Chapter 4

A masculine figure, clad in a black coat and gray boot walked into the room and flipped the switch, bathing the whole area in warm shades of yellow.

Amelia stirred, groaning lightly and muttering some inaudible words in her sleep.

He slowly trudged towards her until he was some inches away from her face. With a smirk on his lips, he crouched low to take in the complete features of her face.

She had a fine full face, with dimples rooted beneath her jaws that complimented her looks. Her fair sharp skin, pert nose, coupled with her rosy lips and graceful figure made her a beautiful sight to behold.

“This doesn’t look bad”, he mumbled and kissed his teeth in delight.

Just then, Amelia jerked up and gaped at him with a bewildered look. The next that followed was a loud scream that shook the entire wing.

“Relax! I won’t bite you”, Alexander said with a scowl, wondering how she was able to scream that loud.

“What are you doing in my room?” Amelia questioned, wrapping the sheets around her chest and gazing at the man, whose mere looks made him appear strange and bizarre.

“It’s daybreak. Your time as a guest has elapsed. Get dressed and meet me downstairs”, Alexander ordered with a firm stare that sent cold shivers down her spine.

Amelia made to speak, but swallowed back her words when she saw him walking out of the room without sending another gaze across to her.

She sighed in relief and sluggishly stood up from the bed. She was clad in a lingerie she found in the bathroom last night and inasmuch as she wanted to know who owned it, she had to make use of it. After all, she left her luggage with the old man who had come to pick her last night.

Amelia took a quick bath, after which she wore the tight fitted gown from last night.

She picked up her phone from the bed and sauntered out of the room.

Now, she needed to leave.

“One, two, three…”, Amelia counted the number of girls who trooped out of the other wing of the mansion.

“Ten!” Amelia exclaimed in surprise as her mind trailed off in a series of thoughts.

All she could think of was why ten young ladies lived in the mansion.

“Hey, eleven!” Alexander called out and briskly walked towards her. She darted her eyes away from the girls and once they landed on him, she let out a smirk.

“And why would you call me that?” She inquired with a puzzled look.

“You would get to know that by the end of breakfast”, Alexander replied and started heading for the hall that was only a distance away from where they stood.

Amelia took in a deep breath and smiled calmly,“I should be on my way out now. Thanks for giving me a room to stay for the night”.

“It’s time for breakfast, NOW!” Alexander ordered with a voice like a foghorn.

Amelia gulped down hard and nodded her head in understanding. The man standing before her was acting really strange. He had visited her at the early hours of the morning, dressed in a strange outfit. And now, he made breakfast a thing of compulsion for her.

***

Breakfast was soft pancakes and berries, together with toast, avocado, milkshakes and coffee. Everyone present quickly picked out what they wanted to have and without uttering a word, they started eating.

Amelia remained still, staring at each of the ladies and wondering why they appeared extremely frightened and jittery.

“Serve yourself. We serve ourselves here and eat as much as we want. You should not be an exception”, Alexander called out to Amelia who was still gaping around, with her plate that still laid empty.

Amelia smiled softly, but quickly wore a frown when she realized that she was doing the opposite of what the atmosphere communicated. The atmosphere communicated extreme solemnity and quietness.

Amelia picked up some pancakes, which she topped up with the syrup that laid on the table. It looked good and somehow, she was beginning to feel glad that she waited for breakfast.

The girls were fast with their breakfast, and this shocked Amelia to her bones. Usually, she spent about thirty minutes on the table. It was weird to see girls finishing up in a space of ten minutes.

“We all need to talk”, Alexander announced as he picked up a napkin and dabbed his mouth with it.

He was their master, and all they ever did was pay attention to him and please him. He treated each of them accordingly, only punishing them when they fail to take his order. However, they feared and dreaded him with all their might.

Breakfast time was one of utmost importance in the mansion. During the breakfast, he would talk to them, give them orders, listen to complaints and finally, remind them that they belong to him and won’t be going anywhere.

He also did something ridiculous every breakfast time; he announces who would grace his bed at night.

“Finish up, eleven! We won’t wait for you forever”,

Alexander hissed at Amelia, who was still munching on the pancakes in her mouth.

Amelia finally lifted her head after getting gorged.

“Thank you for breakfast”, Amelia said calmly, trying to smile at the ten ladies who wore a straight face.

“I’m not eleven. My name is Amelia”, Amelia reminded Alexander.

Slight murmurs erupted as the ladies giggled and covered their mouth to avoid getting too loud.

Amelia was shocked to her bones as she gazed at each of them, wondering why they appeared amused by her statement.

Someone walked into the hall at that point, with his head bowed in respect. Amelia became petrified by what she saw.

Her luggage was being rolled in and behind the man was the fat old man who had come to take her yesterday.

“Oh my God!” Amelia gasped in horror as she made to bury her face on the table.

“You don’t have to do that! He knows you are here”, Alexander said when he observed how uncomfortable Amelia became.

“Hello, Amelia”, the fat man shone his brown sets of teeth at her and immediately, her stomach twisted in shock.

“You would have to make a choice. You either stay here in this mansion, or, you go with him”, Amelia couldn’t believe her ears.

She glanced at the man who was grinning from ear to ear, and then, back at Alexander who seemed to be studying her.

“You have one minute to decide”, Alexander’s voice boomed again, placing Amelia in a state of chaos.