Brave Girl

***

Knock, knock

Daphne glanced at the door she had left open. She found Edgar standing there with his shirt unbuttoned. She immediately stood up, placing the book she was reading on the table.

"Master," Daphne said quietly. Edgar sauntered in without asking her permission. He looked at her with lustrous radiance but held it in.

"Are you reading a book, Daphne?" Edgar's voice was smooth when he spoke to her, unlike with other people. And Daphne was very uncomfortable with that.

Daphne glanced at her unmarked closed book. "Yes, Sir." She let her book be taken by Edgar.

"Science fiction?" Edgar looked at her. "You intend to become a scientist in the future? I can give you my hand."

"No, Sir, it as filling out my time as part of entertain," she answered never long-winded.

Edgar smirked as he nodded slightly. "You have boring tastes, Daphne."

The girl snorted a little. "My taste is none of your business, Sir."

Edgar let out a low growl. His excitement rose just by hearing Daphne's bold, firm, and slightly stubborn voice.

"Brave girl," he complimented with a slight grin.

"Where have you been, Sir?" Daphne looked at the unbuttoned shirt. "Looks like you're finished your workout," she continued.

Edgar laughed contentedly to hear that. He rested his hands on the reading table as he leaned closer to Daphne, despite being separated by the width of the table. "Workout, huh... I like that." He cleared his throat briefly. "I've slept with your twin sister. She's not as pretty as you but has the same face and voice as you. I wonder, Daphne, are you going to scream like that every time I move and stomp on yours?"

Daphne stared at him for a long time, then took a deep breath. "That will never happen, Sir."

"Oh, come on..." Edgar started walking around her bedroom which was dominated by dimly lit wooden furniture. There were no windows or ventilation there, for the safety of Edgar Ruthen's confidant. "I don't want to be your only master. I want more, Daphne. Something hot and tempestuous."

"And that's impossible, Edgar," Daphne said persistently, making the man stare at her without blinking. "Even if I die, you will be my master. My savior. And as you know, I have no interest in love."

"There's no need for love between us, Honey. You and I..." He looks at Daphne seductively, "... just need to warm each other."

"And I'm less interested in that," Daphne retorted sharply. "Stephanie is in her room?"

Edgar was silent for a moment. He glanced at the door. "Yeah, exhausted in her room."

"Excuse me, Sir. Have a nice day," she said quickly out of there without closing the door. Leaving Edgar who sighed in exasperation at her charm.

***

Daphne knocked on the tightly closed door three times. There was no answer from there, which worried her.

"Stephanie are you in?" Daphne asked a little hoarsely.

"Yes," Stephanie answered hoarsely too. "It's open. Come in."

Daphne was silent for a moment. Her hand grabbed the doorknob and tugged at it. She found the room pitch black with no lighting. However, she's hearing caught sobs and moans.

"Stephanie?" Daphne called worriedly walked quickly to the bed and sat on the edge.

"Daphne," Stephanie called pitifully. She gripped Daphne's arm so tightly that Daphne whimpered. "Can't you just give me one?"

Daphne's voice choked. She gripped the crumpled sheets tightly. "What do you mean?"

"Edgar. I want Edgar. He's interested in you. Can't you give it to me?" Stephanie demanded, piercing the recesses of Daphne's heart.

'No, Stephanie. Even if you die, you can't want Edgar. He's the devil. You can't be with him. Do not even hope!' ban Daphne in her heart.

"He calls your name as we climax. It hurts, but I love everything about him. He's perfect." Stephanie sobbing.

"Stephanie..." Daphne's brows furrowed. Her breath caught in fear. Her sister is all she has in this world. Images of the future flashed in her mind. She shook violently at the side of the bed. While Stephanie's breathing sounded regular. She drifted off to sleep, leaving Daphne clutching her hand tightly in worry.

"Not him. I beg you very much... You are free to fall in love with anyone, but not with Edgar, not with Casillas. They are the most dangerous people in the world. No, Stephanie... I don't want to lose my only family again."

***

"Are you awake?" Daphne asked, glancing at Stephanie who blinked.

"Uh, my head hurts," Stephanie said clutching her forehead.

"Feeling spinning?"

"No. It's heavy," Stephanie said. She turned to her twin sister and smiled wryly. "I can bear it. Are you waiting for me here?"

"Yeah. You're worried," Daphne said closing Stephanie's romance novel that she took from the high shelves in the room.

"Since then?"

Daphne glanced quietly. "Just now," she lied. "Have you taken the contraceptive pill?"

"Should I?" Stephanie took a deep breath. She leaned against the headboard of the bed.

"Must!" Daphne answered firmly. She opened the drawer beside the bed, took a pill from it, and handed it to Stephanie along with a glass of water. "You really should drink it, even if you don't want to. Don't act stupid," she warned with a serious look.

"Alright, alright. You're so talkative when it comes to me," Stephanie grumbled, pursing her lips.

"Because you're my family."

The girl smiled faintly. She looked down, looking at her body which was already in her shirt and shorts. "You wore it?"

"Yes. I cleaned you too," answered Daphne, getting up from the chair. She walked over to the shelf and returned the romance novel she thought was boring. "What about the delivery of firearms to Georgia?"

"It should go well."

"Should?" Daphne asked turning to face her with a raised eyebrow.

Stephanie who had the same facial features as she nodded slowly. "I haven't heard from my messenger."

"What time should it arrive?" Daphne's staring at her boldly.

"Five in the afternoon," Stephanie replied casually.

"Damn it, Stephanie!" Daphne's veins tightened. "It's seven o'clock! Who's your messenger? Jack?"

"Huh? Yes!" Stephanie pulled off the blanket and got out of bed with a bit of a limp from her sore and sore groin. "I'm going to headquarters."

"Stay here!" Daphne ruled. Couldn't bear to let her sick twin sister walk the two kilometers to headquarters. "I'll take care of it!" she cried running out of Stephanie's room. Leaving her twin sister who sat back on the edge of the bed, feeling useless.

***

"What are you saying?!" Edgar's voice boomed through the main room. "The gun was taken by Manston? Who's responsible for this?!"

"St--"

"Me, Sir!" answered Daphne calling from the entrance. She walked with ragged breaths and slightly wobbly steps from having run two kilometers. The people there, including Stephanie's subordinate, frowned. Checked whether it was Stephanie or Daphne, but the answer was Daphne who had another charm, an untouched blooming flower.

"You, Daphne?" Edgar squinted with his hands on his hips, arrogant and vicious.

"Yes, Sir. I'm sorry," she said glancing at the people kneeling there.

'No Jack. He must have been detained by Manston. Two hours later than it should have been, might have been killed,' Daphne thought.

"I have been negligent, Sir." Daphne apologized, but even when she died, she would never kneel helplessly in front of someone. She is arrogant, but acceptable because of her seductive charm.

Edgar gritted his teeth. "Do you know how much the loss was?" he asked angrily.

Daphne was silent. Don't know. This is none of her business. However, her brain was spinning fast, looking for a way out.

"About ten million dollars, Sir," she answered confidently though she didn't know if it was right or wrong.

Edgar hissed. "Seventeen million dollars, Daphne Madison."

"I beg your pardon, Sir." She glanced down. However, one second later, she looked straight at Edgar again.

"Can you replace it?"

"Of course not, Sir."

Edgar took a deep breath. He stepped forward, circling Daphne's body who was standing tall with confidence. Doesn't look like a guilty person.

"Fabian."

"Yes, Sir." The man nodded slowly. He was much more docile than Daphne Madison.

"Take Daphne to the penitentiary. Lock her up for three days without eating. Give her only two drinks and whip her in the back twenty times."

Surprised. Everyone there had the same expression. It was an open secret that Edgar had an interest in Daphne. However, the man remained uncontrollably violent.

Daphne swallowed her saliva. She clenched her fists with heavy breaths.

'Thankfully, it wasn't Stephanie who received all of this,' Daphne was grateful because Stephanie that charge of this project was sick. She glanced at Fabian who was still standing there.

"Take me, Fabian."

———