Chapter 6: Hope

Fleur's POV:

A soft breeze entering through the windows teased my face and woke me up. My eyes opened, and I realized this wasn't my room. For a second, I panicked, then I remembered what happened last night. I finally see what the room really looks like; it was dark last night, I was drunk, and I couldn't make anything out.

Covered in silk white and smothering black velvet curtains, large floor-to-ceiling windows took up a big part of the wall. Fillip's furniture was made of elegant-looking dark oak wood, and somehow the excessive black in the room didn't make it look as gloomy or intimidating as I thought it would; rather, it made it look more elegant.

Something that was totally out of place caught my attention, and I kept staring at it, trying to make out what it was, but I couldn't. It was a scarlet, wine-colored piece of clothing, and I still had no idea what it was. It was laying on the jacket holder, a gem between coal, glowing in between his black and gray clothes.

Fillip was nowhere to be seen, but I sure heard some noise coming out of what I assumed was the bathroom. I didn't know what time it was, but I could tell it was early, for the sun was still shying away a bit behind the clouds. Spotting a digital alarm clock on the bedside table, I sit up trying to take a good look at it, but what good does this do since I felt a pang of pain pulse in my head and I knew I'd have the worst headache and hangover there could ever be.

Just then, the bathroom door opens, and Fillip comes out of the bathroom in all his naked glory. Well, not really naked; he had pants on with no shirt. Still glorious if you ask me, and that thought was really concerning—maybe I'm still drunk. His tanned skin was even shinier because of the water droplets sliding effortlessly down his abdomen. It wasn't a six-pack; it was more of an eight-pack with a v-shaped shape that continues to be sculptured beyond his black pants.

Fillip didn't notice I was up and staring at him as he walked over to his wardrobe and started fishing in there for the rest of his outfit, which was, to my surprise, a white shirt, though he loved black so much. When he turned around, I was too stunned to look away, and when I looked back at him, he had that same damn smirk on his face while having his hands on his waist.

"What are you so happy about?" I snapped, hoping my face wasn't turning crimson right now.

He chuckles under his breath, answering "nothing" as he makes his way to the hanging rack, pulling his black jacket over his shoulders. "Didn't someone tell you it is rude to stare, Fleur?" He wasn't even looking at me while saying that, yet my stomach was getting unsettled, and there was something about the way he'd say my name. Slip it from his lips like molasses in a way that's full of seduction, and it would have worked if I were not in a situation where I wanted to run as far as humanly possible away from this hell hole.

"And didn't someone tell you, you are an arrogant a-"

"Arrogant what Fleur, continue please." He cut me off, turning to glare at me, and when I didn't continue what I was about to say, he turned back around, saying, "Yeah, I thought so." Such an arrogant asshole he is; I'm pretty sure he knew that's what I was going to say.

"I'm leaving," he announces.

"What are you, my husband?" I didn't mean for it to be said out loud. Fillip stops midway, turns, and looks at me in bed. For a second, I thought he'd lash out, but instead he smiles at me, rubs his face, and then talks.

See, Fleur, I'm still at my word that things won't be that easy with you when you're not sick anymore, and since it was in my intention to give you the day off today, I won't do anything but watch it with me because you're getting on my nerves."

"I don't want your sympathy or your days off." I snap back at him.

"Then get your ass off my bed, get dressed in your uniform, and my breakfast better be in my office by time because by then you certainly won't have it." He turns back around, slamming the door behind him on the way. How could someone be so gentle yet so... repulsive? It's as if he changes personalities.

I stared at the clock for a couple more minutes while staying on his bed, not getting up as he told me to. Somehow I relished the smell in here. The deep smell of men's cologne mixed with the hypnotizing smell of petrichor. It's weird how calm his room smells and looks, because he sure isn't a calm person. It's like sitting in the middle of a garden; I suppose I might as well be, given the gardens blasting around his mansion. I bet that's why the smell is like that in here.

7:55...7:56...7:57...7:58...7:5—alright, I think it was time to get up. I just want to show Fillip that I do not need his sympathy. When I get up, I regret my stupidity. Maybe I should have just taken the day off. Come to think of it, I will have to face Fillip, Agnes, and any of his men who decide to antagonize me for the day. Also, this headache doesn't look like going away soon; damn my stubbornness.

I entered his bathroom just to take a look. It's no different than my own. The same off-white shell-colored marble, same everything. Although his seems to be a bit wider, like there's more space to move, it's also filled with his stuff. His shampoo, his aftershave, his shaving razor, and all. Alright, I've lingered as long as time could allow me; it's time to get dressed. I'm not done snooping around his room, though; I will get another chance to do that soon.

While walking out of his room, I do it as silently as humanly possible, and I tiptoe the few steps between our rooms; there is no need for people to get the wrong idea about why I have been in that room since yesterday with the same clothes. When I open my wardrobe, I find two new red dresses and new underwear in the drawers. This is the first time I've realized someone has entered this room. I mean, I do my bed every morning, and I have nothing to organize; somehow I failed to notice the endless supply of dresses every two days. I mean, at least they have the courtesy to do that.

I take a quick shower and get dressed. I try but fail miserably at redoing the braids Nina made me yesterday because I liked them. Instead, I pull my hair into a high ponytail and make my way to the kitchen.

My soul nearly left my body when I heard the first words being shot at me. "Where the hell were you?" Nina was standing right in front of me the moment I set foot in the kitchen. "I went to look for you in your room after Fillip hauled you from the party in front of everyone." I open my mouth to try and answer her, but Nina being Nina obviously gives no one a chance. "And you weren't there; let me tell you that everyone was certainly talking. You were that mystery girl that Fillip was so mad at that neither of you even came back," she said, moving her hands in the air as if telling a fairy tale to a kid.

Then, "wait for a second. Neither of you came back, and you weren't in your room." An unbelievably excessive gasp comes out of her o-shaped mouth. "Were you in his room?" Again, I have no chance to defend myself. "Wait. Don't talk. Let me smell you."

"Smell me?"

She all but lunges at me and actually starts sniffing. I didn't actually think she'd do that, but Nina never fails to impress. After she stopped sniffing, she hit me on the shoulder, saying, "Aha, I knew it; you were in his room, you traitor."

"Nina-"

"You could have at least told me."

"Nina, stop!" I yell at her, and her blabbering mouth immediately stops moving.

"What?" She asks innocently

"First off, I'm not a traitor. Second, I was in his room because I was in his office when I got sick, and he decided to pick me up and take me there."

Her mouth gradually started forming an o-shape again, and it made me realize my mistake. "He picked you up?"

"No."

"You just said he did."

"I didn't mean that."

"Like hell, you didn't."

No, I didn't, and just give me his food if it's ready; I just want to get this part of the day over with."

"Whatever you say, Fleur, I bet you and him are starving after last night," she winks.

God, you're such a child," I say, taking the tray from her hand, not wanting to hear whatever ridiculous thing she's got to say this time. I rush to his office to be on time, which is 8.30 to be precise, and it was 8.25 the moment I left the kitchen.

I knock and immediately enter the office. I freeze in my place when I see the creep—yes, that's his name now—sitting in front of Fillip's desk. Maybe I should have waited to hear him say come in.

"Fleur?" Fillip questions me as if my presence at this time of the day is an unexpected thing.

"Uhh... I brought you your breakfast." I look between Fillip and the creep, and he has the same sick smirk he has when he's studying me. Quickly, I put the tray on his desk and make my way to the door, but nothing can go my way for once, can it?

"Fleur," Fillip calls out, stopping me in my tracks and making me turn around.

"Yes?"

"You're late," he says, and I stare at him. Is he joking? I was right on time.

Actually, I was right on time; I came here at 8.30 exactly, and I saw it on that clock above you over there," I tell him, shaking my legs. I'm sure that by now he knows how much I don't want to be in a place when I do this, because I do it nearly every time I'm with him, especially in the mornings, but today with this creep sitting right in front of me, I really can't stand it here.

"Is that so?" He turns around, looking at the clock, then back at me again. He's getting on my nerves with how cold he's acting; he knows I'm annoyed that I want to get out, yet he stalls for some reason. "You look angry, Fleur. Is there something?" Fillip asks.

One of my eyebrows hangs over the other while I glare at him. He raises his own hand, shrugging. "Is there something else you need, Fillip?"

"Have you met Enzo?" He motions with his head towards his creepy man. So that's his name; he's still a creepy man for me, and I absolutely don't care.

"We've met once." He answered for both of us.

"Yeah, sure we did," I say after him.

"You seem annoyed. Is there something wrong, Fleur?" Enzo asked me, and it takes everything in me not to say 'you' in his face.

Well, I've done my work, and I'm not standing here because you both are fond of my presence," I say instead.

"You've always been a smart, witty girl, haven't you, Fleur?" Fillip remarks, and I give him a mocking smile as my answer. Well, before I let you go, there's something you should know." He announces closing the file laying in front of him on his desk. "I'm leaving for the next Christmas party, at one of the other families' houses, in a couple of days."

My heart stops for a second, and I freeze. Would this be it? It could easily be that he's not going to be here, and I can figure something out. This could finally be my way out of here; I can finally go search for my sister.

"Now Enzo is going to be in charge; that's why you both needed to meet. Leo, Christian, and Luc will accompany me to the party. I'm telling you this because I know exactly what's going on inside that pretty little head of yours right now." Fillip's voice snatched me back into the room and back with them again.

"You better not do anything out of line. Not one. Because trust me, Fleur, when I tell you that if you do, I will come back here because of you. Things are going to get a lot worse for you. Worse than they already are."

I look at him, take a good look, and notice the threat escaping his eyes and landing heavily in the pit of my stomach. I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared of him right now, looking into his caliginous eyes, terrified even of what he could and would do if they caught me escaping. After all, I've seen what Alberto did, and Fillip is in no way a better man than he is; he's even worse.

Then I smiled, not in mockery this time but in the most genuine smile I could muster, and I wasn't entirely sure if I failed or if I succeeded, as I said. "Don't worry, Fillip; I value my life more than to try something as stupid."

The lines, deep and frustrated, that were crossing his face faded, and so did his anger, and he looked at me with a black expression, eyes squinting, full of question. He didn't believe me; he doesn't think I would let it go that easy. "Good!" he grunts. "You could go now, and I don't want to hear from Agnes that you caused any more trouble."

I nod and start to walk. "Use your mouth with me." Fillip stops me again without even looking up from his papers this time. Looking at Enzo, I see him chuckling to himself and rubbing his face, trying to hide it. How can they stand being this way?

"As you like, sir." The words come out of me in the most forced manner there ever could be, as if someone were punching the words out of my mouth. But again, this is one of the few chances I will get, and to avoid suspicion, I will do what they want—at least in front of them. Despite that, I won't stop agonizing over Agnes; she does the same. Also, if she keeps nagging him to fillip about it, then well and good; he should go through what we go through every damn day with this woman.

When I got back down to the kitchen, an involuntary smile had already crept its way onto my face, stretching my face into a marvelously illuminated crescent. Well, don't you look happy?" Nina informs me and snaps me out of my daydream. Does she ever go outside this kitchen, or is she always waiting for me there?

I looked at her confused for a second, and the momentary bliss I was in got shattered. Braiding my little sister's hair, thrift shopping together, then doing catwalks with the clothes we bought, and falling asleep holding our stomachs from how much it hurts due to us laughing The small, warming trip down memory lane was then interrupted by the grim, dark reality I was stuck in. But, hopefully, it won't take long now to get back to it.

"What happened in there?"

Nothing; I gave him his food."

"Well, you stayed longer than when you gave him his food and just went out, and less than when he decided to be himself and show his dominance over the world. So you didn't fight; you didn't just get out. What happened in there?"

"I met Enzo."

"Oh my god, darling, are you okay?" This, for some reason, sounded way too extravagant as a response to telling Nina I had met someone. Maybe a bit too over the top, even for Nina.

"What are you talking about? Yes, I am."

Well, you said you met Enzo. I was just hoping this man didn't cross any lines with you. Why did you meet him anyway?"

"Why would he cross the lines? And I met him because Fillip put him in charge of the house while he wasn't here; I guess he wanted to scare me or something."

"And...did it work?"

"I mean, maybe the guy already gives me the creeps the way he acts, but it was mostly Fillip I was kind of scared of."

Well, that's new."

"Why?"

"I didn't think you'd actually be scared of Fillip no matter what he says; maybe a little intimidating because that's him, but not scared."

Well, I am; can we stop talking about them now?"

"Why are you scared, though? It's not like it's the first time he threatened you about trying to escape."

"Nina-"

"Are you going to try and escape?" The way she figures those things out never ceases to amaze me.

"What? No, what are you talking about? I don't know."

Raising her hand, Nina stops me before I try to continue my deception. "This may have convinced them, but not me. I'm Nina, and I'm not stupid. You're going to try and escape, don't you?"

She seemed disappointed, which was immensely confusing. Why was she there? I'd thought she'd be mad and then run immediately and tell her brother, but instead she stared at me with a frown, hands crossed on her chest. Almost defensively. Then the thing I never expected anyone to say Not her, not anyone, came out of her mouth.

"You know, if you wanted to escape, you could have just told me, right?"

"What?" I couldn't keep surprise from showing in my voice. Evident surprise and shock. She's Christian's sister; what will Fillip do if he finds out this conversation even took place? So I voiced my questions.

"Let him know. He can't do anything to me; he won't hurt me. He may not show it, but he loves Christian way too much to do that."

"Meaning?"

"I'm immune, and I can help you get out of here when he's not in the house."

"You won't."

"What do you mean?"

"I won't let you."

"You don't trust me?"

"That's not what I said, Nina. I said I wouldn't let you. I'm a sister. At least I once was, and as much as I wouldn't admit it back then, I hate that I used to fight with my sister, and now I regret it for all my life. All these wasted moments fighting with her—I'd trade them all back for one of her smiles. So I'm putting neither you nor Christian in a position where both of you have to fight. Neither would I put Christian in that position with Fillip; he's still a brother to him, and I know that; I saw it."

Nina stared at me slack-jawed for a second, and I thought I'd seen her eyes fill with tears. Did they? She rubbed her tear-rimmed eyes and then put her hands on her waist. "What are you going to do then?"

"I'm going to escape, and you will have absolutely nothing to do with it."

"So you won't tell me when you're leaving?"

It hit me then what she said, and to my astonishment, that made me sad. I didn't think I'd get sad over anyone in this world, not after losing my whole family, yet somehow a pang of uncomfortable pain hit me right in the chest, and a depressing heaviness fell over it. "I'm afraid I won't."

"So this is goodbye?"

"Maybe it is," I tell her.

"I don't even know why I'm sad; I haven't known you except for a month. What is this? Stupid emotions," Nina answers, and I chuckle sadly while looking at her. Then she leaps onto me, squeezing me in a hug I hadn't had in years. Laughing while sniffing and holding back unexpected tears, I hugged her back.

"You know I'm going to miss you so much. I've had friends, but none quite like you." She says we kept hugging each other.

"I haven't had friends at all, Nina, and having you was the best part of my life in years."

"Stop that, stop it, shut your mouth. Don't let any more of these words come out of it." So I listen to her and relish this small, heartfelt moment I won't have again, not soon. Just then, Agnes comes in, ruining everything. Shooing us out of 'her kitchen' and telling us to get back to work, I feel bad for Nina, having had to endure this woman throughout her childhood.

We walk out of the kitchen silently, then she says, "Let me help you in any way; I can bring you money; you are going to need it."

"I don't need their dirty money, Nina, I promise you, and I'm going to do this alone. By myself. I told you I'm not putting you in that position." That silences her throughout the day, maybe.

All I was able to think of was how to escape and my plan. It's a one-shot chance, and I better not screw this up.