CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER THREE;

She once dreamed

 about living in a castle 

As a princess. 

Now she is living her dream; 

although a princess with broken legs.

*** 

"Agnes—congrats!" Agnes' friend, Dalia, said. Her smile was wide that it was stretched from ear to ear. She congratulated Agnes with a seemingly sincere feeling, but the look of envy and loathe is evident in her eyes. "You're getting married!"

Agnes smiled proudly, ignorant about her hidden feelings. She flipped her red hair that was flowing graciously on her side with fake elegance. "Thank you."

The news about her getting married was spread in their town. It was a small town, after all, news travels fast. There are different reactions as expected, but none of these matters to Agnes.

She was above the clouds.

She never thought that her dream of marrying a hot papa. Not to mention, he's wealthy! He is four years older than her by the way.

He's mature, handsome, wealthy, and older than her. Her dream guy!

Leon's priceless face entered her mind and she unconsciously giggled in delight. Her body shuddered in pleasure and she felt that she is really slutty.

'Ahhh,' she dreamily sighed. 'I wonder what kind of life I will have after marrying him? I'm pretty sure I'll not lack in any aspect, like... Sex.'

She redden once she thought of that but she think that it wasn't that bad. She's a normal teenager and a normal human. She succumbs to the temptation of lust. 

Dalia was looking at her from the sidelines and she can't help but frown. She sneered in her mind and thought how lucky this bitch was.

Agnes was still drowned in her own little fantasy world and she failed to notice the approaching figure.

They were outside of their campus where students usually sit and rest. It was afternoon and most of the classes are over so obviously, many students are there.

Everyone's head turned to the tall figure that was clad in black. His stride was graceful and measured. He had the face which they normally can't see in their small town. And he had this rich man's aura.

They watched him walk in Agnes' direction. Dalia noticed him and she can't help but widen her eyes. She cursed in her head and asked who the fuck was that hottie who is heading toward them.

She braced herself to talk to the guy when Agnes jolted and beamed beside her. She raised her hand and called the man over.

"Leon!"

Dalia was petrified after hearing the name. It was the name of Agnes' fiance. She never saw his face since, apparently, she has no picture of him. He actually doesn't really have time to really hang with her since he's busy, and whenever she is with him, Agnes always forgets to take one.

So Dalia has no idea what he looks like. Also, she knew that he has black hair and eyes. She thought that Agnes was just exaggerating when she told her that his eyes were like black holes that suck everything up but after seeing him, she was convinced.

Dalia glared at her once more, her eyes flashing with hate and envy. Leon saw it and something flashed in his eyes. He smiled.

Agnes stood up, unaware of what was happening aside from her. She waited until Leon crossed the distance between them and then hugged him on the waist.

Everyone who saw this understood that he was her fiance. They all looked away.

"Why is it that you only visited now?" Agnes pouted, looking up at him. 

Leon smiled down at her and snaked his arms on her waist. Agnes felt that part tingled and she unconsciously shuddered.

"Sorry about that." He said with a low voice as if trying to make their conversation secret. "I was busy."

Agnes nodded. She wasn't really mad. "Okay!"

Then she remembered something, she unclasped her hug and turn to Dalia who was secretly grinding her teeth in annoyance and loathe.

 "Dalia, this is my fiance, Leon." She proudly said. "Leon, my friend, Dalia."

Both just smiled and briefly greeted each other. Agnes could not read the atmosphere and she once again clung to him. "So where are we going?"

He laughed at her forwardness and his arm tightened on her waist. "That's a secret. Let's go."

Agnes nodded and said goodbye to Dalia. Dalia watched their retreating back and wished that if only she was in Agnes' position.

Leon was silently smiling while walking away. Agnes noticed this and asked him what's the reason for his smile. The smile wasn't warm like he always has. It was sinister and unfriendly. Agnes was worried that he was offended somehow.

"No, it's nothing." Said Leon. "Just a piece of advice, my dear fiance. You mustn't get friendly with just anyone."

Agnes was confused, completely ignoring the words 'my dear fiance'. "Why?"

He mysteriously smiled. "You see, in the business world, swine and snakes are very common. Just let your guard down a little, they'll use this to betray you."

Agnes' eyes widen. She was nineteen and of course, she isn't ignorant about the existence of these creatures. "But how would you know that they are snakes?"

Leon once again showed that warm smile and hugged her waist tighter. "Who knows. They might be your colleagues, your friends, your family, the person you trusted the most and they can even be the ones with who you're sleeping. You really can't see betrayal until it happens. So Agnes, please do be careful."

***

Splashing water can be heard inside the spacious white room. There were at least four people inside. One was in the bathtub and the others were assisting her in her bath.

Agnes silently let them scrub her back and wash her body. She sat in the bathtub without moving and letting them do their work. After a while, they made her stand and dressed her up.

She felt like she was in an 80's movie that features the life of royalty.

Agnes watched her bare self in the reflection of the mirror. The scars that fade away was now replaced by a new and fresh one. Her eyes wandered around her body until they found the oldest one near her stomach.

It was a gunshot. She gained it from the first hunt.

[Bang!]

Agnes flinched and it was as if she was once again back at that scene. She saw herself running and running with bloodied hands. She was crying in fear and kept on glancing back.

Agnes trembled and she stepped back only to trip on her feet. The maids there were startled and they hurriedly assisted her to stand. Agnes caught the hand of the first maid that reached for her.

"Let me use your phone," she begged. Her eyes were desperate and she stared directly at the startled maid. Her eyes searched for something but she can only find pity and anxiousness in her eyes. She begged again. "Please, let me use your phone. Just—just a minute, okay? Just a minute—or even seconds, just please let me, okay? I just want to call my mom."

She choked the last sentence and tears started to fall from her eyes. She cried but they didn't respond. Again. Just like the first day.

They continued to dress her up and Agnes had no other choice but to cry in pity for herself. Even the maids have turned blind eye to what is happening in this house.

 A little while after, she found herself alone again inside her spacious room. The room only consists of a queen-size bed, a big walk-in closet, a sofa and a few love seats, and a bedside table with a lamp on top of it.

Agnes was originally sleeping with that man, but after what happened, she refused and he gave her a room that was actually already ready before she begged for it.

She was played as a fool.

Agnes stood up and walked towards the floor-to-ceiling window with her bare feet. She was already used to walking without anything protecting her feet.

She brushed the heavy maroon curtains and peeked outside the window.

It was dark. The outside was dark. She can see the wide forest from her room and the large lawn.

The mansion was built on top of a mountain. She heard that the mountain was his property that's why no one aside from them is there.  She had many futile attempts to call out for somebody.

Agnes touched the glass and her eyes caught the grills that were rendering her escape from breaking the window useless.

She bumped her fist on the glass and laughed bitterly.

As if she can even break the glass!

Yes, she had survived that sinister game again. Yes, she left that game without many deathly wounds like back then. Yes, she's still alive and kicking.

But who knows what will happen next when she is still trapped and jailed here?

—