Chapter 4. Now She's His

The closer they get to Egil's room, the more dizzy and nauseous Adelaide feels. Her stomach churns, and she can't find a way to calm herself.

"Stay calm, my child," the maid urges, as if that were possible for her. She can ask her for anything except calmness. That's impossible right now. "Remember everything I've taught you. If you resist, it could be worse. You need to get used to these orders. Mr. Egil will be your husband from tomorrow, and today you are legally his fiancée, so it's normal that he wants some time alone with you."

For Adelaide, hearing those words from the only person who has understood and cared for her since birth is a clear sign that very difficult days await her on this hacienda.

Adelaide doesn't feel prepared for this private encounter between them. In fact, she's terrified just imagining that this man could use her body as he pleases.

"We've arrived, my child," they stop in front of a double door guarded by two armed and stern-faced men. "You should knock twice and wait for Mr. Egil to authorize your entry."

Adelaide nods with a lump in her throat. Mercedes takes advantage of this short time to arrange her long hair over one shoulder to make it look more sensual.

When she's done, she nods and leaves.

The young woman hesitates to touch the door, but before she can react, one of the guards does it, announcing her presence at the door.

"Come in!" Egil's deep and raspy voice can be heard from the other side a few seconds later. Adelaide shivers as if a sudden wave of cold has taken her by surprise. The double doors open, and she enters, positioning herself a few steps in with her gaze fixed on her shoes and her heart stuck in her throat.

Inside the room, there's nothing but her own ragged breathing. She doesn't dare to look up to see where Egil is or if he's watching her from some point.

Adelaide remains standing in the same position for a few minutes until she finally hears the footsteps of her future husband approaching her.

The young woman lifts her gaze, and for a few seconds, they both stare into each other's eyes. Adelaide feels intimidated by the burly man in front of her. He's too big and tall, while she is very small and slender. It's no wonder that Egil sees her as an insect he can crush mercilessly.

Egil is no longer wearing his blue suit as he was when they arrived. Now, he's only in his light blue shirt, with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Adelaide can't help but notice his well-formed body, perfectly outlined under that almost transparent fabric. This man's attractiveness is not hidden from anyone, and now she's confirming it with her own eyes.

His light brown hair, combined with his blue eyes, gives him a sober and austere appearance. And his intoxicating and masculine scent doesn't go unnoticed by Adelaide when he slowly circles around her to the point of making her feel slightly dizzy.

"How was your journey, Adelaide?" he asks from behind her. The young woman startles, and Egil smiles at her silly reaction.

"Long and quite tiring, sir," she responds in a deep, hoarse voice. A growl is the response she receives.

"I hope you're not too tired to spend some time with me," he replies, positioning himself in front of her. Adelaide shakes her head with a lump in her throat. "I would like to get to know my future wife in more detail. Take off your dress and turn to the wall."

Adelaide begins to unzip her dress with trembling fingers, while Egil follows her movements with an arrogant smile on his face.

His greatest desire is to make her pay, to vent the anger he feels about what happened with her sister Nadia, and he will do it tonight. He doesn't care that she's the daughter of Bahram Valencia; he will treat her like a harlot or worse, after all, she is his property now, her own father handed her over as compensation for Nadia's shameful act, and he won't miss the opportunity to remind her every second of her stay in this hacienda, in the hands of the man she has fallen into.

Adelaide opens her dress and lets it fall to the floor, revealing her almost completely naked body to Egil. For a moment, she feels like covering herself, but he emits a short warning growl that makes her reconsider.

Egil looks at her unabashedly from the tip of her toes, stopping deliberately longer than necessary at her firm and quite generous breasts. Other than that, she is so thin that he could break her if he gave in to his primal instincts. He also doesn't believe that she could ever withstand his passion.

He observes her closely, and he doesn't even want to possess her. The women he usually spends time with are much more beautiful than her and know how to please him. However, he won't miss the chance to make her suffer whenever he can.

"Turn around, Adelaide," he orders firmly once again. She does so slowly, taking her time to process her situation.

A large, firm hand rests on her lower back and pushes her against the wall, where he corners her with his massive body.

A short gasp escapes Adelaide's throat from the shock. Is this man going to take her standing?

Egil inhales her scent as he runs his long fingers through her hair, savoring its softness. He never met anyone, except Mrs. Amaranta, with such beautiful and exotic features. Most women here are mostly brunettes, and some rare exceptions are blondes, but none have hair as long and well-kept as Adelaide's.

With a slow, scorching pace, he tangles his red hair in his fingers and pulls it back, arching Adelaide's back until her head rests on his chest.

The young woman bites her lower lip to prevent herself from uttering any cries of pain, while Egil watches her from behind, pleased.

With his free hand, he reaches one of her breasts and kneads it, first slowly, then more aggressively, slowly again, and aggressively once more, as if following some kind of pattern to torment Adelaide's body.

The young woman doesn't understand how something so rough and unpleasant can cause satisfaction. She doesn't like what she's feeling.

"Take off your underwear as well," he asks, never ceasing his action on her chest.

Adelaide does so slowly to give herself more time, but he catches her intention and removes it with one pull. He spreads her legs with his knees and reaches for her intimate area, starting to touch it.

Adelaide starts to cry from the uncomfortable feeling in that part of her body that has never been invaded before. It's a silent sob that Egil doesn't overlook, but he knows that these tears are not of pain because, in reality, he's not hurting her. It's simply a cry of resignation, and that pleases him. The last thing he wants is to fight for something that is already his, and Adelaide is now his, completely and entirely his, and there's no one who can change that.