Chapter 4

The wedding was over now. I don't know when time passed this fast; it was night already, and we were in a hotel. Only the close ones and I were staying behind because Mom asked me to join them for dinner.

I was sitting, holding a fork in my hand, but I wasn't eating much. How could I, when he was sitting right in front of me—my Mr. Stranger, or should I say, my step-uncle?

I looked up and found him smiling lightly and engaged in conversation with the lady beside him.

Life can be a real bitch, I cursed in my mind.

Out of all people, Mr. Stranger turned out to be my step-uncle. Eww. Thank God he didn't turn out to be my stepdad; that would have been more awkward.

I was searching for him—of course, why wouldn't I? When I was this restless. I don't know what I was expecting by searching for him. We clearly decided on 3 nights, and they had already passed.

Maybe I was expecting to contact him again, to ask for more nights like that. Or maybe just to ask if he was as affected by me as I was by him.

I was always an obedient child. Whatever I was told to do, I just did it. I was never into having control ideas. But you know, when we do whatever others say to us, they just walk all over us. But I was too into this idea of being submissive and under the control of someone.

I wanted to be submissive—but under someone who knows how to be grateful for that. As I grew up, I found out about BDSM—the terms Dom and sub—and the more I learned and watched content on it, the more it intrigued me.

Because this was what I was craving. To be controlled, but never have boundaries crossed. And a Dom-sub relationship also comes along those same lines.

On my 18th birthday, Mom asked what I wanted. Only I know how I controlled the urge to say, I want a Dom.

Don’t judge. We all have fantasies—and mine was this. It was 2 years ago when, one day, just like before, I was roaming through BDSM content on sites, when an ad popped up on the page I was on.

It was named Find Your Match: Meet the People to Match Your Fantasies. Just for fun, I opened the page. It took me to the homepage directly without signing in or anything, to a form where we had to specify what we wanted—and we could get a perfect match.

Of course, I was very clear about what I wanted. I wanted to be owned, submissive—but respected. I filled out the form, but no match showed up. I sighed, thinking I was asking for too much, I guess. Or it was just that the site was rubbish.

But then I got a chat message, and it started from right there.

“Elora. Elora.” Mom pulled me out of my thoughts.

I blinked and then looked toward her.

“Where are you lost?” she asked.

I sighed. “Nowhere,” I said.

She was sitting right beside me.

“Are you done?” she asked.

“Yeah,” I replied, dropping the fork on the plate. Food was still in there, but it wasn’t like I was eating in the first place.

I looked up and saw Mr. Stranger—or let’s drop that and call him step-uncle—wearing his coat. They were ready to leave.

I stood from the table.

“We are leaving,” Mom said.

I turned my gaze toward her.

“OK, have fun,” I said, hugging her.

“Of course I will. It's my wedding night,” Mom whispered in my ear.

I shook my head, pulling back.

Only me, my mom, and my stepdad—along with his brother—were left at the table.

“OK, then I’ll call the cab,” I said, reaching toward my bag.

“Why would you call the cab?” Mom asked.

“Why wouldn’t I? I have to go,” I replied, looking at her.

“You don’t have to call the cab,” Mom said.

“How else am I supposed to go?” I asked.

“Christian will drop you,” she said.

I looked toward him. He stopped in his tracks and looked at her.

Did I mention—he wasn’t even looking at me? Not like he was avoiding me, but like he didn’t even know me. I knew it was him—even his expression when our eyes met the first time here told me everything. He knew. But after that, he didn’t even look at me. Not to avoid—just as if I didn’t exist.

Some way, it was better. Like come on, he was my step-uncle now—we can’t be like that anymore. But on the other side, it was just a curse. Even though he was close now, we still couldn’t go back to that 3-day relationship.

“Christian will drop you,” she said again.

“There’s no need for that, Mom—”

Mom word slipped from my mouth. I covered it, biting my lips.

“It’s fine. We are alone now, you can call her Mom,” Elbert, my stepdad, said, smiling.

He was a nice guy. Though we had not talked much, all the relatives were talking happily with him. He seemed like a fun guy and looked like the perfect match for my chatty mom.

“And yeah, he will drop you as he is also living with us,” he said.

I narrowed my brows.

“It’s late, Mom. Your place is on the opposite side of mine. I’m fine, I can manage with a cab,” I said.

“No, Elora. Your place is not opposite from us—it’s on the same side,” my mom said.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“You are moving in with us,” Mom said, making my eyes widen in disbelief.

I looked toward my step-uncle, who looked nothing surprised—as if he knew.

I was moving in with him. How was I supposed to resist him in the same house? I was thinking of letting go of him. I knew it wouldn’t be possible—but I could try, or manage with just the memories of those three nights.

Even though it felt wrong—it felt like a crime to even see him in a dream. As he had an identity now. He was no longer my Mr. Stranger. He was my step-uncle now.

My imagination was ruining those 3-night moments like hell. Now I’m not sure if I’ll ever get aroused seeing my step-uncle in my dream.

I sighed. “I’m fine in our previous house, Mom. I don’t want to interfere with your privacy,” I said.

I didn’t want to move in with them—to make it worse than it already was.

“Umm, I already put the house on sale,” Mom said.

“What?” I looked at her, shocked.

“Darling, you are only 21. How are you supposed to stay alone in there?” she said.

“Mom, I’m 21. Not a kid who can’t live alone,” I tried to justify.

“She just cares about you,” my stepdad said.

What in the world was this guy? He has no problem taking his wife’s previous marriage's grown daughter into his house?

“I will think about it. But for now, I want to go to my house,” I said.

“Elora,” Mom gave me a warning look. Of course—I must be sounding rude.

But I really can’t move in with them. First, I always wanted to live alone, and now it was my chance for real. And second—I maybe wouldn’t have minded, but now my step-uncle was going to be there too. How am I supposed to stay with them and also stay in control? It was too much for me. I wasn’t ready for it.

“I’m thankful for your offer, Elbert, but I need to think and discuss with Mom,” I said, looking at her.

She was glaring at me.

“Yeah, sure,” my stepdad said sweetly.

“Christian,” Elbert turned toward his brother.

Why is he calling him now? I asked in my mind.

“Drop Elora at her house,” Elbert said to Christian.

Our eyes met.

“Sure,” he said, looking at me.

I was doomed.

What should I do now? Should I confront him on the way?

Or should I stay silent and ignore, just like he was doing?

It was going to be a long drive home. I was sure of it.