Chapter 03

The way he delivered that sentence, made it so frightening and still managed to maintain his smile made me shiver

Now I see why they call him the devil.

This is a man that can kill you, while smiling at you making you believe you are friends.

“I do not understand what you are talking about.” I said , shaking my head because surely he was joking.

What league of assassins was he talking about? My father was just a businessman and he never involved himself with that mafia. In fact I knew just how much he hated them… so does this man really expect me to believe his rubbish?

“Sure you do. Because before your father died, he mentioned your name and said you had everything we needed. So you are going to tell us everything is beautiful, now I am asking nicely because I will get it out of you anyway.”

I shivered as his smile dropped and his eyes turned cold, “Well, you are lying. THere is no way my father could have possibly told you that because I do not know what you are talking about.”

He inhaled sharply, “I see you are going to keep playing ignorant. Nice!”

I shook my head, “I am not lying. My father was neer associated with anything like that so believe me when I say that every word that just came out of your mouth sounded like a load of rubbish to me.”

“We are only trying to help you here, Dahlia.”

I laughed, “Sure by purchasing me like a slave. Is that what it was all about? Because you could have easily just invited me for a chat over a hot coffee, then i choose if i want to talk to you. Buying me was just…” my words trailed off and I just shrugged.

“I do not owe you an explanation.”

“Sure. Not like I am the living human being that was traded to you, but what do I know? Besides, if I really know anything - what makes you think that I am going to give you the information>?’

He just shrugged and I gave him a smile, “You aren't getting shit from me. So if you are going to torture me, get to it as soon as you can. If you are going to kill me the same way you killed my father then let's get to it too.”

I lifted my chin and stared into his eyes stubbornly.

The man just smiled again, “We are not the bad guys.”

“If that is really a point you hope to make, paying my step mother off for me, and asking your goons to kidnap does not really work in your favour.”

‘Like i said, i owe you no explanation. But I do hope that sooner than later you see the truth and you can do the right thing/. Before you regret it. For now - your room is ready… so you can rest. One of the maids shall bring you something to eat.”

My room…

I scoffed as he walked away. =just like that i have been dismissed, as if everything happening here was perfectly normal.

I followed one of the huge men up the luxurious white stairs and he stopped before .

“This is you.” He muttered gruffly and left.

I stared at his huge retracing back for a moment before i shrugged, opening the door. The moment I opened the door, I gasped again. Because it looked like I had just opened a portal to an entirely different world.

The room was - the most beautiful thing I had ever seen but that was not just it. It was EXACTLY my dream room.

The exact replica of the picture I had in my vision board back at home.

Coincidence? Maybe, but my heart beat still accelerated not in excitement but fear.

I took a calming breath and walked into the all - white and purple room.

What really caught my attention was the book shelf at one corner of the room. And they had books from all my favourite authors.’

I shivered again as I backed away from the shed so quickly as if it was a threat.

This cannot be.

But my panic went ful mode when I opened the closet and saw the clothes in them.

Most of the outfits there were exact replicas of the clothes I had saved on my P*******t board, and they were all in my size.

I closed the closet and walked so fast out of the room, my heart beating wildly.

As I made my way down the stairs, an open door caught my attention - or should I say, a glimpse of something inside the room caught my attention.

My mind set off an alarm screaming, Run, run!

But blame it on curiosity. I approached the door cautiously and pushed it open.

I froze.

I could have died and woken up - who knows? But I can swear that my blood stopped flowing and my heart stopped beating there and then.

The room was large and mostly empty. Actually very empty except for a huge board pinned at the wall.

And on the board, were my pictures.

MY PICTURES!

Pictures of me, from years ago, this year.

Pictures of me sleeping in my room, pictures of me eating, taking a walk, laughing, crying.

It was like I was staring at every single detail of my life.

My stomach coiled and I suddenly got dizzy as the whole house started to spin around me.

What is going on here?

What on actual earth is going on here?

Gosh, I am definitely going to vomit.

I backed away from the room, and without thinking twice, ran down the stairs with one thought echoing through my mind.

I need to get away from here as soon as I possibly can.

I need to get away from here as soon as I possibly can.

I have no idea what in the devil's name is going on here - but I have no interest in being a part of it.

None.

Although a small voice whispered in my head, I was already locked deep into what I did not know.

I shook my head as I descended the stairs, pushing the thought away.

I want no part in this.

Before I could sprint out of the door, a hand grabbed my wrist stopping my flee attempt and I froze.

It was Caius.

How on earth did he get here so fast? O had taken a moment to look around.

The sitting room was as empty as.

He stared at me with a blank expression that was even worse than his creepy smile from earlier.

“What are you doing?”

“You are a sick man,” I panted, “A very sick man and I don't want to stay here. Please let me go…please let me go.”

My body shuddered and I felt a tear slip free from my eyes.

He did not let me go, and I did not fight back as he led me to one of the luxurious sofas.

“I already told you, I'm not the bad guy. Now if you could listen to me…I will explain. But you are obviously not in the right frame of mind to understand me.”

“Try me,” I said with a sniff and he frowned.

“No. You just have to believe me when I say this - you can trust me, no matter how hard it may seem.”

He was delusional but I figured it would be nice to just play along.

If he really was under the impression that I would actually believe his load of crap then he has a lot coming.

The man was obviously crazy.

Something the medium fails to mention.

They call him the devil, a wicked man, cruel and dark.

What they left out on is the fact that he has a loose nut somewhere in his head - or a missing one altogether.

“Fine,” I said and squared my shoulder, “so why are you keeping me locked up in here?”

“It's for your own safety,” he muttered so quickly as if he was expecting and preparing for the question, “you are safer here.”

Safety

The word sounded so laughable considering he practically paid for me, and killed my father.

Let's not leave out the Dahlia shrine I just saw a while ago.

“I'm in a prison and… I have a family. Especially my sisters. I cannot possibly leave them all alone there with my step mother. They will die, and they need care.”

I took a deep breath and shuddered.

But he placed a hand on my trembling ones, staring so deep into my eyes.

“I will bring your sisters over here tomorrow, Dahlia.”

Well that's shocking.

“Really?”

“Sure. But not just that - I have an offer for you. Your father's empire, business and money. I will have it all transferred to your name, plus an extra payment and I can do this in the next few minutes.”

I didn't move nor speak.

“And beyond that - I might have bought you, but I will grant you your freedom, after one year.”

Great.

“What's the catch?” I asked tilting my head because I could sense one condition coming.

“Your family, your father's wealth and your freedom. All you have to do, in return, is be my fake wife. For just one year.”