off at the kindness she was showing me, a complete stranger.
"I know it's none of my business but do you think you can talk to me about it?" she said calmly. When I didn't react, she said slowly, "Is it Albert's? Don't you worry, I will make him-"
I couldn't let her doubt her nephew, so slowly I shook my head in denial.
"Oh, my poor child!" She said and lifted my hands to her mouth. She blew soft kisses on my hands while murmuring sweet blessings. I didn't know if my child would ever receive those selfless blessings considering the circumstances it was conceived in.
Would it have its father's evilness?
I shivered at the thought and tears of fear kept draining off my eyes. I was scared. Really scared and there was no one I would speak to, no one I could tell the plagues of my dark little life.
Albert had gone back the next day of dropping me and has not come back since last two weeks. He said he needed to be in Paris to know what Noberto was doing.
He had offered to give me another mobile phone, when he realized my phone was broken off on the night of the exhibition, but I refused. I was afraid Noberto would be able to track me if I had a phone.
Albert had gone back and here I was. A pathetic reflection of myself. He still didn't know about my pregnancy. I didn't have it in me to tell me when he was smuggling me out of Noberto's house. Would he still keep me knowing I was carrying his friend's child?
And more importantly, what would Noberto do if ever came to know about his child in my womb?
*************************************************
Dear Lovely Readers,
Here comes the real twist in the story! Noberto's Mela is pregnant!!!
Tell me honestly, did anyone of you see this coming? Comment below to let me know if you had an idea of this twist and/or what do you think of it?
Another twist that this chapter revealed from the growing role of another man in the story - Albert. Where do you think this will go for Albert?
Is the plot thickening and becoming further interesting?
I would loved to hear what you guys think of how the story is shaping up so pls pls pls do share your comments/views/suggestions. I just love it when you guys reach out to me with your desired ideas :)
Also pls dont forget to vote, like and share the story as much as possible among your groups. It is love from all you lovely readers that drives me to continue writing.
Thanks for all your support till now and looking forward to more interactions with each one of you as we move along the story.
Love,
Anna