She picked a sundress with bright prints and proceeded towards the bathroom. Stripping from her dirty clothes, she stepped into the shower stall. A relieved sigh escaped her mouth as the first droplet of water hit her skin. Soon, she was wet down to her toes. Her knotted muscles worked loose. This all had felt like a distant dream at one point. Her heart ached deeply as she recalled how much she had craved serene moments like this. As the burden of grief grew heavier within her, her legs gave away. Slumping to the floor, she broke down into tears. She had lost her hope of ever finding peace again. That beast used every opportunity to unleash his brutality on her. She had stopped looking into the matter long back. Her reflection in the mirror was a ghost of who she once was- eyes dull, spirits broken, body marred with scars. She had come to hate the way she looked. Even though, most of the scars had fainted the fresh ones were still very visible. That's the reason she chose a dress th
She was called downstairs for dinner sometimes later. A maid showed up to escort her towards the dining hall. As they walked through the hall, the memories of her last visit flooded back. The last time she was here, she had come to ask him to cancel their wedding.She stepped into the dining hall and her heartbeat faltered at the sight of him seated behind the large table. Just then he glanced up from his phone and their eyes met. Maya felt an electric sensation coursing through her. His piercing gaze brought a wave of heat across her cheeks and she lowered her eyes. She chose a spot two seats away from him and sat down.Silence hung in the air as the maids served them dinner. While he was busy reading something on his phone, she couldn’t help but steal occasional glances at him from under her dark, long lashes. The maids retreated into the kitchen after serving the food, leaving her alone with him. Maya struggled to suppress her nerves as she found herself alone with him. She waited
She tossed and turned in her bed, worrying her lower lip. Tomorrow, she would have to leave. But where would she go? No one would take her in. Paul had made sure she lost touch with all her friends so that she wouldn’t have anywhere to go. That was partly the reason why she endured his torture.The dreaded morning eventually came and yet she wasn’t prepared to face the harshness of the world. With a heavy heart and even heavier legs, she got down from her bed and proceeded towards the bathroom. She decided to take a bath before leaving. Who knows when she will get to bath again?Taking off her clothes, she descended into the bathtub. She sighed at the feel of cold water enveloping her feet. Back in her dad’s home, she used to bathe multiple times in a day as she loved bathing. Her lips curved into a serene smile as she sat down in the tub. Stretching out her legs, she leaned against the edge of the tub and closed her eyes.After bathing to her satisfaction, she stepped out of the tub
“It’s nothing. I’ve applied the balm. Give it ten minutes and you’ll be fine,” the maid briefed as she gently wrapped the gauge around her ankle. Maya was still clad in her bathrobe.“Thank you,” Maya responded, relieved.“Also..” the maid began as she clipped the gauge. She met her gaze and continued, “….Sir told me to tell you that you are allowed to stay here as long as you want.”Hearing that, a bright smile lit up Maya’s face. He wasn’t kicking her out. She still had a roof over her head. “Thank you,” she expressed her gratitude, her eyes quickly misting over. The old maid smiled.“Don’t thank me. Thank sir,” she told her in a soft tone. Realization dawned on Maya. “Should I bring your breakfast in the room or do you wish to come downstairs and personally express your gratitude to him,” the maid asked. Maya took the hint.“I’ll be downstairs,” she decided.After thirty minutes, the pain in her heel had dulled to a mild tingle. She had already changed into an ankle-length dress,
Night arrived and Maya went downstairs for dinner. She had lots of questions swirling in her head. The first and foremost was about Dante’s woman. Where was his wife? She hadn’t seen any woman in the mansion yet who could be called his wife. Maybe she lived somewhere else or perhaps she was out of town. Her thoughts came to a halt at the sight of him. She offered him a gentle smile as their gaze met accidentally. He gave her a nod. Taking her usual spot, she sat down and upturned her plate. She threw an anticipatory glance at him. He was donning a white t-shirt and grey lowers. His damp hair cascaded over his forehead, stopping just short of his grey eyes, lending him a bad-boy vibe. She felt a stirring in her stomach.“Your baby is very cute,” she complimented out of the blue. There was a genuine affection in her voice.His eyes reflected a momentary wonder before he nodded his head in agreement, “He is.” “He has taken after you mostly. His mother must be disappointed,” she adde
She joined him for dinner in the evening to know his plan for Vincent. In just a couple of days, she had become really fond of Vincent. He was eating his food in silence.“Good evening,” she chirped as she pulled out a chair. Dante glanced at her briefly, murmured a greeting, and returned his attention to his plate. Some habits never change. He used to avoid eye contact with her four years ago too. That was one of the reasons she believed that they were not a perfect match.She lowered herself in the chair and began to load her plate.They were in middle of dinner when Vincent’s piercing cries blared through the baby monitor. Dante immediately shot to his feet and hurried towards his room. Maya followed him.He cradled Vincent in his arms and swayed him tenderly but the baby didn’t stop crying. She was hesitant to offer help as she didn’t want to be seen as an intruder. But when he failed to soothe the bay, she stepped in.“May I?” she asked. He looked hesitant but gave him to her any
Maya tossed and turned in the bed. The sleep had eluded her and all she could think about was the shameful incident that had happened some hours ago. She’ll make sure to wear a bra from now on every time she goes outside her room. It was so fucking embarrassing.As she couldn’t sleep, she climbed out of her bed with a sigh of frustration and decided to go out to take a stroll in the garden. Fresh air might help her some.The mansion was dead silent as she quietly padded her way towards the back garden. But just as she was about to slip outside, a soft glow from the kitchen caught her eyes, halting her in her tracks. Did the servants forget to turn the light off? To turn the light off, she changed her direction and headed toward the kitchen. The sight she met in the kitchen caught her off guard. She stood stunned with her jaw crawling on the floor, her eyes almost popped out. He was shirtless. Holy fuck, he was shirtless. She couldn't fight the temptation of assessing his physique. Th
The next day she was called downstairs to have breakfast with him. Her eyes caught him seated in his usual chair as soon as she stepped through the door. Even though years had passed he was still the same- brooding, distant and mysterious. She clearly remembered their first meeting. He hadn’t even cracked a smile, not even as courtsey when her dad had introduced them. His gaze had been as piercing and cold as the sharp edge of blade. His eyes lacked the warmth and spirit she had seen in boys of her age. It had felt like he was there to fix a deal. She had never seen a man more serious. Even her dad appeared jovial in comparison to him. She knew they were a mismatch right from the beginning.“Good Morning,” she greeted with a warm, friendly smile. He glanced up at her, muttering a quiet “morning” before his eyes returned to his plate. She pulled a chair and sat down in it.She took a slice of bread and began buttering it with a knife.“You said you are looking for a job. Any success ye