Eighteen

Scrambled eggs and some toasted bread used to be my favourite meal for breakfast until now that I am having it with Matt in his dining room. It tastes so bland on my tongue. I am sure it has nothing to do with his chef's ability to cook a delicious meal. It is the person I am having the meal with that is the problem.

Everything about Matt annoys me. I find having a meal with him disgusting. Having lost my appetite, I fork around my plate. When I get bored with it, I drink some orange juice. Then I continue forking around the scrambled eggs.

"Something on your mind?" Matt asks.

I look up at him, only to find him watching me intently. I shrug aimlessly at him before bending my head again.

"You can't tell me it's your family that you're missing. They don't even love you, and you know it," Matt sneers.

My grip around the fork tightens. I know he is right. If there is something everyone in the Vanderblib mansion is, it is happy that I am gone. An image of how relieved the security guard was as he closed the gate after Matt drove out the previous day crosses my mind.

"You better eat those damn eggs. You are looking skinnier than a fish right now."

I scoop a forkful of eggs into my mouth, chewing it slowly. Matt gives me a hard glare before continuing his meal.

I still find it hard to believe that Matt is the man I used to be in love with. I find it harder to believe that one single hurtful scene was what dissolved everything I felt for him.

What if I hadn't caught him that night? What would our relationship be like right now? Would I have been happy while living in ignorance?

Maybe things would have been different if I had been married to someone else. Someone like Jameson.

Jameson wouldn't have betrayed me the way Matt did.

Oh, Jameson…

A throat clears, jolting me out of my thoughts. I look up, only to see Matt watching me intently again. This time, his eyes are darkened with disdain.

"What else is on your mind?"

"Huh?"

"Sir, there is something you need to see."

We both turn at the third voice. It is one of Matt's men. Matt shoots him another one of his hard glares.

"I'm sure whatever you have for me can wait."

The man remains where he is standing, his broad shoulders tense and squared. "No, it can't, sir."

The audacity in his voice makes my brow furrow in confusion. I glance at him, only to find him also looking at me with hatred while handing a tablet playing some strange interview video to Matt.

What did I do to this one? I wonder, lowering my eyes down to my food.

I have no other choice than to listen to the video playing since Matt has already collected the tablet from him. It didn't take me long to realize whose voice it belongs to.

Jameson is talking about Pentagon Beauty to some curious reporters. That's absolutely normal for someone like him. I have lost count of how many times my dad had granted interviews to the press in my presence. To talk more of the ones I have not seen him doing.

But why would Matt be watching Jameson's interview? Is he obsessed with him? Or is there something in particular happening in the video?

It is not until I hear one of the reporters say my name that I click on what is happening. Fear grips my shoulders, making me tense up as I anticipate what Matt would do next.

When I see him jolt on his feet in anger, my tensed shoulders tighten further. The very next second, his hands are already wrapped around my throat, strangling me.

"Did you really sign those damn contracts? Huh? Tell me!"

"I…"

"Say something before I kill you with my bare hands!"

I nod at him. His hands grip my neck tighter, choking me to the point of restricting my airflow.

"How dare you sign those papers! Do you know what that means?! The meaning of what you just did!"

"I'm so–sorry," I manage to say to him.

He lets go of my neck with a push, making me crash against the chair. I hear a bone crack and begin suspecting that it is from one of my legs.

"Go get my gun! I'm going to end her life today!" Matt barks at the man.

I gasp as I listen to the man leave the dining room in reluctant steps. I remain where I am on the floor, muffling some cough in order not to further annoy him.

It doesn't matter at this point because even the air I breathe now angers him. He grabs one of my legs and begins dragging me out of the dining room. The rough manner with which he is pulling me puts a new round of fear in me. I shut my eyes tight when I cannot imagine how it will feel when my head hits hard on the wall.

The thoughts haven't yet saturated my mind and the next thing I hear in my head is baam!

"Ouucchhh!" I scream as my head makes the first impact on the steps.

I didn't count how many more impacts it made before I pass out.

When my eyes open again, it is dark. I can hear some voices murmuring. The more I slide out of my unconsciousness, the better their voices get. Soon enough, I realize that they are involved in an argument.

I groan when my head begins banging. My hand goes to the throbbing spot. I start massaging it until the pain reduces, and I can now hear Matt and the other man's voice.

"...and we can't imagine what Sir Vanderblib would do when he finds out that you murdered his daughter out of anger." I hear the man explain to Matt.

"Nah. He wouldn't do shit. He hates her. Have you seen the way he treats that useless girl?"

"Yes, sir. But you can't allow him to use your head. What if this is all a trap? Or you don't think he will fight back if something happens to her?"

"Somebody help me!" I cry out.

A gun cocks, just as a dog starts barking beside me.

"Shut up!" Matt shouts.

A shudder runs down my spine on realizing that Matt brought me to his dog house. Is that what I am to him right now? He sees me as a little bitch he married and can flip around however he likes.

"One more word from you, and I swear I'm going to blow your brains out!"

As if what he is doing isn't enough, the dog jumps at me and begins licking me, coating my face with his saliva.

"Sir, I'm telling you. Don't do it. Please…" the man urges Matt in a low voice.

"I swear I will if she doesn't tell me why she went behind my back and signed that contract."

The man leaves Matt's side and comes closer to where I am lying. The dog, having gotten bored with my face, has already joined me on the floor.

"Say something, young lady. You have to tell him why you did what you did. His threats aren't just words. I'm telling you."

I swallow hard, trying to muster the courage to tell him the truth, "I… I only did it because I wanted to. That's it."

"You heard that? You freaking heard that, right? Now tell me why I shouldn't blow out her brains right this minute?"

Matt cocks the gun, pointing it at my forehead. I shut my eyes tight when one of his fingers goes to the trigger. The dog gets up from where he is lying beside me and begins barking at Matt.

"You had the guts to betray your own husband! You went behind my back and made a deal with my worst enemy! Do you have even the tiniest idea of how much this is going to cost me!?"

Matt's words and the dog's barking have me more confused.

What if he ends up shooting me? Is this how my life is going to end?

The thought of dying frightens me so hard I have no other choice than to wrap my fidgeting arms around the barking dog, seeking a bit of comfort from his body.

He seems to understand my fears. He mellows down, making a whining sound.

Matt seems to be angered about his dog offering me a little comfort.

He kicks hard at the dog, "Get the hell out of here, let me deal with this little bitch like I'm supposed to!"

The man comes to take the dog out of the room, leaving me alone with Matt.

Matt takes three strides until he gets right in front of me. He puts the gun on my forehead.

"Bella Vanderblib, give me one reason why I shouldn't shoot you right now."

I shut my eyes again, welcoming the end of my life.