Wife or Captive

I made sure to avoid Jordan for the rest of the day. It wasn't so hard avoiding him, since the mansion was so big, and anyone could be anywhere at anytime. I could stay in that house for an entire week, and never run into Jordan. It was that massive.

But still, just to be safe and sure, after I completed the tour with ma Nana, I remained in my room for the rest of the day.

I had spent most part of the day by the sea in the company of little Kaiti, with whom I seemed to have an immediate bond. Even though we both could not understand each other's language, we understand ourselves just fine.

Ma Nana was against the two of us staying by the beach for too long, and she kept nagging at us. But we ignored her, and she had no choice than to stick around, just to make sure we remained on the safe side. She also grudgingly acted as an interpreter between Kaiti and I from time to time.

Of course, I brought Kaiti along when I returned back to my room, once again, despite ma Nana's protest. Thanks to the old lady, we had everything we needed within the confine of the very large room.

In the company of the vibrant little girl, I forgot all about my misery for a while. We spent the day doing nothing significant, just enjoying each other's company. Spending time with Kaiti made me so happy, I couldn't remember being that happy in a long time. I had never been in the company of a child. I never knew just how fun it was, or maybe it was just Kaiti.

But then evening drew close and ma Nana insisted on taking Kaiti back to the staff quarters.

"Why can't you just let her stay the night with me?" I complained.

"The boss will never agree. He must never know that she come into the main house, he forbids it." Ma Nana said.

"But why? I thought he saved her?" I cried in amazement.

"Kallos, I tell you before. Yes, the boss save the child and mother. But he will never accept the child as his own. He is against having her in the main house, and say she must remain in the staff house until she old enough to work here if she want, or leave if she choose." Ma Nana explained.

"What?" I exclaimed. I could not believe my ears.

Earlier when ma Nana had told me about Jordan saving the child and her mother, I had been reluctant to accept the story, because I just couldn't see Jordan as a good person. But now that I was hearing what I had expected, which was Jordan being a total dirt bag and complete scum, I just could not believe how evil he really was.

How could he be so cold towards a little child? What did she do to deserve such kind of treatment? Turns out he wasn't so different from the so-called business partner he saved her from after all! They were both evil people on equal levels.

"Why would he treat her like that?" I asked, still in disbelief.

"The master say he do not want the child to grow up feeling entitled, thinking she belongs here. She must know her life is hard, and she must work hard to live properly." Ma Nana answered.

"Ha!" I scoffed. "Your boss is a bastard, do you know that? A complete son of a bitch! A beast. A cold hearted coward!" I cursed.

"Kallos, do not say that about your husband." Ma Nana scolded me. "And do not curse in front of the child! You should know better." She added, putting her hands over Kaiti's ears.

I couldn't win against ma Nana no matter how I tried. She was bent on obeying her master's order, despite my pleas.

"Don't worry, we take care of Kaiti very well." She assured me as she carried the little girl away.

Once Kaiti was gone and I was left alone, I was plunged back into my reality. I laid awake in bed for most part of the night again, just like the previous day, and dozed off during the early hours of the morning.

When I woke up,  I waited impatiently for ma Nana to come in. I dared not step out of my room without a situation report, lest I run right into Jordan. I wasn't exactly excited to go outside anyway. I just needed to get to my new best friend, Kaiti, who seemed to have become my opium after the time we had spent together. I even had a dream about her during my short sleep. We were playing by the blue sea.

When ma Nana finally appeared, I asked for Kaiti immediately.

"Our Kaiti can't come to the main house today." She replied.

"Why?" I asked, baffled.

"The boss is in the mansion, and he have somebody visiting. So little Kaiti must stay out of sight." Ma Nana said.

"Fine, bring her to the beach. I will go meet her there." I suggested impatiently.

"Sorry kallos, but Kaiti must not leave the staff house today. I tell you, she must stay out of sight." Ma Nana said gently.

"Then what am I supposed to do with all my day?" I cried in frustration. "Am I supposed to sit in this room and accept my reality that I am really in captivity here?" I asked.

"Kallos, you can come outside and look around the..." Ma Nana began to say.

"I don't want to look around the damned house! Thank you, but I have seen enough of this mighty cell of mine, and I have accepted that there is no way to escape from here! So save your suggestion, I have had my fill of the cursed mansion." I cried, interrupting her. "Now, go. Bring me that little angel, because she happens to have become my lifeline here. Bring her here however you can! Hide her in a sack or something, I don't care. Just bring her here!" I said.

"Kallos. You must breath now." Ma Nana said.

"No! No, I can't breathe! Do you not understand? I am in captivity! I was not married to your boss, I was kidnapped! He lied to me! He deceived me! I never agreed to marry him, I was forced to! I am not a wife, I am a captive." I cried, sinking into the bed as I began to sob.

Ma Nana sat beside me and put her hand gently on my shoulder.

"You think I do not know it?" She asked softly. I stopped crying and looked up into ma Nana's face.

"What?" I asked.

"I know that this is not a happy marriage." She said, and my eyes widened in disbelief. She nodded in understanding, and added.

"Anax never planned to get married, ever! Not in this life or another. He hates to think about raising family." The old lady said. I remained quiet and listened, as I figured she had more to say. Ma Nana continued.

"But the boss, he love his elder sister too much! And Helena, that fowl woman, she knows this well, so she abuse the boss love. I have been with the boss for long, and every time Helena come here, she always have one wicked demand or another. She knows the boss know a few bad people, so she always make him do her dirty work." The old lady paused to catch her breath, then she looked up, as if to recall. "She come here recently. Helena, that is. She come, crying, and I know that she just brings another trouble for anax. So I hide behind the door, and listen to them talk. Helena tells anax to kidnap a girl! She just really wants boss in trouble, and boss have been away from trouble, all his years in business. But now, Helena want him to kidnap." Ma Nana paused again and scoffed bitterly. Then she continued. "I was so ready to burst in and tell boss to send Helena off, but boss was wise. He talk about arranging marriage instead, and Helena says 'No! No!', by the gods, that woman is trouble. But anax convince her his plan is better, to keep her name clean. Because if the girl goes missing suddenly, people who know Helena have a problem with her will point Helena out as suspect immediately. And it may be bad for her image, even if they never catch her."

Ma Nana turned to me again, then she pinched my cheeks lightly.

"So, when he travel to America and return with you, kallos, I know you are the girl Helena tell anax to kidnap. The rest of the staff do not know, but I know." She said.

"So, why have you been acting like you didn't know?" I asked ma Nana, a little dazed by her revelation. She chuckled.

"I do it because I try to make your life easy, child. What good will it do to focus on your problem now? You know you cannot escape, so you must survive it." She said. "I call you the boss wife so you can see yourself like that, instead of a prisoner. But if it is too hard still, you can pretend to be visitor while you stay here. You must survive somehow, kallos." She said, stroking my hair.

Tears began to gather in my eyes.

"Do you think I will ever get out of here, ma Nana? Do you think your boss will let me go?" I asked, sobbing.

"You see, kallos. The boss is very cold, but he is not bad person. He will let you go soon, if it was up to him. But this is for Helena. He will keep you here until his sister is satisfied, and I am afraid, that woman is never satisfied. You must prepare for the worst, but hope for the best. But above all, you must be strong. I will be here for you, no matter what." Ma Nana promised.

I was horrified by ma Nana's revelation this time, but then I was also comforted by her promise. It was reassuring to know that someone understood my situation.

"Thank you." I mouthed to her.

"My pleasure, kallos." Ma Nana replied. Then she guided my head to rest on her shoulder.