Nikolas rushed out of his room and down the staircase in a flash as if chased by some unknown power. He wanted to get to her before she disappeared. However, when he walked towards the koi pond, he didn’t see her anywhere. Was she even there or was he hallucinating? He looked all around the place but didn’t find her at all. Where could she have gone within such a short span of time? He was about to return when something white caught his eye. He walked over to the swing hidden by a canopy of bougainvillea trees but stopped in his tracks seeing Brooklyn on the swing. She was happily swaying gently to and fro, her hair blown off the face, her eyes closed as if she was in heaven! Nikolas was thunderstruck by the beautiful vision in front of him. He was dumbfounded, gazing at her from a few feet away. For the first time, his cold heart didn’t spew venom, his anger dissipated completely and he felt a strange flutter in the pit of his stoma
Brooklyn felt much better the next morning. Although the garden door was locked, there were other windows that weren’t and the view outside was beautiful. She didn’t feel claustrophobic anymore but she was tired of being locked up in a single room. She was bored. All her life she had worked extremely hard and now it seemed as if she was on a forced vacation, with nothing to do. She knew that she had bills to pay, rent accumulating, and no money at all with her. She couldn’t afford to stay idle.After freshening up, she waited for Sally to unlock her door. She could coax her to allow her in the kitchen. At least she would have something to do. After ten minutes, Sally unlocked her door and came in with her breakfast.“Good morning, Brooklyn. Your food is here. Eat up in ten minutes. Sir wants to talk to you,” said Sally.
Brooklyn looked at him with surprise. How did he agree to her offer so quickly? Would it mean that she wouldn’t be a prisoner here anymore? Would it mean that she would be free? Would it mean that she wouldn’t be locked up in a room any longer?“Thank you, Mr. Ardolf. I’ll do any work that you assign to me,” she said, looking up at him expectantly. However, all her hopes were dashed when he hardly looked at her and kept on working at his laptop. She waited eagerly for him to say something but he didn’t. After waiting for five minutes, she got up to leave. Maybe he had forgotten about her.“Be ready in ten minutes. I want you to accompany me to my office,” he said in a tone devoid of any expression. Brooklyn nodded and got up to leave. As she walked over towards the door, she could feel the hair at the
Michael took her to the Accounts Department as Brandon was a good friend of his and his sister deserved a good internship. It would give her the exposure to get a good job in the future. “What are you studying?” He asked as they waited for the manager, Larry Grant to summon them. Brooklyn looked at her feet, feeling embarrassed.“I’m not studying anything right now but when I have enough money, I’m planning to take up Finance and then a management degree as well,” she told him. Michael seemed deep in thought.“Are you keen to study?” he asked and Brooklyn nodded.“Yes, very much,” she said eagerly.“My brother’s studying Finance, he’s in his final year. I could give you all his book
“Miss, you should go home. Everyone has left. I’m closing the office down,” said the security guard. Brooklyn looked up from the screen. She knew it was late but Nikolas hadn’t at all summoned her or come to take her back.“Is Mr. Ardolf there in his office?” Asked Brooklyn hesitantly. The guard shook his head.“Sir has left twenty minutes back,” he informed her. Brooklyn’s eyes widened hearing the information. She panicked as she had no idea about the way to his house.“Could you tell me where he lives? I’m new here and don’t know the way back,” she asked him. He looked hesitant, not wanting to give out the information to her.“I’m not sure about this, ma’am
Nikolas parked his car and got down. He picked up an unconscious Brooklyn in his arms and strode into the house. Kathy was still waiting for him, ready to be released. Sally wasn’t returning, having found permanent work elsewhere. Nikolas didn’t bother since he didn’t want a replacement. He didn’t want Brooklyn to be locked up anymore as he somehow knew that she wouldn’t escape without paying off the amount that was due.“What happened to her, sir? Do I have to stay back?” asked Kathy hesitantly. She had three children to look after and couldn’t stay back at all. Nikolas shook his head, walking towards Brooklyn’s room and laying her down on the bed.“Just get something to eat,” he told her. He walked to her washroom and brought some water and sprinkled it over her face. Brooklyn woke
In the wee hours of the morning, Nikolas woke up and quietly left her room, up the staircase, the same way that he had come in. He knew that Brooklyn would wake up in the morning and react to his presence in her bedroom and that too, on her bed. He sighed and walked into his washroom to take a cold shower. For the first time in his life, he needed it. He had never in his life felt any urge or desire for a woman’s body. He hated the species and had never indulged in any physical intimacy with a single woman to date. Sometimes, he doubted his own affinities but last night it had all changed. Just sleeping with Brooklyn, wrapped up in her arms had unleashed a side to him that had been hidden for so long. For the first time, he desired her immensely, for the first time he felt aroused to the point of losing his mind. But one look at Brooklyn’s innocent face made him control his urges. He couldn’t add to her trauma. He would never force h
Brooklyn looked at him with a blank expression on her face. Why did he need her bank details? Did he doubt her? Did he think that she and Brandon had deposited his money into her account? Her account had only her salary deposited from the restaurant which went to pay for the loan she had taken for her mom’s treatment.“I don’t have your money, Mr. Ardolf. The money in my account is my salary and I can’t give it to you. I need it to pay off the loan,” she said, looking at her hands with hurt. He didn’t at all believe her, it seemed. He still thought that she and her brother were thieves. Nikolas gave her a look of displeasure. How could she think that he would stoop that low and take away her hard-earned money? Last night when he saw her handbag, it was open with the things spilling out. He had wanted to check whether everything was in place. He had forgotten to pla
Feeling extremely conscious of herself, Brooklyn looked away. She stopped mid-stretch and placed her arms down, pulling her top, down as well. She realized one thing from his behavior. She might be really looking odd in the dress she was wearing. She knew that it wasn’t up to the mark but what could she do? She didn’t possess anything better.It was lunchtime and Nikolas’s food arrived and he sat down to eat but one look at Brooklyn, hiding behind her desktop made his heart clench. He couldn’t eat a single bite. “Brooklyn, come here,” he yelled at her. Startled, Brooklyn rushed out of her cubicle and stood in front of him, taking care not to look at the delicious food spread out in front of him. Her stomach grumbled for food but she didn’t have any money to buy herself anything.“Yes, Mr. Ardolf, did y