Chapter fourteen

We stayed together and Malie helped me a lot with making food and buying the groceries. I appreciated her a lot for that. During the weekdays, Max would leave for work and Malie stayed indoors all day. It was becoming hard, so I started applying for virtual jobs. Max was becoming very supportive in every way. He was like the hammer that would shatter our stone hurdles when it came.

Yes, we kissed more this time around. Especially after Malie came. I had to leave the room and share a room with Max. I was not comfortable for the first week. It was like a burden.

One night, the usual was about to happen. I was about to change and do the normal night routine before going to bed. I was trying to put on my dress until it tore. It was made up of silk and it made a loud noise. It got his attention. My whole back was like a wide view of attraction to him.

"I'm sorry, excuse me. I will go to the closet to change." I said. I felt extremely embarrassed.

"There is no need for that, c'mon. I am here and I can help you," He pulled me back and readjusted everything.

His hands, his eyes, and his face took every part of my being and I reached to kiss him.

"Thank you, I'll go change now. You offered a very nice HELP." I emphasized.

He was blushing and I left him to that. That's how it all started and I started having feelings for him. I did not lay with him because I was still recovering from the wounds and scars given to me after the numerous assaults when I was abducted. This was something I didn't talk to Max about—he had no idea about it.

Alysa's POV

It was another afternoon after I realized how my life was. I was living in a man's house who was just flowing and vibing with me every night. I was living inside his house and feeding from his money. I was working on my virtual jobs. I didn't want to stay there and contribute nothing. Life started changing. Before I made any decision, be it about myself or about the house I had to inform Max. It wasn't my thing to share.

All along, I have been enduring to the point that I thought he was doing me a favor. I did not regret our first conversation about it and our first kiss because it made us understand ourselves and feel better.

Silently, I was mourning Jeremy's death. I wasn't able to show him that what he did to me was wrong. The pains grasp my emotions entirely and I just broke down on the study table.

I was alone at home, it was very risky because a lot of crazy things came to my mind. Malie went to get the groceries, it was ten to fifteen minutes away from the house. I didn't worry about her coming home early or not. The feelings of regret and revenge results which turned out to fail made my eyes swim in their tears. I wasn't concentrating on work any longer, so I closed the files and the books.

I remembered how he found out when I was done with work for that day. I remembered how I was chased by cars. I thought I was going to face my problems, I thought I was on a different path to finding the solutions to those problems. I didn't know. I didn't know I was handling the enemy. I didn't know I was soiling myself in danger and receiving turns of improper treatment. My fate was twisted many times. It didn't happen once, it happened over and over again.

My mental health was scrambled. I didn't know how to feel and I was scared of accepting what I had for Max. I was repeatedly assaulted by Jeremy. I was doubted by people close to me about my interest in not wanting to be his Luna.

"To hell with him!!" I screamed and I cried. I could even express myself to Max. It's not long, it's bitter and sad. I was traumatized.

"Alysa!"

"Open the door I've been knocking on for a while here?"

"What's going on?"

"Aly? Alysa!! Open the door."

I thought it was coming from the neighborhood.

I ignored the sound I was hearing and I tidied up my face. I applied some makeup to cover my baggy eyes and I glossed my lips—It is something I never did.

"Alysa??"

"What is going on with her, did she sleep?

" I've been knocking on the door for hours…"

I immediately noticed that Malie didn't return from getting the groceries. I rushed to the entrance door. I was breathing heavily. Before I opened the door, I took deep breaths, adjusted my clothes, and scattered my hair a little bit. I pulled the door open.

"Damn! I'm sorry…" I apologized, but Malie was annoyed.

"You knew I was out, you would have stayed close if you were gonna lock the door, you just left to stay in the room."

"You made me look like a mentally disturbed person knocking at the wrong door outside."

She was talking all through and at some point, I was not listening.

I was a mentally disturbed person here. I was the one who needed help, love, care, attention, support,t and all the rest I can't remember.

Malie was speaking to me like she had no idea I was assaulted by Jeremy. It looked like she changed a lot. I was amazed.

I didn't expect that sort of behavior from her. In the past, I did a lot of things to her while trying to ask for her help to escape the whole Jeremy's saga. Malie was patient with me, she was understanding. This made me feel so bad.

"Please, I'm sorry for doing that. I don't know what happened…I…I started thinking about something you know and I slept off. Please don't be annoyed." I pleaded after throwing a lie on her face. She was a little bit calm. She looked at me and I hurried to help her with the groceries. I carried them to the kitchen. We both unpacked what she bought silently. The silence was enough to swallow the whole house and the noise of the packets and jars was wasted.

"I'm sorry for the way I scolded you. I…" Malie tried to explain herself but I interrupted.

"It is okay, I'll be okay." I emptied some dumps in the trash. I left the kitchen and went to the room.

I was waiting for Max to return. Apart from the fact that I wasn't able to tell him certain things about myself. I was able to share my doubts or discomfort with him. The best part is that he'll listen to me.

Someone was coming toward my room. I didn't want to say Malie because I did not know what to expect from her. She was a better person when I met her.

"I know you are thinking of the way I treated you. I just want to talk to you and you have been avoiding me. Why can't we talk things out? Please." Malie said while coming into the room.