Chapter 59 ENGAGEMENT PARTY XXIV

         Maddy paced around the room with a cup of whiskey in her hands, and a stick of cigarette which she smoked continuously with worry written all over her face. She could still see Ric's butchered face and the inscription carved on his forehead still frightened her.

       She had known Ethan long enough to know that these were how he delivered messages to his prey that he was visiting them soon. How could she be so dumb to do such a thing to Eleanor? She had acted rashly and foolishly without thinking about the consequences if she was caught.

         What was she supposed to do now? Cause Ethan would hunt her down to the end, even if she tries to escape. There was no escape for her now. For Ric to expose her as the mastermind behind everything, meant he was tortured beyond a reasonable doubt.

         She smashed the drink in her hand to the floor in annoyance, frustrated about her current situation, and fell to the floor in tears when she couldn't think of any solution to her problem. Doom had befallen her, all because of her foolishness.

        Isabella watched her as she paced around the room in annoyance, and her action irritated her. When Maddy told her about getting rid of El, she thought her sister was coming up with a genius plan, not knowing the reverse was the case. Everything had backfired on them, and what bothered her the most is that Ethan might come for her as well.

        Knowing she had been with Maddy all along, he would suspect she was an accomplice to the whole mess, and that would ruin any chance she has with him. 

      She took a sip of her wine as she stared at Maddy who was already panicking. She couldn't blame her for reacting this way, after everything they had seen with their eyes earlier this evening, it was normal for her to be this frightened.

       But even if she was reacting in this way, it didn't change the fact that they were going to be dealt with severely by Ethan, who was probably very mad at what her sister had done. Instead of lamenting over spilled milk, she preferred to think of a solution, rather than panicking.

        She walked over to where Maddy sat on the floor, crying, and hugged her, while also sitting on the floor with her. She couldn't blame her sister for bringing this on them, because everything she did was for her, and it would be terrible of her to make her take all the blame.

      "It's okay, Maddy." She comforted her as she dried the tears on her face with her hand. "Everything will be fine, we just have to come up with a solution."

      "What solution?" Maddy said in between her sobs. "I've heard it. You probably haven't cause you've been in a coma, but I've heard it, Issy."

        Isabella was confused as she stared at her sister, wondering what she was talking about. "What have you heard?"

       "Stories, Issy. True stories, I've confirmed it today."

         Isabella hugged her, even more, when she heard her say those words in between her sobs. She would be lying if she said she hadn't heard those stories about Ethan, but she had tried to ignore them. She never knew there would be a time when she would have to panic because she may be among those who felt his wrath.

       Tears welled in her eyes.

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      At Ethan's mansion, Eleanor lay on her bed tired, rolling to her sides now and then. She had been in bed all morning, thanks to her protective husband who wanted her to get more rest, and she felt like going crazy.

        She had never felt more trapped in her life. Even if the thought that Ethan cared for her fluttered in her heart, she also felt he was doing too much. 

       Annoyed, she stepped down from her bed and decided to go outside to get some air. Even if she runs into Ethan this time, she would stand her ground and not come back into this room no matter what.

         She picked up her pink sweater and put it on with the white shorts that she was already wearing, before heading for the door. When she stepped out of her room, two armed bodyguards were standing close to her door, and they bowed on seeing her.

      She looked at the weapon in their hands, and gulped at the sight, before walking away from the door. She was surprised when she turned around and saw the men following her.

        "What are you doing?" 

        "I'm sorry, Miss, but the young master asked us not to let you out of our sight." One of the men said with a bowed head.

       Hearing those words from him only made El more upset. She fumed as she stared at the man, but quickly turned back, and started walking towards the elevator. When she got close to the elevator, she saw a maid who was busy with her chores.

        "Hey!" El called out, and the maid bowed on seeing her face. "Where's Ethan?"

        "Miss Eleanor, the young master is in his office..." The maid replied, still bowing her head.

       "Where's his office?" She asked further, looking at the girl who started to tremble. "Take me there." She ordered, and the girl immediately led her to the elevator.

      They got to the first floor of the building, and only Eleanor stepped out. She turned to look at them all perplexed when she noticed how the maid shook slightly.

       "Miss Eleanor, we're not supposed to step our feet on this floor of the mansion," the maid said between gritted teeth as she trembled even more. "That's a direct order from the young master." She added, and El walked away from them even more annoyed by the revelation.

        She knocked on the only door on the floor, once, and opened it without being invited in. When she entered the room, she saw Ethan and Max inside, and from the way, they both looked at her confused,  she knew she entered the room at the wrong time. 

        But at this point, she didn't care. All she wanted to do right now was to let out everything she was feeling. She was angry, angry at the fact that he was doing what she hated the most, which was controlling her. She folded her arms to her chest as she stared at him.

       "Leave us," Ethan ordered Max, who left the room almost immediately.

       El's eyes were directly on his even as Max left the room, and she walked closer to him when she heard the door close behind her.

        "I can't believe you locked me up in my room, Ethan. Just who do you think you are to trap me in that room? Do I look like a pawn to you?"

       Ethan's face remained passive as he toyed with the pen on his desk while she ranted about her being locked in a room, pushing it forward and backward in a sequence, even if his eyes were still on her. 

       After listening to her for some seconds, he stood up from his chair and walked up to her. Without saying anything to her, he lifted her from the floor to his shoulders and carried her out of the room.

       "Put me down, Ethan,"  she yelled as she held onto his shirt from behind, and wiggled her legs which were in front of Ethan, but he didn't say anything to her.

         They got into the elevator and stepped out when they got to the ground floor. All the maids who were in the mansion, watched him carry her out of it to the garden, surprised, and he put her down when they got there.

      When he dropped her down, she pushed his chest, before stepping away from him as she looked around.

       Ethan stared at her speechless as she pushed him away from herself, even if he didn't move a muscle. This woman was really funny. Was she thinking her push would have any effect on him?

      He watched her arrange her hair which was a little bit scattered because of how he carried her, and how her eyes lightened up when she looked around, amazed. He wondered what she was thinking to make her eyes light up like a child who had been given ice cream on a sunny day.

        "Wow! It's beautiful," El murmured as she looked around the place, forgetting about Ethan who was watching her every reaction since she got here. 

        She twirled slowly in a circle, looking at the large garden from every corner she could see, absorbing its beautiful scenery which she couldn't still find the right word for. 

       She was so focused on it, that she didn't notice when she stepped backward and bumped into Ethan who held her shoulders lightly as he held her in place.

      He leaned into her ears, and she could feel his hot breath on her neck, sending sensations to her stomach, and she gasped when his lips brushed against her ears. 

        "How do you like the view?"

       El turned to look at him and froze when she looked at his face. She felt an adrenaline rush inside of her when she saw him smiling at her again.

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     I am so sorry for the delay in updates for some days now, y'all. I haven't been feeling so well for some days, but be rest assured that daily updates with bonus chapters will continue from today. Thanks. Much love from me to y'all ❤❤