The Master of the Castle

Everleigh and her boys awoke late the next morning. When she saw where they were sleeping, she smiled. Rafael was on the other side of the bed, with his back to them. Radzim was constantly moving around while sleeping. He's now lying backwards at their feet, with his head at their feet and his feet at Raiden's belly.

She took a very quick shower using the same man’s shampoo and bath gel. She opened the walk-in closet and was surprised to see that it was full of men’s clothes. The closet alone was bigger than her room. Very neat and spacious, with rich wood cabinetry, marble floors, soft carpet and modern lighting.

She can even smell the aroma of fine leather in the air as she sees the perfectly organized shoes in different colors. Then rows of perfectly tailored suits with ties to match in every color, pattern, and fabric. A modular black cabinet with a granite countertop was at the center of the closet. She was barefoot with only a towel on, and the soft gray carpeted floor had a plush and luxurious feel against the skin of her feet.

She opened one of the drawers and gasped as she saw lots of watches. Not only regular watches, but luxury watches worth hundreds of thousands to millions, and one closed jewelry box. She was curious and opened it; it was a stunning ring with an oval-cut diamond. She closed the drawer immediately, feeling guilty of what she had done.

She sat on the leather-tufted seat on the carpeted floor and looked at herself in the full-length mirror. Rujan once told her that her beauty was like a fairy tale character. Her soft, long, straight hair is a dark color, but sometimes it changes; it depends on the lighting and the weather. A hearth-glow of dark copper during summer, almost brownish at noon, and raven during winter. It streamed by day and shimmered by night. He also said her skin was ethereal white, as fresh as snow, and as white as a new page.

All she could see in the mirror were the dark circles around her eyes; her paleness was almost ghostly, and her once sun-kissed lips were now dry. Her life had been tough these years; she didn’t even have time for herself. Her world evolved around her boys. The constant moving from one place to another exhausted her.

She stood and removed the towel wrapped around her body. She can’t remember herself before the accident. Her memories started after the accident, in the fifth month with the triplets in her belly. She can still see the faded, stretched mark on her skin. Rujan once said she was too small to carry three rascals inside her for nine months, and she had a normal delivery.

Her glassy blue eyes looked weary. For her, her best asset was her body. Rujan always told her that she looked like she hadn’t given birth to three boys. She sighed and started to dress. She wore a white graphic shirt, leggings, and flats.

She wondered whose room they occupied, but the boys were already awake, and she didn’t have time to think about it. "Good morning, Mama," Raiden said, hugging her. She hugged each one of them and helped them take their shower together to save time. They wore their favorite Marvel shirts and shorts.

She looked around the room; it was very tidy, minimalist, and had good lighting, like the closet. Very masculine. There’s a large window looking out over beautiful landscapes, with thin linen curtains on sheets set on the frame of the large window. She smiled as she whipped the curtains open to greet the day. Indeed, it’s a beautiful day.

She sighed as she noticed the once-perfect bedding was now a shambles, as if a whirlwind had passed through the center. She started by making the bed, which took some time to fix due to its size. She was sweating profusely afterward, and she could hear her stomach grumble. The boys assisted her by folding and placing their clothes in the laundry basket.

They went outside, and Sonya greeted them and ushered them into the great dining hall. Food was already served on the long dining table. "We already had our breakfast; you take your seats and enjoy your meal," Lerma said, smiling at them.

She had strange feelings for the people here. She appeared familiar to them, but she couldn't place them in her memories, and the way they looked at her gave her the impression that they knew who she was. When she saw that all the food was nutritious, she smiled with delight.

Her boys chose the vegan strawberry pancakes. She made them each a fruit and not a breakfast bowl. She was munching on the breakfast burrito when a man in a suit appeared in front of them.

"Good morning, boys!" he greeted, giving the boys a huge grin. "Good morning," the boys chorused and smiled at him. He looked at them tenderly, as if he missed them terribly. He turned to her, and he looked at her intently; his dark eyes bore to the depths of her soul. There’s an instant connection between them. His scent was now so flagrant that it touched all her senses.

"Did you rest well, Mrs. Griswold?" He asked softly. She just nodded, still looking at his face in awe. He was such a devilishly gorgeous, dark, and fine-looking creature, she thought. She was surprised when his thumb brushed the outside of her lips, took the speck of avocado, and brought his thumb to his lips.

"Hmmm... you're still crazy over Mexican food," he said. She felt the temperature of the room rise when he touched her.

What is happening to her? Who is this man? Why did he know her favorite food?

What options does she have? He had the kind of face that made you stop and think. She imagines he's grown accustomed to the sudden pause in a person's natural expression when they look his way, followed by a dismissive stare and a weak smile. He was aware of his impact on women and on her.

His scent was poignant and so familiar…

Her eyes widened. "The room we used last night is yours," she exclaimed. "Why?" she asked, bewildered.

"Because you belonged there," he replied, his gaze more intense now, like he wanted to devour her for breakfast.