There was no difference between morning and night anymore. Nor was she able to distinguish reality from nightmares. Every time, there was only pain. Every moment, there was only dark desperation and misery.
Her stomach didn't become any better. She collapsed more than once. Yet, Jack didn't care. The more she was in pain, the more his pleasure grew.
Regularly, two old maids and a pretty blond nurse would visit her to take care of her old injuries and prepare her for the new ones. No matter how much she would beg them or the guards, no one was ready to help her. Helping her was a suicide. They knew it well: Jack would drink the blood of that fool who may dare approach his beloved doll. And maybe they were discreetly grateful for sacrificing the young lady to the boss, for his attitude became much softer since he put her in that torture cage.
After seven days of hell, Flora ceased responding to her mad husband's violence: Her body reacted slightly. Her eyes teared. Her heart beat harder once she heard his deep voice whispering to her. Yet, her soul was asleep somewhere far away. She wasn't even conscious anymore. Instead, she seemed like a real doll of porcelain.
Every time he visited her, he would first describe all the sick things he intended to do. Then he would kiss her lips and caress her hair before slapping her chick roughly and starting bandaging her body.
He used all the imaginable torture tools on her: the whip, the paddle, the riding crop, the cattle prod...
Never did he get satisfied. Never did he get enough. It seems his hunger will never come to an end.
Flora realized she would spend the rest of her life in that hell. So she felt no will to live anymore. If death is coming anyway, the sooner it comes, the better.
After twenty days of hell, Flora stopped eating, speaking, or accepting medicines.
"This is futile, madame Flora," said her nurse when she refused to open her mouth and take the pills. "If you refuse to swallow it, the guards will force you to. Or I will ask the doctor to put you on drugs!"
However, Flora didn't care about any of those threats. Nothing can be worse than what she is living now:
- It is a pity a vicious creature like you managed to become a nurse, murmured Flora.
For Flora, a nurse is a divine creature, an angel in human disguise, and not a tool in the hand of psycho men!
- I can't tell why a handsome man like the boss cherishes you, wh*re! Such a head-dog you are!
No matter how hard the nurse tried to persuade her, how much she threatened her, or how hard she slapped her, Flora refused to open her mouth.
The nurse grew angry at this determination. So she decided to report the stubborn attitude of Flora to the boss.
Jack was in his office when the nurse asked to meet him:
- She is too bold for a mere nurse! I told her you usually make your uninvited visitors wait. Yet, she insisted on seeing you immediately, briefed his assistant.
- Let her in Jeff, replied the boss beaming. I would like to inquire after my dear doll
Once in, the nurse started complaining about Flora's strange attitude. At the end of the talk, she made the fatal error when saying:
- I did my best, Sir! Yet, she refused to cooperate!
- Really? Mocked Jack.
- I even slapped her and yelled at her, but she incest in...
The nurse didn't finish that sentence. And that unfinished sentence was her last.
Jack's nostrils flared as she exposed her wrongdoings with Flora. He took his gun out and shot her dead. Jeff sobbed in surprise and shock. Yet, his boss didn't care. He grabbed the nurse's corpse to the hall where every servant and employee saw it. Then, he yelled: "Look, you filthy lives! This bitch dared to slap my wife. So I gave her what she deserved. Madame Flora is my beloved wife. And no one on earth messes with the wife of Jack Black! No one! I treat her however I want! But you treat her the way the precious lady of the manor should get treated! Am I being clear?!"
They shouted, shaken by terror: "Yes, boss!”
Jack pulled the corpse down and went out of the house. Christ chased him:
- Sir! Sir! Where are you going?!
- To that mindless Flora!
- Sir! Please, do not visit her while you are angry! You may break her!
In his life, Jeff never saw his master that outraged. He looked like a stormy ocean on a rainy day. He looked unapproachable, like a wild ogre.
Flora was asleep when he came into her cell. She finally managed to rest after her stomach ached for hours. But she woke up screaming in an electric shock!
- So you refused medicines, b*tch? Yelled Jack Black, like a mad monster.
He grabbed her by the collar of her dress so violently that she was about to suffocate:
- You will not die unless I permit you! Do you hear me sl*t?! You will live! And you will bear the pain I am offering you. You are not running away by splitting your consciousness of your body. I will always find a horrendous way to make you come back to me again! I love you Flora! You can’t just go!
- Guess what? Muttered Flora calmly. I don't give a sh*t.
And that was all that Jack needed to lose the last of his sanity and go berserk. He hit her madly till his hands turned red from her blood. Fortunately, Jeff managed to stop him before killing her.
Flora didn't eat for a day. And Jack didn't visit. "Hope he got a stroke" She prayed before going to sleep. By dawn, she saw a strange dream: She saw herself being a lost princess caged in a tower by a beast. One day, a handsome prince wearing silver armor and riding a silver horse came. He fought the beast, massacred him, and saved her. Flora woke up from that sweet dream when an unfamiliar guard came into her cell carrying food.
Looking into his silver eyes, Flora felt a strange zeal in her insides: The man was handsome like the moon and warm like the sun:
- Good morning, my good lady. I brought you your favorite meal.
- How did you know I like mashed potatoes with cheese?
- A little bluebird told me.
The girl laughed:
- Well, I had a caged bluebird once! Said she. I named him Louis. He was the only friend I had when I was a child. Yet, I let him go so he won't be miserable like I am, living in a cage.
- Maybe it is time to join him?
For the first time, Flora felt a blaze of hope in her heart:
- What do you mean?
- If you desire death, I can not help you, my lady. But if you wish to taste the freedom you gave to Louis, then eat this meal.
- It is very early for mashed potatoes! she razzed.
- It is never early to chase the life you deserve, my lady.
- Yet, I insist it is supper early for potatoes. Why didn't you come a little later? By that time, Jack would make me already dead!
She mocked, realizing his plan. And she ate the poisonous meal happily.
Jack was about to visit his doll when he felt something unfamiliar in the air. It felt as if an outsider was wandering in his house. Feeling uncomfortable, he rushed to Flora's chamber to find her vomiting black, thick blood. "Flora!" He cried, refusing to believe. She looked pale as a corpse. And then, she fainted like a dead flower. It was clear that she was dying. Jack held her shouting her name in vain. So he carried her in his strong arms and hurried to his RangeRover. In minutes, Flora was in the ER getting diagnosed. After minutes a doctor came out of the ER asking for the patient's family. Jack jumped from his seat:- I am her husband! Doctor, what the hell is wrong with her?!The Doctor tried his best to conceal his disdain for that wife-bitter:- Did you know about your wife's health condition, sir?- What health condition?- Her stomach cancer.- Yes, I did. The doctor said she won't be able to live more than six months.- Sorry?! Well, can I ask you then why a terminally il
“What a beautiful windy day,” said flora after finishing cleaning the shop. She felt refreshed and happy. Jasmine flowers were blooming flagrantly. The fragrance relaxed Flora’s nerves and boosted her oxytocin.She rearranged the flowers in the front of the shop. Rearranging is not an obvious effort, but its results influence the clients a lot. That's what Flora learned, working in this small flower shop for some weeks. Her health was getting much better, her soul too. Flora sat by the window and smiled peacefully. After some minutes she heard the door’s bell: The owner of the shop came in:“I have some goodies here!” Said Mielle while lifting the sweets box. - You didn’t have to tire yourself, dear! replied Flora!- No, I don’t have to. I rather want to! You have been doing great job since you started working here. I must be thankful! I have never seen the shop that clean in my life!The two girls laughed then Flora explained:- I used to take care of the garden and veranda when I
“What is that, for God’s sake?!” Mielle asked, one day, pointing to an envelope Flora was holding: - Well! A client just came to drop it here. - Which client? - The young man who visited days ago and bought a bouquet for the girl he wanted to dump. - Oh dear! Mielle took the envelope and opened it immediately. There were two letters: One to the "Black-haired florist”, that was Flora. The second to the “Dark-honey lady”, who was Mielle, given her brown skin. There were also two train tickets. It was the most luxurious train in the world: the Orient Express! - I can’t believe my eyes, murmured Mielle, shocked. Two Orient Express tickets, for a journey from Paris to Istanbul, worth more than thirty thousand dollars! - He said this is his way of thanking us. I think that bouquet saved his life! - That man must be a billionaire to drop those precious tickets like that to strangers, just as a tip! - He must be... - What's wrong, sweety? You look perplexed. Do you think he may be o
Claude Knightly.Flora knows for sure who Claude was. She heard her father and even Jack talking about him many times. Claude is the wealthiest man in the city. He's a young billionaire, who came from a respectable family. But he built his riches by himself, from scratch.He's a legend.And that legend risked his life and position to save her.She met him once when they were children. She did him a favor. But it wasn't the thing that may drive a man who had too much to lose into such danger.What a strange man!Flora drank her tea. Then feeling her head relaxed, she moved to the lounge area. She sat on a fluffy sofa and closed her eyes to chill. The pianist was still playing the Moonlight Sonata.While relaxing, Flora felt someone sitting near her. She opened her eyes thinking that Claude is back. Instead, she found an elegant lady who was reading a book.Not just a book. It was A Murder On The Orient Express. Flora was astonished. She adores this book!-You have such an elegant taste
In the other carriage, Flora was shocked when she didn’t come to find Mielle. “Maybe she is in the bathroom?”Flora walked the corridor for the toilet at the end of it. And meanwhile, she passed by a cabin with a slightly open door. Through which, she heard some hard moans and saw a couple kissing in the cabin. The woman and man looked very engaged in their kiss as much as disconnected from the world outside. She was a young blond. He was a middle-aged brunette. “Did I see this man before?” Flora was confused. She is sure she saw that face before but did not remember where or when.“What are you doing, naughty girl?” “Sh*t!”Flora was about to jump in terror when heard Claude whispering to her. She took him by the arm and rushed to hide in her cabin before the couple discovers them:- You were spying on a french kiss and now you are abducting a man and locking him in your cabin! How naughty you’ve become in some years my Flora!- You!Flora was about to blame him for terrorizing he
"Is there a doctor here?!” cried Mr. Bouc, the director of the train. “I am a doctor!” said a middle-aged gentleman. He was Mr.Watson. And he was the only physician on board. Dr.Philip examined the body of Amélie and then said: “She is alive and I believe she got poisoned. Let’s bring her to her room so I can examine her better. Do we have medicines on board?” “Yes! Sure!”, responded Mr. Bouc. “What do you mean poisoned?” Asked a passenger who was almost fifty: Mr. Daniel “Do you mean SOMEONE has poisoned her?! Is there a KILLER here?!” It seems the idea of having a killer among them terrified all passengers. The Ladies cried, and the men cursed: - A criminal! There’s a criminal here! - Call the police immediately! What are you waiting for?! - Stop the train and bring the poor woman to the hospital! - We are all dead! The tension has almost become chaos that Mr. Bouc was unable to shut it down. And then the noises stopped as the train stopped abruptly: - What’s going on? A
“Why do you look uncomfortable, Ciel? It is not the first time we solve a murder!”“Sir! Please, speak lower! Someone may hear you!”Barely, Claude concealed a laugh. Teasing Ciel, his always-anxious assistant, was his favorite hobby. They were in the Grand Suite of Claude planning their next actions when Claude noticed the unease in Ciel. So he tried to lighten up the environment.Yet, it took Claude almost a minute to come back to his serious, ice-cold mood. What was happening was horrible. They are stuck on the train with a murderer. His precious Flora is stuck on this train with a murderer. He felt a chill. If Flora gets hurt or if she injures her little finger, he will never forgive himself.“Tell James to be the bodyguard of Ms. La Candida till we get out of this damned train,” ordered Claude.“But sir, it will be quite dangerous to keep a single bodyguard for you!” protested Ciel.Claude hated getting disobeyed. He glared at poor Ciel with a couple of terrorizing silver eyes.
Flora felt a cold shiver hearing the word ‘playtime’. She saw Lola securing the door and Sophie taking a suitcase from under the bed. The bag was fall of s*x toys. Things that looked bizarre but harmless, uncomparable with torture bag of Jack:“You’re not gonna r*pe me, I guess?” murmured Flora“How naive! If someone is willing to r*pe you he won’t tell you in advance! Plus, if you feel insecure around someone you should ask immediately for help!” exclaimed Amélie “And no of course, why should I r*pe you? There's no fun in this. Added to it, I may look a bit extravagant but I have principles.”"Principles!" mocked Flora“Yes, I do! Believe it or not!” Claimed Amélie “I was just thinking since you are a virgin…”“How did you know?!”“It is obvious as bloody hell! Please!” said Amélie “I was saying since you are still a virgin, why don’t you use the chance of being on the Orient Express to lose it?!”“How poetic!”“And practical too. With a killer on board, who knows? Maybe we are all go
Flora woke up the next morning to the sound of knocking on her chamber door.“Yes?!” She asked“Are you decent?”“A moment please.”Flora jumped off the bed and went to the bathroom to wash her face. She knew the voice owner: That was the voice of Mr. Wolfgang! Flora changed her clothes and did her hair then she stood up in the middle of the chamber, head high, straight posture, and severe facial expression:“Please, come in.”Wolfgang came into the room and smirked looking at Flora: She tried to appear solemn and severe but the excitement in her eyes failed her:“How was your night, young lady?”“Cozy, thank you. How have you been, sir?”“You can call me Father. Or don’t. That silly son of mine shall marry you first.”Flora got as red as a cherry and she looked down shyly. He knew she was emotionally entangled with his adopted son! “Calm down Flora. Don’t mess it up this time.” She whispered to herself.“Mr. Wolfgang.” She said to him, “I want to talk with you.”“Here I am.”“First,
“Are you happy?” said Mielle. Cassius barely added a word after Claude left him and Mielle. He asked her to give him her seal and gun if she had any. Mielle took off the necklace she kept under her clothes. That necklace had a seal on it: The seal of a thorny rose. With that seal, Mielle has the access to the Brotherhood’s database and has the right to communicate with other members. Without a seal, she is just a hanged member who has no voice. Cassius was not afraid of her. Even if she asks for help, his position as enforcer will prevent her from getting any. Plus, he knew she didn’t want help. Mielle was far too proud to not accept the consequences of her free actions. But he respected the protocol. From the moment she is considered a sinner, to the moment she accepts redemption, Mielle shall stay isolated from the rest of the brotherhood to not spread her sins among them. It was ridiculous, but it was the law that protected this brotherhood for centuries. Mielle gave him her gu
Mielle, the witty coffee shop owner, is an assassin.Cassius, the kind guy, is an enforcer.The enforcer’s job in the Round Table was not complicated. He has to keep order. Every member of the secret society should respect his place, his mates, and the law. And Mielle just broke all of it. Cassius was an enforcer linked to Claude, and Mielle was the assassin linked to Claude. Claude was a knight. Which is a very advanced position. To each knight, the Round Table attributes a functional unit. In the unit, there is an assassin who shall enforce the knight’s orders outside the brotherhood. The Round Table attributes every knight an enforcer in charge of keeping order and punishing those going berserk, even if they were the knight himself.Mille acted without her master’s consent two times. The first time was on the Orient Express where she killed a mafia man: Mr. Fortnight, to avenge her family. The second was in the peace masquerade where she poisoned a guest: Mrs. Ilnero gives her fri
Roxanna was aware of the situation. The moment Cassius told her Claude was waiting for her. She nodded and spared herself successfully from the police. She walked into the study where Claude was smoking and greeted him:- I pay my respect to the glorious silver knight.- Welcome Miss La Rosa. Do me the honor of sharing a discussion.It was a bit dark inside. The smoke made the air thick and gloomy. Roxanna knew that Claude was angry. With his dominant posture and cruel face, he looked quite the dangerous. Claude sat in front of Roxanna and offered her a cigarette. She accepted it and smoked as well. Claude sighed and asked her, with a dry tone:- Long story short, are you the one who did it?- Would you punish the one who did it?- No. I want a painful death for that witch. Yet, choosing this time is just irrational.- It was not me Mr. Knightly. If it was me, I would admit it with no fear.- In that case, do you know who did it?- No, no one told me about something like that happeni
Flora felt nausea. What has she done?! Claude will kill her for this! He will damn kill her!Once they heard Bianca’s scream, Flora was about to run into the building and head to the ballroom, when Vlad caught her hand:“Stay here, I will go to enquire.”“Yes.”The moment Vlad disappeared, Ludovic appeared as if he was waiting for her to be alone. “So? Shall we go?”“What have you done?!”“Nothing. But it is a good occasion to run without Jack and Claude noticing us.”“No, I can’t! I didn’t tell Claude yet that I am going with you! I can’t just disappear again! That would be cruel and disrespectful!”Ludovic grabbed the woman’s arm and growled: “Do you want to meet Wolfgang or not?”“But…”“Yes or No?! Make a choice!”“Yes.”“Then let’s go. We have no time left. Soon the two men will get aware of your disappearance.”Ludovic took Flora to his car and ordered his men to act as secretly as possible. And so, when everyone was swallowing the shock of the unpredictable incident, Ludovic
Bianca screamed as her mother collapsed in the ballroom: “Mother! Mother! Wake up!!!”A line of black thick blood was coming out of the mouth of the unconscious woman. “Poison!” cried a lady “She is poisoned!”Claude came to the ballroom with Jack as soon as they heard the screaming:“Is that your doing?” Claude asked Jack the moment they got to the door.“No. Yours?”“No.”“Who then?”They didn’t need that answer for the moment. Instead, they approached the victim:“What the f*ck is this?” said Jack as he knelt beside the collapsed woman.“Oh! Mr. Black! Mother! Mother got poisoned!” responded Bianca crying.Claude ordered his men to call the police and an ambulance. But Jack said coldly as he examined the woman: “Order them to hurry and bring a doctor along. I do not think she can make it in more than an hour.”“Alright. Ladies and gentlemen, please do not leave your positions. Stay where you are until the police are here.”Inside, Claude was cursing. That was far away from being a
Flora looked around her all the time. Claude was nowhere to be seen when she needed to talk to him as soon as possible. Staying around Roxana was the best. But Flora was anxious so she excused herself and went into the hallway to look for Claude. The anxiety made Flora not pay attention to Jack who came after her. But suddenly as she walked in the long corridor, she felt a shiver. And she immediately knew what it was. She turned to look solemn and saw Jack behind her, smiling as the devil he is:- Did you miss your Daddy, babydoll?He said with a teasing smile and Flora had the desire to vomit. And she did not answer. She just kept looking at him with pride and confidence.Jack’s smile started to fade as he sensed something was different about Flora’s eyes. He saw her arrogant look thousands of times before, but this… this was something different:- Come back to your house my dear wife. Your husband and family, we are all waiting for you- Does that include your wipes and ropes?- Of
It was the time for a Valse. Cassius asked Flora to be his partner and she didn’t let him down. Cassius, as the sweet guy he is, attracted many of the ladies at the ball. First, they got disappointed seeing he had a partner. Then, they got even more disappointed to see him dancing with the ball’s queen: Flora La Candida.Cassius only smiled at Flora. No word was said for a while. He led her softly and naturally. They looked perfect dancing together. But after some time, Cassius bent on his partner and whispered:- Tell me he didn't hurt you that night Flora. Please, tell me he didn't.- He didn't- Thank goodness. Cassius sighed. Now that you are back things will get better. As his close friend, I am truly happy you are back, Flora. Claude was acting strong but inside he was burning. Can you believe Mielle herself was kind to him?- Gosh... I am sorry - Don't be. Or be. If you want to apologize, apologize to Ciel. The poor man was having a VERY hard mouth.Flora laughed. Her sweet la
Back to the present,----------Flora woke up after some minutes. Claude was still holding her tight and caressing her back. When she opened her eyes she saw him looking at her and she felt like heaven."We must go back to the ballroom, don't we?""I think we should. I'll never get enough of the shocked face of your stepmother."Flora giggled:"Neither I !""Let me help you dress then I will go and ask a maid to help you with your hair and makeup.""Gosh! I have a problem. I didn't bring anything to correct my appearance!""That's alright. In the resting room, they are keeping some brushes and makeup simple.""What a relief to be in a masquerade held by a billionaire."Claude laughed and said:"Are you aware you came to a masquerade without a mask? All of that to disturb those b*tches?""Well, in fact, I was planning on wearing a mask and meeting you privately. Then I thought: Why am I scared? Let them know I am alive. Let them burn for my happiness. I think it was worth it. I am not