Upside down

EPISODE 4

A smile caressed his lips as she found her way out of the room. He followed behind her, ignoring her statement. If any of his men heard what she had said, they might have easily pulled out their weapons to end her for insulting a man like him. He was the son and very boss of what could be called, the dark side after all. Yet, he was not displeased with Danica’s response to him. He treated her just like he treated an enemy, or a prey he was about to devour. They never know what would hit them, till it happens. While his father loved to show off, show his power and authority, every time he could in order to suppress the other.

He could be said to be a chameleon and a tiger all at once. He was the darkness, yet he could blend in no matter where he went. Remaining in the very shadow, he would watch, he would wait, he would stalk his prey till he has them where he wants them. Then he would strike. And as a chameleon, he would blend, cultivating a new life style with every new mission or plan. He could be anything you wanted him to be, or anything he wanted you to see. He could be a treacherous snake, a roaring lion, a beautiful bird, light in a dark world, or the prince who saves a damsel in distress. One thing was sure, whatever he chooses to be, that thing you would trust and rely on. And once he has you where he wants you, he strikes, revealing his true colors and who he really is. That same role he was playing with Danica, and it was very much exciting.

Danica stepped out into a world that she had never seen before. The house looked like it was plugged out of heaven with an airy feeling to it. Matched with all the whites it exuded. It was eye blinding to find that everything found in that house was literally white. Not knowing where she was, or the direction she was to take, she took the steps down and followed it till she came to a sitting room. Just as the other places she had seen, it was also white. From the couch, to the table and so was the small dining room and kitchen beside it. The only thing that seemed to be different in color was simply the transparent glass that revealed the backyard where the line of a pool came to her sight.

It registered in her mind that whoever the man was, was wealthy and insanely rich to be in such a house. It was one of the most beautiful houses she had ever been to. It had the setting of simple and casual with nothing hanging in the wall, lack of mighty and high chandelier, yet it exuded a majestic and pure feeling, that made her feel very comfortable in there.

The water from the pool glistened under the sunset and it called at her as it reflected the very sky and let a beautiful blue hue all over. The beautiful serene had made her want to go closer, inch closer to such a beautiful sight before she heard footsteps behind her and stopped herself. Turning around, she found the man from earlier, the man in whose house she was coming down. He was still dressed in the way he was. His steps were still so elegant, graceful and poised. His tall figure exuded beauty and his perfectly laid-back hair was now covered with a face cap. The cap did no justice to his actual look but Danica shouldn’t care about such a thing and quickly looked away.

 

He walked past her, towards the entrance of the door without saying anymore word to her and she followed behind. The plain look of the house was just the same outside. Nothing special about it except for the vast land and a garage by the side. He stopped right at the entrance of the house, like he was waiting for something and it made Danica stop too. He had promised to take her home after all.

Right on cue, the metallic door of the garage opened to reveal another vast space. It was big enough to contain five or more cars. Yet there were only two inside and one of which drove out. It was a Bugatti and one of the latest brands. Her jaw dropped when the car pulled over in front of the stranger who she had clearly disliked. Whatever perception of him that made her wary only increased at the very sight of the car.

“Uhm uhmm” she cleared her throat, immediately moving away from the very stranger. She was well aware of the city she was in and anything could go wrong by being in contact with the very wrong person. So far, she had been keeping up with herself, keeping up her act and making sure that she remained indicatable and simply a minor person that no one would pay attention to. It was not a favorable life, to remain at the side as nothing, it was never by choice anyway. But this was her life and till the plans that had been engraved deep within her heart started to take form, that way it had to remain. Being involved with the wrong person would only get her in trouble and judging from the look of the stranger, he was a lot of trouble. A simple and plain house could not even say otherwise.

“I’m leaving now,” her voice came out, more politely than the way she had previously spoken. Just at the same time, the driver of his car came out of it. He glanced at his boss with the look of fear and admiration and the woman who was beside him. Just for her sake, he had refused to go to the manor to see his father and had even refused to have security follow him back home. He instead allowed a few who remained hidden and away from sight. These set of guards knew him since they had been with him and followed him down to San Diego, they knew him too well to know that he was a chameleon and knew he was acting. Not going to the manor and even asking the guards to not be close by was another way for him to blend perfectly. It was not new to see him become this way most times. A complete stranger. However, he could not help but wonder what had picked his boss’ interest in the said girl he was doing all he was doing for. She was truly beautiful, a rare, natural kind of beauty but he had seen so many beautiful women and was definitely not moved by them. Why her? and most importantly, what was her big offense? For he knew that things like this was a play thing, a past time to him and she was his unlucky prey.

 

Danica didn’t wait for him to say anything. Neither did he bother to. She caught the driver’s gaze that was staring at her and wondered what was going through in his head. But still, it did not linger for half a minute and made to walk past the man. The moment she took a step forward, a long arm immediately rose up and blocked her path. Stunned, she looked over at her supposed savior and gulped hard. The very thought of being a prey was definitely not a good thing and all she wanted to do was run from him as soon as possible. She had first hand seen the misfortune one could face with such wrong and wealthy people and she would not want to experience it again like before.

“Where are you going to?” he asked, his voice dripping with amusement.

“You can stay back,” she muttered and moved away from those hands, feeling frightened by the very fact that she was in his house.

“I will just go myself,” she added.

“I want to take you with me,” he responded at the same time he took the key from the driver. Ignoring her fear and reluctance, he started towards the car and opened the passenger’s seat, then he turned to Danica. His brown eyes were still as deep and they looked intently at her.

“Get in…” he ordered. He understood that she was scared of him and he liked that look in her eyes.

“No, I can find my way back,” she responded none the less. Being in the same house with him was terrible enough and the space in the car was even tinier than that of the bedroom. How could she stay in the same space as him when he was looking at her like that?

“It’s not an option, Danica…” his words came. The amusement in his voice never letting up and his breathy tone making his voice sound harsh. She looked up at him, shocked at the fact that he had known her name. How could that be possible? When she could remember that she never told him? she had wanted to ask him that, but she didn’t, deciding that she only needed to get away from him.

“I’m not a prisoner,” she bit back, putting herself together. He was just a man after all and though she could not over power him if anything happens, she just knew that she could not show how scared of him she was. He smirked, his eyes lighting up with an evil glint. The smirk on his beautiful face only sending goosebumps down her spine.

“Oh! But you are.”

“Now get in, or we can consider going back into the house,” he added and relaxed his back against the car, knowing quite well that she had no other option. His place was not in the middle of the city where a taxi could be seen from here and there, neither was it anywhere close to the city as well.

Danica of course was not reasoning in such line and had turned to the gate where she started walking swiftly in her bid to get away from him. It was getting late and she was in a stranger’s house, all she could think of was actually getting away from him.

Without turning around, she walked till she was right at the gates of the house. However, she was numb when she realized that, not only was the gate locked, the stranger was still standing at the car and was staring at her with clear eyes. she was indeed trapped in this house.

 

He didn’t wait any longer and got into the car. With a victorious smile on his face, he drove the car towards her and stopped right beside her. The glint and glow on his face was never disappearing and he looked like he had won an award for something that he had done. She glared at him, none the less, hating his guts and how she got trapped with such a person. However, she walked to the car and grudgingly got in, seeing as she had no other way out.

“Being a good girl is always the best,” he commented.

“Just shut up and drive,” she snapped, feeling nauseous by being in the same tiny space at him. If he got offended by her words, he still did not show and only smiled. The gates opened automatically and he drove out of the manor into an unfamiliar street.

 

Suddenly, a phone started ringing. The ringing tone was very familiar and, in an instance, Danica knew it was her cell phone. One that she had not seen ever since she woke up.

“Where is it?” she turned to him as the thought of Tristan who had only just traveled overwhelmed her. He must have called a couple of times. Oh, how she wished that he was there, for if he was, she would not have fallen into the trap of such a nut job

“Just sit still, you will get your cell phone soon,” he answered off handedly. He had truly kept her phone and belonging away for a reason.

“What are you doing? Who exactly do you think you are?” she barked, turning to him with rage and annoyance.

“Someone to turn your life upside down,” he grinned and stole a glance at her.

“Just sit back, relax and watch the show…”

“And to keep your relationship, Tristan, your boyfriend must definitely not know about me,” he turned back and winked at her. The thought of the damages he would do and when he could finally get his hands on Tristan made his heart roar with anticipation.