CHAPTER 8: ORCHID

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Love sought is good..................

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Riven made his way back downstairs to where Demetri was talking to his guests. He gestured that he be followed and so Demetri led Riven to his office. The hallways they passed through were magnificent and adorned with all sorts of fineries, until they finally reached a heavily guarded section of the house, Demetri's wing. They proceeded into it and then further into an office, and then they were truly alone....each with their security detail.

"My good friend, please sit. Do you want a scotch?" Demetri asked.

"No, I want the girl in the black dress, I saw her a few minutes ago." Riven said.

He pulled out a pen and a card, then wrote a figure on it and slid it to Demetri, whose eyes widened at how many '0s' were written.

"Take the money I'm offering, it must be more than the auction starting price." Came Riven.

"But she is part of the auction. And her father owes me a great deal. Those pesky people fled when I reached down, soon after I called them to remind them of our arrangement. So by default, everything they own becomes mine, you know these ropes."Demetri said.

"Who said this is a negotiation or debate?I will destroy you Demetri, take your business and everything you hold dear, give me the girl. And besides, the money I offer surely covers the debt, interest and extra." Riven returned, trying to hide his disgust about the way Demetri said that Arabella was his property.

"Of course Mr. Donnateillo. She's all of yours." Demetri said through gritted teeth, trying to hide his fury.

"Smart choice." Came Riven, who pulled out his phone and tapped his phone, and later Demetri's phone buzzed. He had sent the money agreed upon.

"I shall have her brought here for you."

"No need, I'll go get her myself. It was a wonderful party Demetri."

With that done, Riven left and went back to wing where he saw Arabella being whisked away. The men who were guarding the store where the auction items were kept, upon beholding the 'Mr. Donnateillo,' immediately opened the door for him, Demetri must have given the order, or they just feared the man.

The room was relatively dark, and it smelled of old paint, and a strong lavender air freshener, and as Riven went further into the room, he got another distinct scent of femininity... Arabella. And just like he had thought of her, he saw her, she was in the corner of the room, on an old sofa and she was all curled up and shuddering from the cold. The room was kept cold so as to maintain the paintings of old that were very delicate. Riven took his coat off and wrapped it around her, she didn't refuse it. That pleased him, maybe, just maybe there was a chance for him to redeem himself in her eyes.

"Let's get you out of here." Riven said, reaching his hand out to help her out. But she deflected his hand.

"You can't come here and act like a hero, because you are just as ruthless, despicable and monstrous as the man who trapped me. The only difference is that the cage you keep me in is bigger than a four-walled room." Arabella spat. And just like that, hope disappeared.

"This is not an 'act of good will', as a matter of fact, you're going to pay me every penny I spent to get you out of here on top of what you're parents owe me. And now I'm deducting your salary by 70%." Riven retaliated and was soon walking out of the room, his chest throbbing because this isn't how he expected this 'rescue' to go.

"Oh, and Arabella, the next time someone saves you from being sold off as a sex toy, a thank you should suffice" Riven said just before he left the room.

A single tear rolled down Arabella's left cheek, she was really grateful that Riven had showed up, but he too had caused pain, and she couldn't forget about that just in a second. But there was a part of her that Riven was still responsible for, the part that.....adored him? No, that burned for him. So much that she hated it, she always tried to hide it, and keep herself from reacting to his presence, but something was beginning to show, only that Riven was blind to notice.

Arabella got up, three of Riven's men had been standing next to her, waiting for her to compose herself, and soon they escorted her out of the manor and to the drive way, were a convoy of sleek black SUVs was parked. She was led into the middle car. One of the men opened the back door and helped her in, shutting it after her. Inside, there was a figure in the other seat, his scent and physique gave him away, it was Riven. He was looking out the window, he didn't even spare her a glance.

The ride to Arabella's home was a weird one, as the silence closed in and the air was thick with unspoken words, they both felt it and didn't dare utter a word. And when they reached, Arabella ran straight into the house, with Riven's coat, she didn't even think of returning it.

Inside, she took a shower, and went to bed, she was glad to be in her bed, even though she couldn't sleep. At least she still had a roof over her head, but time was up. She hugged the pillow and started to weep softly into it, she was going to be kicked out of the house in the next two days, and she had no where to go, she couldn't even afford a crappy motel.

And just like that, she remembered something....someone, her boyfriend, Austin, the next day, she would go to him, and he'd probably take her in, since he had been insisting that they move in together.

Somehow, that plan gave her some peace, that she still had someone to rely on, and she slept naturally, for the first in many ages.

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The next morning, when Arabella woke and started to prepare for the day, she noticed the the three men had left, it was great that she could be alone. Before she left for work, she packed up her things, and would carry out a garage sale for the rest of the things that she had in the house the following day.

As she left for work, she had decided on dropping by Austin's place after work to talk to him about moving in together.

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"Sir, Demetri must be angered more, he already hates you for being above him, but now you took the lady and showed heirarchy, he's going to hit more of our merchandise." Said Igor.

"You worry so much, we're going to get rid of Demetri, but not yet. Let things play out." Riven replied, with a rare tranquility, that caused reassurance to the men in his office, as it pointed out that he knew something that they didn't.

At that moment Arabella placed a knock on the door and then entered, as per routine, naturally the eyes turned to her, one set particularly more peircing than the others.... Riven's. She made her way to his office table and placed a file on it.

"Good morning sir, these are the documents that I was supposed to bring in earlier." She said. The atmosphere was thick with tension that you could cut through it with scissors, the men picked up on it and excused themselves.

"We shall continue this at the home office, don't be late." Riven said and the men nodded before exiting. Then his attention turned to her, she looked rested, that pleased him, he also noticed a stray hair that was on her face, his fingers tickled to tuck it back in place behind her ear. He then realized that there had been a long silence that needed to be addressed.

"Good morning Arabella. I don't need those anymore, remember you were gone?" He said with a sly smile.

"I am sorry about that sir, I-i.."

"There's no need to apologize, it's not like you had any control over the situation. But what are you doing here on a weekend?" He interrupted her while slowly getting up from his chair, so as to stretch.

"Oh, I didn't realize that. Am I allowed to leave then?"Arabella said.

"Ouch Arabella, if I didn't know any better, I'd say that you want to get away from me." Came Riven, as he got closer to Arabella.... dangerously close. His scent, fight as she may, was her Kryptonite. Being alone evoked a delicious temptation.

"You're free to leave Arabella, there's no work for you today." His tone had changed, it was deeper and more groggy......and at the very tip, there was.

..... lust?

"Thank you.......for yesterday." Arabella said, much to Riven's surprise, he looked at her and saw how genuine she was, God he could kiss her...wait what? Yes, his desires and intentions were growing clearer. And it was just a matter of time until he acted on them.

The young lady then began to walk away. But Riven called out to her, stopping her in her tracks.

"If you need a break from work, I'm more than happy to grant you one." And with that, Arabella left, suddenly feeling different and mushy, Riven had a human side beneath the walking storm.

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"Coming!!!" Austin screamed after Arabella rang his door bell. After a few sounds of undoing the door locks later, Austin opened the door. Upon seeing who was at his door, he was taken aback, like as though he was seeing a ghost.

"Ara, hey, what are you doing here?" He asked

"Oh, sorry I didn't call. I was just hoping to surprise you, to take you up on your offer of us moving in."

All of a sudden his faced changed, like as though she had just said an absurdity.

"Oh wow, haven't you checked your phone, I broke up with you. Our relationship wasn't functional, and I met someone else." And just like that, another bomb was dropped on her. Like shish, how much bad news did a girl need.

"Honey is that the delivery?" Asked a woman who was inside the apartment.

"No babe, it's just the neighbor, her cat is lost again." Austin lied, more salt on the wound.

"Please leave Ara, I don't want any trouble." He whispered then closed the door.

Arabella leaned against the wall and slowly sank to the ground. She hadn't checked her phone for the past few days, so she pulled it out from her bag and switched it on. All the messages started piling in and indeed Austin had broken up with her with very vague words, she couldn't believe it. Of late she was on a bad luck streak, and it now felt like forever and day since she was last happy. When last was she selflessly been cared for?

The answer was Infront of her, one man sought to protect her, but yet she sought protection from another. She would soon come to realize this.

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Love sought is good, but given unsought is better. Twelfth Night

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