6. Ignorance!

Marona's POV

My restlessness was growing with each passing second thinking if I should tell Laurence about it or not. If I tell him then it will be a big scene and if I don't tell him then the guilt will eat me from inside. What if he misunderstands me? What if he doesn't trust me that I genuinely didn't know that it was not him? How do I tell him that I couldn't recognise his touch?

I followed him downstairs for breakfast where everyone was present except Mikhail, God! only his name can make me shiver. I felt hair on my body perking up when I thought about him.

"Laurence, I need to tell you something."

I tried to stop him before we could sit down. I have to tell him because what if Mikhail does something else next time? I might fuel his behavior by hiding it. I know Laurence will be mad at me but I am also sure that he will understand me, I am hopeful. If not then I am ready to take whatever punishment he has for me.

He looked at me while answering his phone which never stops ringing. He took a seat and I sat beside him not knowing which chair was kept for me. Everyone is sitting silently and not even bothered to look at each other. 

"You were saying something?"

Laurence asked me and a few curious eyes snapped towards us. 

I looked at him nervously. 

"After breakfast? it's personal."

He just nodded and focused on his phone. 

Patricia came and looked at me amused. 

"I thought you knew the line of the family."

I frowned at her tricky words.

"Meaning?"

"Meaning, you are sitting on Mikhail's future wife's place!"

She declared and I quickly got up like the chair would swallow me. 

"Sorry, I didn't know!"

I turned around and gasped when I saw Mikhail standing in front of me. How did he get so huge in a few years, he is looking more scary like this. 

I quickly looked away when he stared at me blankly, standing in front of me like a huge big wolf while I was looking like a scary cat in front of him. 

He circled the table and sat on the opposite side, beside Lovina. He was exactly opposite me.

"Looks like he gave that place to you."

Patricia was taking too much interest in it. 

"He has taken another seat so I guess you can take that place."

I looked at the chair which belongs to his future partner, I shook my head. 

"This is not my place"

I mumbled and sat on the other side of Laurence where I should have sat in the first place.

I was feeling a burning gaze on me all the time while I tried to avoid it but it was difficult. I mistakenly glanced at him and quickly looked down when my eyes met his mischievous one for a mere second. My heart almost blasted in my chest with that small eye contact. He is looking at me, I nervously scratched my neck and realized that I have a huge hickey on that spot. 

God! He is staring at that hickey. I closed my eyes embarrassed, he must be recalling our last night where I acted so desperate and stupid. He is definitely going to use this against me, I need to tell Laurence about it as soon as possible.

I tried to avoid his presence which was mocking me continuously.

Suddenly the silence became prominent when their father entered. Mad man, I get disgusted with this man just by looking at him. 

"Marona, Good Morning"

His hand travelled from my shoulder to my palm as he greeted me and I cringed in disgust, his touch was so dirty. I looked at Laurence for his reaction but he just smiled at me. 

"Greet him back"

He whispered to me like I would offend him if I didn't greet him. 

"Good Morning"

I mumbled and wrapped my arms around me and rubbed the place where he touched me, it felt so violating. 

Tears pricked my eyes but I gulped it down.

Is there no one to see that he just tried to sexualize his daughter in law? Why is Laurence so ignorant?

Leonardo took his head-chair and smiled creepily like he always does. 

"Lucky Laurence, he has got such a beautiful wife. Look at her, this is how a woman should be. Full of femininity." 

His eyes stared at my big breasts and I uncomfortably covered my chest with my long hair. I feel like vomiting now. Someone stop him, please!

"Otherwise women nowadays are so flat..."

He said, like this was the biggest issue which the world was facing now. 

"Our Lovina is an exception in this though... Even flatness looks beautiful on her."

I looked at him shocked when he squeezed Lovina's cheeks and tried to kiss her cheeks while she was resisting him fearfully with helpless whimpers. I could see her trying to hold back tears while covering her chest with one hand and trying to stop him with the other hand but he seemed to enjoy her struggle. 

Why the hell is no one stopping him, he is sexually harassing his own daughter. What kind of a monster he is? 

My eyes darted towards Damon, Lovina is his real sister. How can he stay quiet after watching this?

But when I saw him, he had already crushed the glass of juice in his hand and his eyes were bloodshot red as he glared down at his plate with anger and shame. 

He was shaking in anger. He almost got up from his chair but Rafael placed hand around his bleeding hand like he ordered him to stop. 

I looked at Mikhail and I noticed his nostrils flaring in anger as he clenched his jaw like it would break at any moment. His fist clenched tightly around the table cloth as his eyes slowly turned dark with the emotion which made me shiver in my place. He grabbed the sharp fork and Rafael placed his other hand on Mikhail's hand, he stopped him just like he stopped Damon. 

Mikhail looked at Rafael with bloodshot angry eyes like he was asking him something. Rafael just blinked his eyes calmly at him, he signalled him something and Mikhail closed his eyes like he was trying to control his anger. 

"Lovina!"

Mikhail growled and I flinched in my place along with all the girls. Mariana was already crying silently for her sister and Katrina was terrified. 

"Security data is still not on my desk, I want it now!"

He ordered.

"Get up!"

Lovina quickly got up and sighed in relief. 

"Sorry, I forgot!" 

She said and hurriedly walked away like she was saved at the last moment. 

Laurence was calm, not at all paying attention to whatever was happening around him. How can he be so ignorant?

Meanwhile Leonardo chuckled at Mikhail. 

"A good way to give her a reason to run away from me."

Mikhail just closed his eyes while controlling his anger and got up. He stormed out of the dining hall and Damon followed him with the same reaction. 

I couldn't push down the food after whatever I witnessed. This is why I never wanted to stay in this house. This is a fucking psychotic jail. All are animals here. 

I went back to my room and grabbed my head to calm down. What kind of monster that man is, he doesn't even care that he is a father. 

"Laurence?"

I called him when he entered the room. 

"I need to tell you something."

I got up while he was busy in finding some of his files. 

He shuffled through the files restlessly.

"Speak!"

He sounded bothered. 

"Are you okay?"

I asked worried when he sounded like that. 

"Just say it, Marona... I need to leave and won't come back tonight."

He said frustrated while searching for something. 

"Where the hell is that file?"

He cursed. 

"Which file?"

I frowned. 

"Grey file!"

He looked at me like I might have kept it somewhere. 

"I didn't see it!"

I shook my head. 

"Anyways, last night when you were out... Someone came here and I thought it's you..."

He frowned at me.

"Who?" 

"I couldn't see his face, I thought it's you and___"

I gulped, my throat dried when it came to confession. How will he react?

"And___"

"And what?"

He asked annoyed. 

"Marona, I don't have time..."

He started searching for the file again. 

"Why would someone come here when___"

He paused and his eyes scrunched in deep frown. 

"The handkerchief! It was Mikhail."

He grabbed his head.

"Fuck!"

He groaned and slammed his hands on the cupboard angrily. 

"Laurence, I swear... I swear that I thought it was you."

My eyes watered. 

"He took the file... That bastard!"

He growled madly and rushed out. 

"Fuck, he will destroy everything."

He cursed while storming out. 

I stood there stunned. What was he even doing? 

What I was going to tell him and what he is saying? He was worried about the bloody file while his brother came here and___.

I grabbed my head and sat on the bed. 

"What the hell is happening!?"

This is so disturbing. I got up and decided to take a walk in fresh air. 

When I went downstairs from the huge hallways and stairs, I encountered a few guards patrolling inside the house too. I shook my head with a sigh, these guards look like threats themselves. How are they even protecting the house?

I went out and saw Lovina leaning against the wall with closed eyes like she was trying to feel the cool wind. Her cheeks were tinted pink from the crying. 

I slowly went to her and stood by the wall on which she was leaning. 

"Are you okay?"

I know she is not but what else can I ask?

Her long uncut hair swayed with the wind and bothered her as well as me but she didn't tie them. 

Lovina doesn't look like a girl who would prefer to keep her hair long and that too untamed. I have never seen her hair tied.

The ends are a bit damaged too. 

"Do you need a hairband, it will be difficult to untangle them afterwards."

She smiled bitterly.

"They are not meant to be tied or cut, Marona..."

"May I ask you why?"

I could see her eyes filled with revenge and anger. 

She touched her hair.

"I was in highschool when I started liking a boy, Mad King didn't like it... He trimmed my hair and made me go to school with a bald head... I was humiliated like never in my entire life... That day I decided, I won't cut or tie my hair until I see his death..."

Tears gathered in my eyes, how the hell does one father even think about this hideous thing. Leonardo is really a living monster. 

"I hope that time comes soon and your dignity gets satisfied..."

She nodded as angry tears escaped her eyes and she wiped them away like they never existed. 

"Soon!"

She sounded too confident.

I couldn't understand what to say, I hope her heart finds the peace soon because the storm which has destroyed her from inside is visible in her eyes. 

"How are you feeling in your new house?"

She went back to the tone of the cunning Lovina who met me at parties. 

I sighed and started walking in the garden, I took off my shoes and felt the soft grass under my feet. 

"This is not my house, I am leaving soon."

She chuckled mockingly as she walked beside me.

"What if Laurence never leaves?"

I gulped, that's my nightmare.

"He will! He loves me, he won't do anything which will make me unhappy like I never do the thing which will make him unhappy."

"I have heard about people who are blinded in love, it's my first time seeing them!"

She sighed dramatically. 

"Anyways, I hope your hopes don't shatter..."

I suddenly froze in my place and took a sharp turn when I saw Mikhail and Rafael sitting on the lawn. 

"I am leaving!"

I tried to walk away, not wanting to face Mikhail at any cost but Lovina grabbed my hand. 

"Why do you fear Mikhail so much?..."

She smirked. 

"You almost fainted yesterday. Do you have a history with him?"

I shook my head nervously and tried to rush away but she grabbed me tightly. 

"You are soon to be a queen, act like one... Come with me!"

She dragged me with her towards them and I almost cried but when she stopped beside them, I froze. 

His eyes found me and my breathing quickened. I clutched on my dress tightly and looked in the opposite direction of his. 

"Chess?" 

Lovina smiled at them.

"Looks like Mikhail is winning!"

I looked at the chess board, it's obvious that Rafael is losing but he can win with a few tricks & risks. Anyways, this is not my business. I just want to go away from here. 

"Of course, there is no one who can defeat Mikhail in chess..."

Damon chuckled as he walked towards us with his charming smile. His hand is now bandaged.

"Sorry brother but Mikhail deserves the praise"

He placed hand on Rafael's shoulder. 

I am not looking at Mikhail's face but I can sense him smirking mischievously, he always does that like he has something in his evil mind. 

I can feel his burning gaze on me and I shifted uncomfortably in my place. His eyes paralyse my movements whenever he looks at me. 

Rafael smirked as his eyes cunningly travelled from the chessboard towards me. I shook my head in horror knowing what he was going to do. 

"We have someone here, who is capable of defeating Mikhail!"

I turned around to leave but Lovina grabbed me and my face turned helpless. 

"Marona will continue this game on behalf of me. She was chess champion for all our senior years." 

My heart skipped a beat, yes I was a chess champion but how am I supposed to win against Mikhail?