Chapter 9

Drexel was quiet, not that he had nothing to say, he became interested in the woman fighting for the servant who would have dealt with her if he had not shown up in the first place.

Tyler tries to get past her to the servant but Ava was not having it.

"Take me with her or better still, let her go. Everything happened because of me" Ava pleaded.

"enlighten me, how it happened since you dim me punishing her wrong," Drexel said knitting his brows.

"She was only asking me not to touch the painting, but... bbu.. but I was so caught up in its beauty that I ignored her plea to me not to touch it," Ava explained, not daring to look into Drexel's eyes for fear of getting caught.

"So everything is your fault not hers right?" Drexel asked.

Tyler had moved away from the servant and Ava, the servant was now on her kneels sobbing loudly without saying a word.

Ava did not respond to his question, even though she was scared of what he would do to her, but if she denies it, the servant alone will be punished.

She breathed in and out then she nodded her head. To the servants' and Drexel's assistant's surprise, they envisioned Drexel beheading Ava for touching his paintings but the only thing he did was asked all of them to excuse them which they did with a curious mind. Ava's heart was in her stomach, the scary aspect of this is that she knows not what her fate will be, she stare down at her feet with evident fear.

Drexel moves towards her, and she back away in fear.

"Please," she whispered, Ava was scared of him so much.

She had been brave when the servants were around but now that it was only her and him in an enclosed place she immediately felt threatened.

"you say?" he asked taking another step towards her.

Her lips quivered, and she started feeling the chilliness of that morning inside that bedroom, everywhere become cold and unbearable.

She keeps on going backward until she was caught between the bed and the dangerous man.

He covered the gap between them and pushed her to the bed, pinning her hands above her head, and staring at her with his big blue eyes as if she were a snack that is meant to be eaten.

"Why do you have only a towel on? I don't like seeing a half-clad woman" Drexel said.

She struggle with her feet and even tried to push him off but he was bigger and stronger than her.

"If you don't stop fighting and your towel comes off," he brought out his small tongue and licked his peach color lips before he added.

"I can not guarantee your safety," he said gazing right into her eyes.

To Ava, he was harmful to her health not because he had pledged to end her life soon, but because she had begun to see him in another light.

"Get off me. please," she pleaded.

He saw the water gathering in the corner of her eyes, and he could not stop himself from jumping off her startling her and himself.

"Must she cry!" he thought in his head, he wished he can lock her in a cell, throw the keys in the ocean and let her die of hunger, but he was scared Of being affected too, "For now I will play safe," he thought.

Ava had already stood up and ran into the bathroom with the long milk gown he had asked the servant to bring for her.

When Ava returned, Drexel was still standing there where she had seen him before running into the bathroom.

When she came out, his attention was drawn to her and Ava noticed how he stared at her with a slight drop of the jaw.

It made her wonder if he find her pretty or if he was just lost in thought at that moment. Ava had tied her long black hair in a smooth bun, she let down two curled strands of hair, one at each side of her face, the long gown which was glued to her body, from underneath her bosom down to her curves was glued to her body, while from her curve down above her ankle were flair, it was very thoughtful of anyone who had bought such a pretty gown that suits her white skin, Ava also had something for milk color dress.

"what's the occasion?" she asked adoring herself in the make-up mirror, the makeup mirror was not there when she first arrived, it seems they had it arranged when she had gone into the bathroom to shower.

Drexel narrowed his eyes at her and in his usual deep husky voice he said.

"Your death!"

Ava's face dropped in sadness, it was not like she expected to hear of a ball party he was taking her but at least it won't hurt to hear something else other than the mention of her death.

Drexel didn't spare her a glance anymore, and with a bang, he went out of her room.

"What an asshole!" she cursed.

Ava lost all the slight excitement that was bubbling up inside of her as soon as she wore that dress.

She had lived a lonely life in that slum, with no friends or family.

She was told at First Time Children Home that someone had abandoned her on a very chilly night when it snowed, she was left there to die not to be saved. because who the hell will abandon their child in the cold? if truly they wanted someone to save her, they would not have left her there in the frostiness of the night.

She was a child that was not wanted everywhere she goes, she was asked to move out of the orphanage when she turn fifteen as they needed space for the infants and kids, though they did help her by trying to get her foster parents, none of that worked, most of the foster parents she lived with were either abusive or careless. So at the age of eighteen, she decided to fend for herself and life had been nothing but tough.

No one had ever gotten her a dress, not even bought her a drink and the only reason why her boss at the daily newspaper hired her was that she agreed on an overtime job with barely anything as salary. So yes! Ava had considered suicide.

She pulls herself from the haziness of her thoughts.

"Why am I thinking all those sad stuff, am going to die soon anyway," Ava said.

She once again straightened her dress and applied comfortable simple make up. she looked at herself in the mirror as she marveled at the woman in front of her.

"Beautiful!" she admired.