| Chapter Six |

He stepped outta the car and offered me his hand...

He called me Dushenka.

I was expecting something close to, uhh, I don't know— my name!!!.

The intense moment with him earlier had me excited. The way he thought me... I felt things I've never felt before. I felt free, I felt like my life was about to change. He offered me options something I've never had in my entire life, I felt as if I could breathe yet I couldn't. ‘Being his own’ meant what exactly to Eric McCoy?

I stepped down from the car and beheld the majesty of his estate. It was the first time I stood in front of this landmark. ‘So this was the McCoy Estate?’. It's gigantic and glorious, I had never seen one like it. Well, who am I to say when I haven't seen much? 

Eric McCoy had my hand all through the walk into the building. How rich is this man? Pillars were in gold and drapes looked royal. ‘Maybe he is Queen Victoria's brother since he is English’ —I laughed. I must be really lucky to have his grace. His grace...

The way he walked and spoke was like everything I'd want in a man. He seems possessive and dominant. 

Just seconds of being in the house, maids and servant lined up. I got a little scared. What if he was married? And with everything that happened in the car that either of us would ever speak of? But I rethought, the walks only bore large frames of him and a little boy who must be his son, no woman or wife.

I stood behind him. I wasn't a shy type but I found myself hiding behind behind this men, from people. I knew that I was stepping into a world bigger than the De L' Rosa family. I felt shielded being with him, you know that feeling you get from being infront of something or someone mighty bigger and wider than you be it a building or a structure or a person, that encloses you in a corner and you feel covered, clustered, intimidated, smaller, overpowered, overshadowed, and at times satisfied...

What was wrong with me?

I didn't know him in any way, not as an acquaintance, friend, family friend, role model, nothing. I don't know anything about him except the fact that he was Jacob's partner, a public figure, a bastardly and dangerous rich man, which I wonder what made him dangerous as rumoured.

“Everyone” he started, “This is...” he looked at me expecting that I finish up by saying my name, highlighting how I wanted my name pronounced

“Diana”

“--Diana” He added and paused as the young men and ladies said and did nothing but keep their head bent, their hands on their stomach, the other behind their backs and ears listening. 

The way he said my name... it sounded heavy like the name of some rich princess from a respected and loving home. 

We locked eyes but I looked away. I didn't wanna give him any other impressions that I was into him. I was feeling dirty, it's unlike me and I hate it. He pulled me forward in full display to everyone. As their eyes moved gently and secretly to me, I wondered if I did anything wrong to them in my other life. The way these people glared at me, their faces were long and their eyes serious. I was scared, did I give them a wrong impression? or did they know me from somewhere...

Or was it pity, sadness, other than anger...

“She's your new mistress” 

It was resounding. I won't lie, I felt pride wash over. Those words came as a wave of different feelings rushing through my veins. I felt... Important.

“She's the illegitimate daughter of the De L' Rosa.” he walked, closer to them where they stood near the stairs, “She's to be cared for here, respected, and everything she says she wants she gets. Mockery, gossip, slander, misbehaviour, towards her regarding anything shall not be tolerated. Marcela take note...”

“Yes Chief” the lady who looked a lot shorter and petite nodded. My guess is that she's head head-maid.

“--Your opinions does not matter, beings so keep your fucking thoughts on this to yourself. Tuck your tongues into your throats, break your teeth, pluck off your eyes and shot your ears. If you move your tongue haywire and it reaches my ear, be you the speaker or the hearer, it'll cost your head. And I'll send your ear, eyes, teeth, and tongue back to your families.” On reaching the stairs, he turned to face us, “Understood?”

.

.

.

.

I was speechless.

“Yes, Chief!” They chorused in unison.

“Anika assign a personal servant to her. Feed her right now and get everyone else that isn't here on the same page.” he breathed, “-''Chief please pardon me, I had no idea. I wasn't there when you gave the warning. I wouldn't repeat it again''— would certainly not be an excuse. And woe betides thee whom disobeys thy master”

I watched all the servants bow.

The guys standing closer to Eric looked shiverish. This is fear.

Eric looked to me and, “Dushenka, come”, I slowly started to walk to him remembering that he once called me dushenka. He took my hand and kissed it, “Make yourself at home. Goodnight” he kissed my hair and walked up the stairs.

The petite one, the one who looked my size called Marcela walked up to me with another girl “Jewel”, she called her, “Please take Miss Diana, to the sixth bedroom away from Master Wade's” 

She nodded, looked at me, waiting for me to walk as if, if I don't walk she wouldn't either. Well, this goodness and good attitude would end after sometimes, I'm very familiar with the attitudes of maids and I know how they can be... All of them.

Back at that house, the servant and mistresses would treat me just the way my stepsister Roosevelt would treat me. If care isn't taken Estelle would beat me. They hate as much as everyone else for reasons I don't know and I'm not sure they themselves know why my family hates me. They just go by Roosevelt's attitude towards me since she is the fashionable, favoured, over-pampered and glorified bitch. They are just a group of pick-me girls that literally suck Roosevelt's ass, and it's not as if Roosevelt fucks with them or treats them better than ordinary filthy maids.

I walked with Carla to the room and my honest reaction was —lord have mercy. The drapes were in burgundy- a gorgeous color, and the bed sheets were burgundy and so was the reading table and the nightstand, and the bedside table. The room was very spacious. Carla showed me the walls which the drapes were covering and they were strong transparent glass over looking the city — the beauty of the lights from city far from the estate was beautiful, and the balcony was wide and luxurious. I sat on the bed and it was extremely soft and wide which made me lay down and relax...

While I was enjoying the luxury of the bed, Carla came out from the bathroom, “When did you go in there?”

She smiled a bit, “A while ago Miss, and your bath is ready”

I stood up and walked to her, “Thanks” as I proceeded to the bathroom she followed me, “Is they a problem?” I asked.

“I'm obliged to ensure that you are ready for your dinner and a good night sleep, Miss Diana, meaning I must bathe, clothe, feed, and take care of you before you sleep, in the most ways possible, providing you with everything you need. In other words, if I don't, I loose my life or would get punished”

What the heck? For just that?

Wow! This is what me Diana is gonna get...

“So please Miss let me”

“Please call me Diana. I like it more since you might be older than I am”

Carla smiled and walked into the bathroom and came out with a bathrobe. She helped me undress and put me in the robe. “Miss, I can't do that and please don't make anyone do that... Since you're my mistress”

“I'm 19”

“and I'm gonna respect that” she smiled...

I didn't even want to think about it.

***

THE FOLLOWING DAY'S EVENING

Writer's POV:

Eric had been gone all day. Work probably. She basically did nothing that day till the end of it. They was no troubles and she was yet to see the boy called Wade McCoy—a five years old carbon copy of his father even at a young age. She didn't meet him last night because the young boy was probably asleep and once he woke there's no sleeping back again, and this morning? Wade must have left for school along side his dad before Diana woke. They didn't even say good morning. I guess she's already used to it and didn't mind anymore. 

She didn't even try to make friends with the maids to keep her company, she was alone but she wasn't lonely. She loved how quiet it felt in the house, the servants barely made noises that bothered the house. All day, the noises that she noticed was hers, sounds of ceramics and soft voices till dusk. She stayed in her room all day either reading a romantasy she got from her room's bookshelf on her bed, or watching the view of the estate from her balcony, or journaling. Lunch was brought to her room as she wished for.

She laid on her bed and got some shut eyes. It was peaceful how she wasn't bothered, nor burdened. She drifted into a slept she's never had before. Her muscles relaxed and her sanity returned in full. As the lights of the evening painted her in golden yellow of the fading sun through the glass walls... So fast asleep that she didn't know when Eric returned home with his son.

He came in to her room twice without her noticing. The third time he went into her room, it was already past seven. She sat on the bed, his hands wandering, to her face, not touching but feeling the air around her. She was a beauty but Eric McCoy had seen and been with a lot of beautiful women, but what made him keep looking back to this one?

He bit his lips and dared to touch hers with his finger, admiring the nude color it gave. She turned her body towards him still asleep, meanwhile in her sleep she was awake and living that which was happening to her in reality. But instead of the finger that touched her lips, it was his lips.

“Diana Corinne De L' Rosa” he whispered and she woke as if he called her to.

Suddenly, her eyes opened to a call she heard from her fantasy world. The surprise of seeing the man she was dreaming of make her jump resulting to her hitting her head on the bed post accidentally.

He blinked as she didn't cry or nothing, yet...

Realizing it was really him, she returned to earth and started to nurse her head, crying while doing so. Eric laughed and pulled her closer by the head, massaging it gently as he shushed her, her head on his chest. “Shh! Sorry. Why were you so frightened when I'm here, hmm?”

She wondered from where to where.

Was this man really the type to care for vulnerable people? She doesn't get, what is all this and why is her feeling syncing with it?

She hesitated before she gave her answer, “Because you are here.”

“Huh? Are you saying I shouldn't be in my house? That's just mean” he said calmly, his tone pleasant and friendly.

She shook her head.

“Does it still hurt?”

She shook her head again.

Her took her face into his palm, caressing gently, “Your foot?”

“Marcela was to take care of it yesterday. Did she? Let me see” he added pulling the duvet away from her feet, holding her tight to his body. He looked at the injury and her foot was fully bandaged...

“It was the other one... Carla”

“Feeling at home, huh?”, he kissed her head and left her feet.

He put her hands around his body and told her to hold tight which she did. 

“So, have you figured what you'll call me, dushenka”

She looked up to him, her heart was beating fast and she didn't know what to do to avoid this conversation. She hesitated for a very long while not knowing what to say to him while he was busy stroking her lushly long brown hair.

“Speak” he ordered.

“Baba!!”

*****