3

BLAIR’S POV CONTINUES

Brycee’s ‘don’t wait up,’ took three days and I was terrified. I had gone to my parents’ house several times in the last three days to look for him, but I wasn't allowed through the gate.

The guards there kept saying they had strict instructions to not let me in, in case I ever came back.

They also said they hadn't seen Brycee in the last two days, as father had given him a week off after our wedding.

I had the last option of reporting to the police, which I planned to do first thing the next morning.

I heard someone struggling with the door at almost midnight that day and hurried to the door.

I was filled with fear and only listened in until I heard Brycee’s voice, groaning as he banged the door.

Immediately I opened the door, he fell dead drunk on me. I barely managed to catch him and take him inside.

I wanted to scold, but a larger part of me was just glad he was back.

I helped clean him up and changed his clothings. I noticed the stench of a pretty expensive drink on his clothes, which I recognized from father's collection. It was father's favorite drink and I wondered how Brycee could even afford that, we barely had enough to eat here.

As I took off his shirt, with Brycee half way on the bed and his feet on the ground, he pulled my hands and I struggled to support myself, but our faces were barely a breath away from each other and we were staring into each other's eyes.

In a short while, our faces began to close in and we locked lips.

Brycee flipped me over and took my dress off, adjusting me properly in bed.

It was a night of bliss, as we consummated our union.

************************************************

“Rise and shine, Cinderella,” I felt another cup of water on my face, startling me out of bed.

“My breakfast and lunch would not make itself,” Brycee said, throwing the cup to the floor.

‘You have to be kidding,’ I thought.

“Good morning,” I gathered myself together and said, as he buttoned his shirt,

“It isn't a good morning for a hungry man, Blair,” he responded.

I got off the bed and dragged the bedspread with me, hiding the blood stains on the sheets. I had just given Brycee my body, being the first time any man ever beheld my nudity, but Brycee didn't seem to care about that.

I hurried to the bathroom, soaking the sheets and quickly running a bath, to meet up with preparing his breakfast and lunch.

As soon as he closed the door behind him, I fell into the chair in tears. I felt stupid and violated. It was obvious my marriage wasn't working, Brycee treated me no differently from my parents, maybe this was worse adding the sexual and emotional abuse to it.

After hours of crying, I decided I wasn't going to do this sham of a marriage, and took to flight.

I roamed the city for hours, having not left the mansion my whole life, except for school and I could barely navigate the city.

I was surprised what a huge town it was out here that I knew nothing of.

“Young lady, are you lost?” A tall man asked me kindly.

“Uhm…” I stuttered, not wanting to admit my plans to run away from it all.

“I noticed you've been moving in circles for the last three hours,” he said.

‘Three hours! No wonder my feet hurt,’

“Come on in,” he said, ushering me into his car.

I wasn't one to relate with strangers, but I guess anything was better than aimlessly roaming the streets.

To my surprise, the kind man drove right back to my father's mansion.

I was going to run from the car, when the gates immediately opened and we drove in.

“Williams,” the man called father, who was seated in the garden outside the house,

“Jones,” father exclaimed happily, before Mr Jones opened the car door for me, and father's mood instantly changed. His face showed fury, upon the sight of me, but not as much as my mother's.

“I found your daughter, is she perhaps lost?” Mr. Jones questioned as we walked towards my parents.

“Oh, silly girl,” mother said with a smile, “she hasn't been to the town before,” she said, “we let her out for a stroll and she can't find her way back home,”

Mr. Jones laughed, “I thought so,” he said.

I was taken aback, utterly confused, as my parents shared laughs with Mr. Jones, who left in a hurry.

Mr. Jones was one of the guests who attended my parents’ monthly dinner and he recognized me, although I couldn't recognize him. I was barely allowed to go out during their monthly dinners, and was only luxuriously dressed to wave at the guests as my father's daughter.

Immediately he drove out, my parents tore me to pieces with their words, you could tell they were eagerly waiting for his exit.

“The next time you dare to embarrass me like this,” Father warned, “I would make sure you never pay enough for it,”

“Leave, now,” mother yelled.

“It's rude to yell at someone else's wife that way,” Brycee’s voice came from behind me.

I loved the shock on my parents’ face when he spoke. I had never seen them that surprised, especially since he was the first that dared stand up to them.

More than that, my heart melted towards him, he was the first person to stand up for me, something even I couldn't do for myself.

“Tell your wife to stop roaming the streets and bringing disgrace to the family,” mother responded.

“She's an adult, she can do as she pleases and be wherever she wants to be,” Brycee replied.

My heart was proud as he moved closer and held my hand,

“Let's go honey,” he said.

We walked away and I hadn't known this happiness in a long time. I just wanted to throw my arms around him in a hug.

We didn't turn around to see my parents’ angry faces, but we could feel the weight of their gaze on us as we walked out of the mansion hand-in-hand.