| Chapter Five |

Writer's POV:

His eyes scanned her from head to toe, he slowly bent down to her leg. He must have slept and woken up with the thoughts of Diana's leg injury bugging his mind. The thought of him hurting his friend's child... She looked pale and malnourished, her eyes was swollen as if she's been crying.

“What are you doing out here? Running away from home?” he asked but got no reply.

‘But, what kind of father would leave his daughter's injury to heal itself? He couldn't get why Diana's wound was never treated, as a matter of fact it looked worse than it was that day. How could Jacob dislike his child so much? What is this girl's fault?’— He looked up at her and stood up.

He wanted to apologize but his pride...

“Please help me--” she finally mumbled.

Eric scoffed and walked past her, proceeding towards the gate. He thought maybe she was running or that she snuck out and couldn't sneak back in, and maybe, if he wanted, he would tell Jacob about and he'd let the girl in.

She couldn't let go of this opportunity to get help even if it's just for the night. She would do anything other than go and crawl back to the De L' Rosas. He didn't miss the sobbing sounds she made, it was as if she was manipulating the man she knows nothing about. He turned and looked at her, eyes wide opened... Her face screaming ‘I know you don't care but please. Please Sir, I have no where else to go’ with teardrops.

“Diana De L' Rosa, what do you want from me? Huh?” He stepped closer, “Why you?”

She didn't respond. 

Seeing those beautiful sad eyes made Eric's heart melt, he wanted more than to take her, he felt the need to care for this young girl. He wanted to give her better since he can't find what this little girl did to deserve this life she has.

He smiled at her and rubbed her cheek “Okay, but what do I get in return?”

“I'd do anything...” she cried and breathed in.

Eric's eyes went to where her things were and looked back at her, “Yours? So, you're being kicked out?”

“He cast me out” she replied with the saddest tone that made his hard heart soften even more... 

Eric laughed. He put out his palm to her, “Promise to be good?”

She looked at him and looked down... then slowly nodded shyly.

“Then be my own?”

She heard those words but wasn't sure what they ment, ‘my own’. She just kept looking at his beautiful and clean layer of his hand.

“Huh?” Eric scoffed, “You're doubting your feelings? You've asked for help thrice now from me. I'm a man that gives to get in return, but in your case, I just get to own you... Diana. I'd give you everything you lack; Love, Money, Money, Money, Care, Happiness, Peace...”

She looked at his face, rethinking if that really was what ‘own you’ meant but she decided to turn off her mind, “I want my peace” she said quietly. “I choose peace”, although she doubts that he truly wants nothing in return.

“Then the rest shall be added onto you.”

She looked at him. He had a warm and welcoming smile on. She slowly placed her hand onto his, and accepted his offer, giving him the only thing she has of value, herself.

He looked at her for a while wondering why she thinks she can trust. He closed her hand in his palm, smiled and kissed her hand. With his other hand, he pulled her closer and caressed her long brown hair. Her piercing gaze fixed on his eyes.

She walked with him towards the car, gently following his footsteps. Her eyes still remained unmoved on him, a few times he made eye contact with her and not once did he ask her why she was staring so lustfully at him.

She misstepped and nearly fell down, but he caught her. He noticed blood dripping from her leg and carried her.

He didn't say anything till they boarded the car and they drove off...

---

Driving in the city's lanes, streetlights being the only thing that gave light into the car, painting Eric and Diana in bright darkness.

She sat timidly at the other end away from him. He looked at her a few times but she turned to look outta the window to avoid his gaze. “Diana is your name, right?”

“Mm... Diana” insisting on her name being pronounced as ‘the-anna’ instead of ‘di/dye-anna’.

“What's the difference?” he asked.

Her eyes was still fixed at the window. She seemed to be enjoying the view of the silent night. No cars except their were still on the road, the echoes of nothing, the darkness that keeps her calm. “I like the version I call myself with- ‘the-anna’”

They was silence in the car for a while until he took her hand and pulled her towards him, drawing her closer next to him. Her head hit his chest and hand came in an unnecessary context with his man area— she took it away immediately with a slight gasp. She tried to get away but his grip was firm on her back.

“Don't fight me, you might hurt yourself, pretty one”

She blushed.

He position her face in a manner that she could look into his eyes. Every thought on her head was reminded her how she earlier agreed to be his. Her heart beated faster than she expected and her body responded to touches. He squeezed her face, making her look funny in a cute he found cute.

“Age?”

“19”

“Nineteen years young. An adult--” he laughed and kissed her forehead still holding her face tightly. Her mind went blank she thought of nothing, only letting her eyes witness and her brain record. “Don't worry, I would would never hand you out to any man like your father. I'd keep you as mine, understood?” he smirked.

“Mm” the only sound she could make without choking since the air around her was tight. She could breathe but couldn't. What does he mean? Why is he soo ambiguous?

He leant forward. His face inches away from his and her squeezed lips ready for any possible actions. Her eyes were wide open and glaring deep into his iris. Her breathing, heavy, on his face, “What would you call me? You can't keep going by Sir, can you?”

She slowly tries to pull away again, but she held her hand tighter. She was cramped in an enclosed space he created. She asked herself what she just walked into... yet her body loved what she was feeling, for the first time in her. 

“Going where?” he asked and her eyes went back to looking him, lustfully. This was alien to her but she wanted to explore her other feelings, other than hate and sadness. He blinked and smirked her way, “Don't stare like that, pretty one. People might think I'm perverting you”

But it was just them in the car. Then the thoughts of them kissing... “I don't know” she said.

Before he could say another tempting word to her, the driver mentioned their arrival at the estate. He slowly listened hus grip on her face and pulled away. He lifted her face with his finger and she looked at him, breathing less heavily, “Welcome home, Dushenka” he muttered to her.

She blinked, “Mm?”

----

Diana's POV:

Dushenka?

Is that what he'd call me?

*****