“Samuel!” Arthur ran in the direction of the tall brown-haired man with yellow eyes.
“Sir, you’re alive! I knew it! Triton is a good horse, he led us to this place. We found him wandering in the fields near this region and he led us to this forest” Samuel expressed with marked emotion.
“Who are they?” Sam approached Arthur with trepidation.
“They are my trusted men, they found me thanks to Triton. He stroked the horse's forehead. You're not a crow, after all,” he kissed him.
“Then you'll be back,” Sam commented with sadness in her eyes.
“Sir, you must come with us immediately, the Jones have declared you dead and want to take your land," the big man reported.
“They don't miss a chance!” he said, amused. “We'll start our journey today, then. I can imagine the chaos there must be in the ranch.”
“Not just chaos, abuse,” A boy of about sixteen, with black hair and dark eyes, broke into the conversation. “The Jones and the Deltons sent their men to your territory and some of our people support them, they even beat Nidia when she opposed them taking over the place.”
“Bastards!” Arthur said, clenching his fists. “How is she?”
“She is better. But they disgraced her granddaughter and her boyfriend had dump her because she was no longer a virgin. The girl is devastated,” Samuel explained with sadness and anger in his eyes. Arthur froze. That girl and he were raised as siblings because she was the granddaughter of his nanny and manager of the house. They were his only family, for his parents had died years before.
“Poor Anabela! She doesn't deserve such a thing. Ivan never loved her, then. If he had loved her he wouldn't have abandoned her when she needed him most.”
Sam wiped away some tears that escaped her since hearing that kind of abuse made her feel helpless. She more than anyone else knew the pain of having your innocence damaged and being treated like dirt.
After lunch, Arthur went for one last walk with Sam. They were near the pond sitting under a lush tree with yellow blossoms, which fell in a manner resembling snowflakes in winter, giving them a beautiful setting with a delightful scent of wildflowers, wood, and wet earth. He held her hands and left a chaste kiss on them and looked at her with a depth that pierced her soul.
“Are you sure? You have a place in my home and I can take care of you. I can assure you that, by my side, no one will be able to harm you, you can even turn your ability into a business. I can give you a place on my farm to set up your laboratory and help you with sales.”
“Thank you, but I can't. Besides, I don't want to be a problem in your life, it seems you have too much burden on your shoulders. It was a pleasure meeting you, Arthur. I only ask you to be discreet on your way out of here and keep this place a secret,” Sam asked in a pleading tone. He was dissatisfied with her decision, but he couldn't force her to do anything, she was used to that life anyway.
“All right,” he smiled and stroked her cheek over the veil. “Can I...?” he looked at her nervously, "May I kiss you goodbye?” he closed his eyes and lifted the thin fabric, then left a sweet, short kiss on her lips. They both hugged each other tightly and Sam dared to caress that beautiful hair she loved so much. He was like a prince who gave her a beautiful month and she would always remember him as her only beautiful romantic experience.
Watching him disappear into the trees on his horse caused her an immense emptiness and when her eyes stopped seeing him, the tears came freely. He was hardly gone and she already felt the loneliness penetrate her bones. How she longed to run after him and accept his offer! How she longed for a normal life!
(...)
Several days later...
Sam was sitting on the same log where Arthur had first kissed her. It was amazing how she had grown accustomed to his company in that month. She missed him and his absence left a void in that place and her heart. Why did it hurt so much if they hadn't known each other long? How was it possible that she had felt like she had known him all her life?
She looked up at the dark firmament full of stars, an, and e crescent moon covered by the foolish clouds, which prevented it from shining freely. That was the image that described her. She longed to be free of her past and her fears, to move forward, and to find love. It would be very sad if she spent the rest of her life alone and without knowing the beauty of loving and being loved. More than two years ago she believed she had found the love described in romantic books and felt like the happiest woman in the world.
Flashback
“Samay, my dear, sit beside me,” her father stretched out his arms to receive her at his side. She was already twenty years old and had grown into a beautiful woman, but to her father, she was still his little girl and, to Samay, he was her life. Her mother had died in childbirth and her father was so frustrated by her death that he devoted himself to caring for her and creating drugs. He taught her everything he knew and always bragged about his daughter's innate ability with plants.
She sat down next to him and blushed as she noticed Daniel's gaze on her. That boy with light brown hair and green eyes was examining her with great interest, which caused her heart to flutter in her chest.
“Samay, you know that since we met I liked you a lot and I fell in love with you,” the boy said with a smile on his face. For Sam that was the most beautiful of all. “That's why I came to ask for a proposal, if you accept, of course.”
She was speechless and began to hyperventilate. Her father took her to the kitchen to get some water to calm her down.
“Samay, dear,” her father approached her with concern. “You don't have to accept if you don't want to, it would make me very happy to see you married, but it will only happen when you are sure of it and find love.”
“Father," she said softly, for she was just recovering from her astonishment, "I want to marry Daniel, I... I love him. I have been in love with him for a long time, but I thought it was not reciprocated; father, to know that he feels the same for me fills me with happiness,” two tears rolled down her cheeks and her father embraced her with great joy, for he trusted the young man very much and liked him as the husband of his most precious treasure.
End of flashback
Sam wiped away the tears that had escaped her and went to sleep. She could still smell Arthur's scent on the sheets and sometimes she felt that he was there and even asked him questions or commented on something, not receiving an answer confirmed his absence and brought her back to her reality: she was all alone.
Arthur was caressed by the cool breeze of his region, which greeted him with clouds in the sky. Arriving at his ranch, he got off his horse and Raul led him to the stable. Arthur walked with fists clenched and chest erect, to confront the intruders who had broken into his property.“You are not our masters, our master is Arthur Connovan!” one of the workers shouted indignantly. They had had enough of the abuses of these thieving intruders.“Arthur? The dead one? He has already passed on to a better life and, since Arthur has no heirs, these lands pass into our hands,” a young man, with short blond hair, blue eyes, and great height, said cynically.“Henry Jones!" Arthur called out to him with an indignant face, the blond widened his eyes in surprise. "As y
She crept closer as tears streamed down her face. The door was half open and that made her spying easier. Why was she torturing herself? Her hands were shaking and her heart ached, it wasn't fair! She should be there, she should be enjoying that intimacy.Sam woke up with tears in her eyes, dreaming about her memories opened that wound she tried to ignore because she didn't know how to heal it. Loneliness gnawed at her bones, maybe it was what she deserved after all. She was presumptuous to desire love, companionship, passion. Why? She shook her head trying to throw out those harmful thoughts, it was amazing how the evil words of others could hurt so much that, you end up believing them. No, she shouldn't feel guilty for wanting to love and feel loved, she shouldn't think so low of herself and blame herself for wanting to have passion in her life, for wanting to experience pleasure, if it existed.
“Sam…” he stammered in shock. She avoided his gaze and distanced herself, not wanting him to see her so haggard and dirty.“Get away from me,” she uttered almost in a whisper and stood up on her feet intending to leave. This couldn't be happening to her, why did she have to show up at her worst moment? She couldn't stand the embarrassment and awkwardness. Him, so cute and neat; in fine clothes and expensive jewelry, perfumed with that delicious scent. And she, a malnourished, dirty beggar dressed in rags. It was a nightmare that the man she liked -because even though six long months had passed without seeing him, her feelings for him surfaced just by hearing his voice-, would see her in those clothes and with that stench. She had to run away, she couldn't bear to be in his presence a second longer.&ldquo
Three months had passed. Sam had regained her weight and her skin was not pale anymore. Every day she looked more energetic and healthy and she no longer seemed as shy as when she first arrived at the ranch. Raul kept following her around asking her imprudent questions and trying to find out why she was covering her face, but she ignored him and only laughed at his witticisms.“I owe the boss a lot,” the boy sat down on the grass and put a twig in his mouth. “My parents died in a shootout when I was ten and I spent three years living on the streets and stealing in the markets to be able to eat. One day a man selling apples caught me stealing from him and chased me with a rifle. I ran into Mr. Connovan and he assured the man that he would punish me and he did. He demanded I clean the stable and then pulled me by the ears because I wouldn't bathe. When he fed me, bought me clothes, an
Sam lay down on his father's bed and hugged his pillow. She missed him so much! Even though it had been four months since his death, she still wasn't over him. She was alone and with no one to comfort her. Her father was an orphan who got to where he was through hard work and the mercy of a doctor, who trained him in the field of medicine. At that time not so much was demanded of doctors and some people practiced freely, a cause of death for many patients who believed in untrained doctors. Her father not only taught her how the human body worked, but he also taught her about the medicinal power of plants. She became very good at it and even took classes with professionals, she stopped her studies when she got engaged with the promise to resume them after a year of marriage, so she could give quality time to her husband. Her heart ached, for she did not know if their relationship could be called a marriage. Daniel was not the same man she had known yea
“You're useless!” The redhead girl spat with superiority. “Always thinking you're better than everyone else, and look at you, you're nobody, Samay.“What do you want, Barbara?” she simply couldn't stand her and only wished she would leave his room.“For you, Mrs. Barbara. You're just a squatter in my house, I'm tired of you and of you looking lustfully at my husband. Daniel is mine, Samay, don't flatter yourself.”“Stop talking nonsense! Daniel is my husband and this is my house. I'm dad's heiress, the only one who's stuck up here is you.”“Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha..." The redhead girl laughed mockingly. “Your husband? You disgust him, Samay. Just so you know what your place is, Daniel and I have been a couple since before he "pretended" to you. Who do you think he sleeps with all night? Samay, Daniel would never touch you as he does me, he an
Sam sprayed on some perfume and looked at herself in the mirror. She touched her dark blue robe that matched her light blue and pearl-toned wardrobe. She highlighted her hazel eyes with black eyeliner and white shadow. She had put on lipstick, even though no one was going to see her lips, but it was to keep them moisturized. Her hair looked beautiful and silky, although only part of it was showing because the veil covered most of her face including her hair. She had changed a lot since Arthur took her to the estate, she was no longer disheveled and her hair didn't look like a bird's nest.Sometimes it was uncomfortable to wear the veil and she did not know how she would eat with etiquette in front of those people, as it would look strange when the fork went under the cloth. Would she ever get over her trauma? Would she be able to free her face from that veil? Nostalgia overwhelmed her. Before falling into Daniel's clutches she was happy and free. A dreamy young girl without c
Sweats ran down his skin, his chest rose and fell. It hurt.“That's enough!” she cried out in desperation. A thud, blood, and body spilled.She fled. At last, she would be free. She ran and ran regardless of discomfort or pain. Her fate was uncertain and going into the forest a danger for a young girl inexperienced in life, for a woman who never stood up for herself. Tears of bewilderment and fear overflowed from her reddened eyes, she still did not believe she was escaping.The dark forest made it harder for her, however, a light was the sign that told her she was out, but…Sam woke up with a start. She inhaled and exhaled so as not to have another crisis; she got out of bed and went to the kitchen trembling.“Chamomile tea will calm me down," she muttered to herself. With trembling hands, she put the kettle on and walked around the kitchen while she waited. When her tea was ready, she sat down and took a sip. It was diffi