Chapter 3

I just woke up in a cold room, soft bed and fragrant clothes. I forced myself to move and felt pain in my legs. I can feel it, my eyes were still swollen from crying, I stared at the black ceiling. I know where I am, I have already been here. When I fainted, he also brought me in his room. I watched the whole area. Nothing has changed, the color is still a mixture of black, gray, and white. No changed of stuffs—just added a long sofa chair and a bigger television. I removed the blanket and got up. I bit my lower lip when I saw the food on the table, there was a letter left.

I stood up, only now to realize that I was wearing a pink nightgown. My forehead furrowed, until now has he still not removed it from his room? I took the letter and read what was there.

Jassie,

You still have a healthy body. I don’t want you to lose weight, eat the food. I missed you, don’t leave the house. Wait for me.

Louis S.

In a rage, I crumpled the paper and just threw it somewhere. I searched his entire room to find my cellphone if I couldn’t find anything, there wasn’t my clothes I was wearing, not even the shoes and the bag. I pulled myself together and closed my eyes tightly. Now, I am trying not to scold him, but maybe when I see him later, I won’t be able to control myself to cover him with bad words. I swallowed. I opened the door and went out, I ran down the hallway until I saw an old maid. I was surprised to see her, she seemed surprised at me too.

“Miss McCoy?”

“M-madam Sela,” I muttered those words.

Her eyes, her height. Her black and curly hair. The wrinkles on her face, I will never forget her! I was just surprised when she suddenly approached me and hugged me. She still remembers me.

“How long have you not seen Jassie. How are you? You are already a woman.”

She broke away from the hug. My anger before is gradually being replaced by a little happiness, I smiled at the old woman.

“I am fine, Madam Sela,” even if I’m not. “What about you?”

She held her head.

“His half-sister is being a headache. She’s always running away from her class. There seems to be nothing to fear, even his older brother.”

I swallowed.

She helped me go to their living room. I’ve been here before, and I don’t have to be amazed at the things I see. I know those are luxurious, some are made by well known artists, and some are even from other countries. Especially the paintings and flower pots.

“Surprisingly, when Sir Sullivan brought you here yesterday unconscious, your clothes were dirty.”

She gave me a hot chocolate, I accepted it with all my heart. She sat down in front of me. I feel like she’s watching and scanning at me. Of all their housemates here, she is the only one I know. Madam Sela is old, her husband has died. One of his children has become a Lawyer, the other of his children is working abroad as a doctor.

“Did Sir Sullivan do anything to you again?”

I was stunned by her question I turned to her.

I did not answer. I knew she already knew what I would say to her. And I know she still can’t forget what happened, six years ago. She was here, watching us how and what sin Louis did to me. Now I am ashamed to look at her. The anger I felt just came back, my shop was gone. I don’t have my things anymore, I’m sure my parents will be surprised when they find out what happened. I don’t want to go home just to ask for money.

“Do you want me to talk to Louis, Jassie?”

I shook my head at her.

“N-no,” I got up, she did the same. “I’m leaving, please tell Louis not to look for me again. Thank you, and I’m sorry.”

She let me go, I know she understands my situation. I bent down as I walked. I don’t care if I’m still wearing this, I need to be able to get out of here before Louis goes home. I was about to walk out the door, but I saw a pair of shoes in front of me. I quickly looked up and backed away. A familiar man approached me. He was tall, wearing a gray suit. His cold blue eyes were staring at me, his red lips were pursed. He stared at me first before turning his gaze to the old woman.

“Where’s Leyla?”

“Mr. Madrigal! Please come inside. Leyla is not here, she is at school.”

His thick eyebrows rose.

“School? That girl did something to me, and I will never forgive her bullshit. And what do you mean she is in school? I saw her earlier on the road with her friends.”

I didn’t even pay any attention to what they were saying. I took a step to leave but suddenly the gate opened, and another man entered. Turned black suit, his eyes went straight to me as soon as he saw me. I suddenly remembered what happened in my shop yesterday. Why did he come so early? I think he was coming—nevermind. I stopped walking, I stared at him badly.

He took fast and big steps until he grabbed my hand, he held it tightly.

“Let go of me!”

“You are not going anywhere, Jassie.”

I was so bitten on the lip that he suddenly dragged me back into the house. The man looked at us.

“What the fuck are you doing here, Madrigal?”

“I am looking for your sister.”

“Fuck off, she’s not here.”

“Let me go! Where will you take me? I want to go home!”

He turned to me with no expression on his face.

“You have no home.”

The anger that I had been suppressing flared up. Madrigal suddenly walked away, while Madam Sela went to the kitchen with the other maids.

“I don’t have a house anymore, and it’s your fault! It’s your fault I lost everything! Even the shop where I worked hard! Even my only employee, Hayden, lost his job because of you.”

My tears just flowed. My chest is rising and falling. I want to hurt him, I want to push him until he falls. He didn’t say a word and was still staring at me. I cried even more, why does he seem to be insulting me?

“You’re still not changing, right? You will and always ready, you are really making a way just to get what you want, even if you hurt others, you don’t care. You know why? Because you are selfish! You’re just thinking about your welfare. I hate you!”

He’s getting into my nerves, I pushed him hard, but he was only like a statue. It seemed like my push was just nothing to him. My crying got louder, I slapped him on his chest but he still didn’t move. I continued from what I was doing.

“I-I am far from my family. I’m far from my family, you know that. That’s all I have but why… w-why my job.”

With so much hatred and weakness my feet trembled, I fell to the ground My whole muscle trembled at the feeling, I was angry with him then and I feel even more now. I don’t have a face to face with my parents anymore. They helped me to the shop, then they would know it just burned out like that. I bent down while crying until I felt him kneel in front of me.

“You can work in my company, they accept someone like you. I can give you the position you want.”

My eyes glazed over as I turned to him.

“It’s not that easy, Sullivan. Seeing, you were born wealthy, you don’t know how it feels to work hard.”

I still lack anger. I blame everything on him. Annoyed, I accidentally entered his turf again. And I know I have nothing left to lose to him, even if I run away somewhere, I know he will still find me. Even if I will have a plastic surgery, I know he will still recognize me.

“I’ll buy you, thirty million dollars. Be my wife, I will name my properties after you, I will give you a new flower shop.”

W-what?

“Or work for our company—”

“W-what are you saying there?! Aren’t you thinking? You’re still so boastful, Sullivan.”

He tilted his head towards me. His gaze dropped from my lips to my chest. My forehead furrowed.

“I badly want to buy you, Jassie. I’ve been holding back for a long time,” he licked his lower lip. “Price yourself, Jassie. I am willing to buy you.”

My lips parted. I can’t understand him. I couldn’t understand what he was doing. He burned down the shop and my house and now he is offering—after all, I’m the wife he chose. But why is this? I don’t understand him.

“I don’t need your money, I need to get back the shop I lost.”

I averted my eyes. I was distracted by his smell.

“Price yourself, Jassie.”

I bit my lower lip.

He was going crazy. He is rich, I understand that, but I never thought that he would do it for a woman like me. I know there is a lot of beautiful and sexy women. Rich like him, but I really don’t understand why I—does he want to take me back? But I will not consent, I cannot forget the bullshit he did to me before.

“If you don’t want to, I will just suggest the price. Thirty million to be my wife, I will name my properties after you. I will give you a new flower shop, but on one condition that you can no longer approach others. If you agree to what I want, we will get married after three weeks.”

I breathed. What do I do with thirty million? Will I slap him in the face to make him aware of what he is saying?

I blinked, bit my lower lip and looked at him. His eyes wandered at me.

“Take it or leave it?”

I swallowed, we stayed in that position. I was sitting on the floor as he knelt in front of me so that our faces were level. I don’t know what to answer, I need money for the flower shop and myself. But I did not expect such a large amount of money, nor did I expect to be his wife.

“Come on, Jassie. This is the only way to make you mine.”

“B-but, what do I do with that much money?”

“You’ll keep it yourself, for future purposes, for your shop.”

I shook.

“That money is too… too large.”

He lifted the side of his lips.

“I will give you an ample money, in return be my wife.”

“W-wife?”

He leaned to me.

“You are not hearing me wrong, baby.”