8

Terror drained the color from my skin when my eyes fell on the red card. It was Ethan. Ethan sent it to me. How did he come to know about my whereabouts? And how did he manage to send the flowers to Silas’ place made my complexion ghostly with fear.

Silas was staring at me with unknown emotion after reading the card. Before he could tear the card apart, I snatched the card and flowers from him, not wanting Silas to be anywhere near the flower bouquet Ethan sent for me. I was enough to bear the pain and suffering, Silas didn’t have to give me company in my pain.

“Who sent this bouquet to you, Bella?” Silas asked me calmly, scarily. Like a precursor to a storm, there was an ominous undertone to his hushed voice.

A part of me, which still depended on Silas for my protection wanted me to throw myself in his arms and cry about the pain I endured because I was left alone, vulnerable, and miserable to my father’s greed. I wanted to tell him how I was forced to serve a drug lord because my