**Ch 20: Blackmail

"How did you do that?" I say, ignoring his persistence about us getting married.

"Do what?" Kai smirked at me as if he knew, but he was playing dumb.

"How did you come into the room without me hearing you?" I pried.

Kai snickered. "I came in while you were loudly yelling about our wedding."

Right in front of his family, I argued. "I will never marry you!"

Kai grinned eviler. "You will, or else I'll announce to the world about the other name you have."

"What are you talking about?" I snarled.

"Does the name Melody jar your memory?" he mocked, and my jaw fell from shock.

"Kai, we don't need to do this," Mrs. Collin intervened.

"I feel we do, Mother, if she doesn't wish to get locked away for her uncontrollable hallucinations again." Kai threatened.

"I was a kid!" I roared. "That part of me is long gone, so you can't blackmail me!"

"I can, because we know how you were the only one to figure out where all those artifacts were in Egypt." Kai further threatened. "So if you don't wish for me to lock you away, then I suggest you cooperate."

"How–"

Kai talked over me. "You have a gift Victoria, but not everyone will understand that you can mentally travel between times. That is why you were given a psych evaluation at the orphanage. Somehow you learned to shut it off for a long time up until recently."

"How could you know any of that?" I asked as several tears slid down my face. This was the reason why I wasn't adopted. Nobody wanted a child that went through a psych evaluation and was locked away for nearly two years to be studied. People are always looking for that perfect child, but it doesn't exist because most of us are rejected, orphans. Thankfully during the time, I was being studied, I found an off switch in time for them to determine, I only had an imaginary mind, or so they thought. That's how I learned keeping myself busy was my off-switch. It's why I became infatuated with my school work and studying, which turned me into a workaholic. After I turned 18 years old, I legally selected my new name and wiped my slate clean from anyone learning the truth. Not even Orlando knew, yet somehow Kai knew about this secret and what I can do. Most importantly, he knew what my gift was when I scarcely understood it.

I felt a soft hand on my shoulder from Mrs. Collin. "That is enough, Kai! She needs time to heal, and you know this wedding will happen soon."

"If it doesn't, then she knows what will happen until she agrees to marry me." Kai threatened one last time. Then he backed away, leaving the room.

A maid came by and cleaned up the floor, and then I was given another plate, but I refused to eat. "May I please rest?"

"Sure, I'll show you to Kai's room." Veronica frowned, standing up.

"I won't stay in the same room as him," I hissed.

"Don't worry. Kai will sleep on the couch, but he rarely sleeps," Veronica informed me, and I was puzzled by what she meant. Why does Kai rarely sleep? Ugh, whatever, as if I care.

I followed Veronica to another elevator, and we went to a different passage in the mansion. She took me down this humongous large hallway and took a right turn into this room. I walked inside to find this extra-large King-size bed and a sheer black canopy tied to the bedposts. Kai's bed was on the left from coming in, and it was covered in a black blanket. The carpet was blue with spirals of gold design on it and the walls were dark blue with black trim. To the right was a door to the bathroom. Straight across was a couch and two soft chairs, facing the same wall as the bathroom toward this large screen tv. Behind that, was a fully furnished balcony, facing another garden. On the left side were two closets between the bed with space between them.

"Kai told me your closet and bedside are by the balcony," informed Veronica. "Rest well. I'll send a maid up to get you for dinner." I didn't respond, and she left, closing the door. I was mentally drained and laid down at my bedside and crashed.

"Miss Perkins, I'm here to wake you for dinner." I heard a sweet voice wake me from outside the door. I got up, yawning, and opened it. Only to find a maid smiling at me. She wore a red maid's dress and a white apron.

"Dinner will be ready," she reported. "Mrs. Collin sent me to get you."

The woman looked very young for her age. I've noticed everyone who should look older seems to look younger. I kind of figured Mr. and Mrs. Collin had cosmetic surgery, but to see the maid look youthful too, is a bit puzzling. Anyways, I was too sleepy to question it, and followed her to the elevator. We made it to a large dining room. There were three kids and two toddlers getting put inside their high chairs. Mr. and Mrs. Collin sat at opposite ends of the long table. Towards the end, where Mrs. Collin took a seat, I sat with Veronica. She put her one-year-old son between her and her husband Eric. Kai and Rome were the last to come in, and they took a seat across from us next to Ivan, who was sitting with his wife. Ace wasn't around with his wife. I noticed it was a mixture between friends and family, gathering together.

Waiters came out carrying shiny silver trays. Everyone got one, but Kai, he was given a stem wine glass and a black bottle decorated in rubies. Again he poured that darker red wine into his glass with a thirsty twisted grin on his lips, and he still hasn't once taken the black sunglasses off his face. Something about his character is particularly unusual. Not once have I witnessed him eat, and why does he keep the shades on?

I flinched when a waiter placed this tray down on my area of the table. He lifted the lid, and I smelled this deliciously made steak. I had mashed potatoes with garlic butter and green beans. It was my favorite, but I had to wonder how they knew, or was it only a coincidence? After a prayer, everyone ate. Well, everybody but Kai, he sipped his drink, and I knew he was watching me. By the way he grinned while he studied me as I ate was a dead giveaway.

"Don't you ever eat?" I bitterly asked him across from me. Everybody's chatting slowly toned it down like they were curious to listen in on this conversation.