Five

"Can you at least tell me what you're talking about?" I asked, following as he left the room.

I couldn't understand this man and neither could I understand why I was following him. I had been so terrified when he had me pinned against the wall and now I was following him now he'd finally set me free.

"That's none of your business," he said, waving a hand at me, not even bothering to look back.

"Really? You just said I'll do. Do for what exactly? I have a right to be concerned, you know. People don't just randomly tell me I'll do without at least giving me some extra info on what exactly I'd do for…"

He was too quick for me. Or maybe I was just too busy talking to notice when he moved.

I was underneath him, forced to look up into his face which was only about an inch away from mine. Somehow I was floating. He was holding my back.

I couldn't move. I was too close. We were too close. I could smell him. My heart was pounding in my chest, a feeling I couldn't particularly describe swelling in it. He just made matters worse by staring deep into my eyes, making me forget anything but him existed.

Slowly, an ominous but alluring half-smile spread across his face, but he still didn't leave me yet.

"I'll let you off with a warning since it's only your first day with me," he said, looking at me like he expected me to understand what he meant. "But next time, don't talk back at me, don't follow me when I've dismissed you, and most especially, don't question any of my judgments. Got it?"

I nodded, feeling like a child unable to do much else. Something about his voice just made me want to obey him to the letter.

"You're not dumb. Speak!"

"Yes."

He smiled satisfactorily.

"Good."

He still did not release me, and I began to think he even enjoyed me being in that position.

"Natalie," he called, finally releasing me. I tried to stand on my shaky legs, feeling light-headed.

"Yes master," she responded, suddenly appearing at the front door like before. If she wasn't breathing fast to indicate she'd just run there, I'd have thought she'd been there the whole time.

Turning around, he instructed her while he walked out of the room.

"Take her things and lead her to the guest room where she'll be staying."

My eyes popped.

"The guest room?" I shrieked, completely forgetting all he'd just warned me against.

"But I'm not your guest."

He whipped back immediately, his sinister smile gone and a deep scowl taking over and making him look so scary and intimidating.

"Then what are you exactly? Because you sure as hell aren't my wife," he said and left the room without giving me any other chance to counter him.

I was breathing fast, a mix of emotions swirling within me.

But I wasn't his wife. So why did that statement hurt so bad? Maybe because he made it seem like I was the one who begged for this marriage. Like he was the one who settled.

I felt like a fool. I wanted to chase after him and scream into his face and at the same time, I just wanted to curl up into a ball and cry.

I wondered why I'd been so against staying in his guestroom. I didn't want to share a room with someone like that.

Natalie kept watching me from the door as if she was afraid to come in. I could imagine what was going on in her mind. She was probably imagining what kind of marriage we had. I couldn't blame her, but I wasn't about to have the servants think less of me just because their master was wicked enough to belittle me in front of her.

If this was my first day and he claimed he'd let me off easy because of that, what would happen in subsequent days?

"Well, you heard the man," I said to Natalie, leaving the room with my head held high and hoping I looked confident. "Pack up my things and lead me to the guest room."

"Yes ma'am."

***

With nothing left to do, I sat at the head of my bed in the guest room watching YouTube videos. But nothing was good enough to assuage my dour mood.

The guest room was considerably smaller than his room, but I didn't care about any part of his house at that moment. He was the problem.

My videos kept pausing each time my father called, worsening my mood each time.

What did he even want to tell me?

Ask me how the man who he'd just sold me to was doing.

I ignored all his calls and even considered blocking him. My mother never called. Not like she even cared.

Hearing a knock on my door, I stood up to find out who it was. I moved slowly to the door, my heart beating and wondering if he'd come to apologize. That seemed highly unlikely but I wasn't ruling out anything.

"Oh," I said when I saw the peevish maid from earlier. The one who I'd initially asked about Davis before Natalie took over.

"Hi. I'm sorry, ma'am," she began, looking down.

"Cassie," I said.

"You can call me Cassie," I explained when she looked at me in confusion.

"Ok, Cassie," she said, drawing my name. I was happy because I didn't think she'd do it. She looked more comfortable now that Natalie wasn't around.

"Any problem?" I asked.

"Your dinner is ready. It's on the dinner table."

"Is Davis eating dinner too?" I asked and immediately wished I could take it back. I'd asked that with too much enthusiasm. She had to have noticed.

"He's currently not around, I'm afraid."

"Okay," I said, trying to hide my disappointment. "I don't think I'll be coming down to dinner tonight."

"The meal was beautifully prepared. I made it myself" she said, sounding like she was proud of herself. Her hands were knitted together as she looked up at me with puppy eyes. "Please. Or at least let me bring it up here."

"Alright," I said, an idea coming into my head.

I would use her eagerness and Natalie's absence to my advantage. Maybe I'd finally know what I was getting into.

She was back at the door in less than a minute with my meal. I wouldn't lie. It smelt wonderful and I believed it would taste even better.

"If I didn't know better, I'd think you all just wanted to fatten me for some sacrifice."

She laughed and soon enough, I found myself laughing as well at my dry joke.

"Come in," I said, at the same time she said, "Enjoy your meal."

"I…" she said, pointing downstairs.

"I think I have some authority to absent you from your duties for a few minutes. Come in."

She followed me in uncertainly. All her confidence had departed.

"Sit," I ordered, pointing at the bed and she did as I asked, hanging at the very end of the bed.

"You were going to tell me something downstairs before Natalie stopped you. Go on, tell me."

"I don't know what you're talking…"

"Don't do that," I said, raising a hand at her.

"I just began working here a few months ago so I don't know much about your husband."

"So you do know what I'm talking about. Anyway, I'm not here to point fingers. I just want to know what I've gotten into."

"I don't think I can help you with that…" she said, looking around.

I was silent. This was getting infuriating. The more information they withheld from me, the more I felt like whatever it was they were hiding was more than I'd ever be able to handle.

"Okay," she finally said, unable to hold in the silence.

"I don't know much about him but I know one thing."

"What is it?" I asked, desperate for even one piece of information.

"He has a girlfriend."