Chapter Five

~Mia POV~

I woke up to a sunny morning the next day. The rays of the sunset shined softly on my face. I turned reluctantly, not wanting to get out of bed.

As I stepped out into the dining room, I saw Robert carefully setting the dishes. He smiled warmly at me as I walked towards the dining. The table had different kinds of dishes on it. The aroma from the dish greeted my nose, making my stomach grumble.

“You made this?”

“Well, I do try sometimes to do some dishes.” He said and smiled.

“Humm,” I nodded as I took my seat.

We sat opposite each other, and I could sense his gaze was fixed on me.

The elegant table had a freshly squeezed grape juice, poached eggs with smoked salmon and hollandaise sauce on toasted English muffins with a bottle of Bellini.

“Eat!” Robert said to me as I sat still admiring the dishes.

We began eating, and the clattering of the cutlery filled the air.

“I saw you first on a rainy day in the countryside in California.”

I chewed slowly as he spoke.

"You were putting on a short, flowery gown; you looked so beautiful but had the most saddened expression ever. As the rain poured heavily, you began to cry. I became curious and stepped out of the kiosk to know what made you cry, but as I approached, I heard you say these words…"  He looked at me for a moment and then continued 

""I wish I could go away from my father forever; I wish he wasn't my father.”

I dropped my cutlery as I gazed back at Robert.

“You cried and wished you were not his daughter, remember?”

My mind travelled back to that day, where a young man offered me a serviette to wipe away my tears. But before I could turn back, he was gone, and I couldn't find him.

“It was you?” I asked with a shaky voice.

“Yes, Mia. I never thought fate would bring us together again.”

“This is not fate.” I said with my fist tightened around the fork I was holding

“Then what would you call it, a coincidence?”

“I call it heartlessness, depravity, and…You married me against my will,”

“I helped you fulfil your longing desires, Mia; that's thoughtfulness.”

“I don't want to be a divorcee like my mother.” I yelled.

“Then stay with me forever.” He said, staring intently at me.

“I hate you; I hate this marriage. You have no forgiving heart... You knew my father had nothing to offer; why did you still offer him so much money?

“What would I have done when he looked desperate? I don't forgive my debtors; you must pay me what you owe me.”

He said sternly with no form of emotion. I watched him as he walked out of the dining room and headed to the basement.

I eat my food quietly as my mind travels back to that day. I just received my first pay at the coff*e shop where I worked. I needed that money for my entrance f*e into the university.

After putting in a lot of effort into my savings, I managed to get the money I needed, but my dad took it away from me.

“Your worthless like your mother; I wonder why she never took you away with her.” My father spat, his face twisted with anger; his words cut deep, and I felt a surge of defiance.

“I'm not worthless," I yelled back. "I am me; stop comparing me with my mother!" My voice shaking.

My dad's anger only grew. He slapped me hard across the cheek, and I felt a stinging pain. Tears pricked at the corner of my eyes as he snatched the envelope that contained my first salary after moving to the countryside.

“Your mother felt high and mighty because she earned better than I did. I am her husband, and she is to be under me, but no, she wanted to compete with me. That's why I began to help her know her place." He sneered. "You are just like your mother, money-driven... you will end like her." He staggered inside with his bottle of hot.

I ran out of the house despite the threatening weather but couldn't go far as the rain caught up with me soonest.

So I took shelter under the small kiosk and wept bitterly, knowing the heavy downpour would hide the sound of my wailing.

That's when a stranger handed over a wipe to me, but before I could turn after wiping my tears, the stranger was already gone. Never in my imagination did I expect it to be Robert.

A man who never does kindness for free. Maybe I had a debt I was yet to pay.

I stood up and moved upstairs in the direction of the basement, I needed to confront Robert, I needed to know more.

I stepped into darkness the moment I took the hallway that lead to the basement. The hallway seemed to stretched on forever, the shadows cast by the faint light above seems to twist into menacing forms. I pushed opened the creaky door, the sound echoing through the silence like a death knell.

My heart began to pound as I decent the stairs, the darkness grew worse swallowing the whole of me. I called out for Robert, my voice trembling but there was no response. My head bagan to spine, I hated the dark, I panicked as I fumbled for my phone to switch on the flashlight. My hands shook uncontrollably, the light flickering as I cast it down the stairs.

“Robert?” I whispered again, my voice barely audible over the pounding of my heart. And then I heard footsteps coming from the depth of the basement, the steps were heavy and deliberate.

Fear gripped me and I began to run. My feet pounding the stairs in a frantic bid for escape. The flashlight danced wildly, casting eerie shadows on the wall. I stumbled, my foot catching on a step, but I didn't look back, my breath coming in ragged gasps as I ran.

Just as I thought I had reached the top, I collided with a solid form, my phone fell out of my hands, the flashlight spinning wildly before coming to a stop on the floor, casting an eerie glow over the place.

I looked up, my heart still racing, I saw Robert's face inches from mine. His eyes dispelled concerns, his arm wrapped around me in a tight hug. A wave of relief washed over me, I didn't realize I had tears in my eyes, until he touched my face, drying the fallen tears on my cheek with his thump finger.

“Robert!” I sobbed my voice muffled against his chest.

My legs became weak, but he was strong enough to hold me up. He carried me in a bridal style as he took me to my room. He laid me gently on the bed, our face brushing against each other, we were in a close range, I could feel his breath all over my face, his lips felt tempting but I as looked at his eyes I saw something different.

My heart skipped a beat, he had a look of sadness, of regret and of something more- something that felt like a betrayral. I felt lost and scared, wondering what Robert was hiding, kept locked up in his heart, away from me.