Chapter 4

*RENEE*

The guards pushed me out the door and slammed the door on my face.

“Marcelo…Marcelo!”I called,knocking hard on the door.”Marcelo,I am your wife.You can’t treat me like this!Open the door!”I yelled.

Seeing that wasn’t working,I decided to beg.

“Marcelo,please.I know this seem pretty sudden to you but we can work things out.Just let me in,I’m begging...”I paused when I heard barking sounds.

I recalled that he had told the guards to release the dogs.

What dogs?

I looked towards the direction of the sound to see two dogs running towards me.

If I hadn’t previously heard that they were dogs,I would’ve called them wolves, big ferocious wolves.

I broke into a run,running as fast as my legs could take me.

No.

I wasn’t ready to die.

I was just twenty-two.

My life might’ve taken different twists and turns that I never wanted.

Still,I didn’t want to die.

I believe that there could still be brighter days ahead of me.

I ran to the courtyard of the house.I could still hear them barking and charging towards me.

It seemed as if they’d rip me to pieces if they caught sight of me.

I saw what looked like a small cottage not far away and I ran into it and slammed the door shut.

I quickly ran to the windows and closed it.

To my dismay,there was a push on the door as if the dogs were trying to break in.

Seriously?

Were they trained to murder people?

Panic filled me as I looked around and saw a table.

I hurried towards it and pushed it in front of the door.

The barking continued outside while I sat on the floor,trying to catch my breath.

I was trembling and I felt so scared.

I was in a dark room.This place was dirty as if it was abandoned.

The windows were old and I was scared that the dogs might break through it.

I moved against the wall and hugged my knees.As I sat there,I tried to murmur encouraging words to myself.

I would survive. I have to.

I have no idea how much time had passed but the barking stopped.I didn’t know if the dogs were still outside of if they had been sent to their cages.

But I didn’t want to find out so I continued sitting there.

I flinched when I heard a knock on the door.

Are dogs able to knock now?

I swallowed and said nothing.

“I know you’re in there,Mrs King.”

My eyes widened.

It was the butler’s voice.

Had he come to send me?

“Are the dogs gone?”I asked,anxiously.

“Mr King wants me to take you home now.”

I frowned.”Home?”

“To your parents’ house.”

He was sending me back?

Back to the Hudsons?

I imagined what that was going to be like.

Grace and Rocco were going to more than abuse me for failing to stay married to Marcelo.

And Nana.

Oh Nana.

I had been the one begging them and being super obedient to them so they could continue with her treatment.

But if I go back home now,they would instantly stop it.

Lord knows what they are going to do to me now.

I didn’t want to go back.

“What if I don’t want to go back?

“You have to.You can not possibly spend the night in there,ma’am.It gets really cold at night in this part of the estate.Also,Mr King said it’s either you go home right now and he’ll keep the dogs out all night.”

I swallowed.

I guess I was spending the night in here.

But was I really ready for this kind of life?

This man literally has no heart.

He released wild dogs on me while knowing that they could hurt me.

What if he does worse things to me if I stubbornly insist to stay married to him?

I sat back down.

What choice do I even have?

I guess I just have to try not to get killed by that mysterious and dangerous man.

“I am Mrs King,Chad.I’m going nowhere.”I replied,loudly.

And that was how I spend the night in that dark room,shivering all through.

***********

I have no idea when I finally managed to sleep through the unbearable cold of that night but I awoke to the door opening.

I quickly stood up to my feet,alarmed when I saw two men pushing the table aside.

Were they bringing the dogs in here?

I frowned when I saw a wheelchair roll in and sitting on it was Marcelo.

I felt like punching him.

He looked relaxed as he gazed at me.

“Were you expecting a corpse,Mr King,sorry to disappoint you.”I snapped.

He smirked.”Hmm,what am I going to do with you?”

I walked closer to him.”Well,I can give you an idea.Start treating me as your wife!You said you would if I survive the night.”I reminded.

I was acting tough but I was genuinely terrified of him and scared that he might stand up and kill me himself.

But I felt acting tough would reduce the chances of me being killed.

He rubbed his temper.”Are you that desperate to be my wife,Renee?It’s amusing.”

I looked away from him.

“Well then,I am a man of my words so I won’t take it back but I hope you are in tune with everything that has to do with being my wife.I especially would like to see how my wife performs in bird.”

I swallowed.

In bed?

That was part of the duties of a wife,wasn’t it?

I shouldn’t be so shocked but I was.

I was upset about having my first time with this man.

Damn it!

That guy at the club should have just taken me instead of insulting me!

“In bed,you’ll be in control,given my disability.”He continued.

My lips parted as I eyed him.

Disability indeed.

Why was he even pretending to be crippled?

And he seemed to be really good at him.

“You’re not answering?Does that mean you do not want to be my wife anymore?”There was mockery in his tone.

I swallowed.”I would do anything you want,Mr King.”

He scoffed.”Anything?You’re more despicable than I thought.”

It was at the tip of my tongue to insult him too but I held myself back.

I do not want to be put in that terrifying situation as last night.

“So…does this mean you would not send me back to my parents’ house?”I asked,tentatively.

I needed to be sure.

“We’ll see about that.”Anf then,he wheeled away.

I walked out of the room and suddenly felt dizzy.

I bent down a bit trying to get a hold of myself but I felt so weak.

Was it the scare of last night?

I felt really hungry too.

I lost my equilibrium and fell to the ground and then,darkness envelop me.

************

When my eyes opened again,I found myself lying on a bed.I closed my eyes for a moment feeling so confused.

When I opened them again,I looked around to see that I was in the room Chad had brought me to yesterday.

An IV drip was connected to my hand.I realized that I had fainted earlier.

Sighing,I flung the blankets aside because I was sweating profusing.

I took a deep calming breath trying to think of the way forward for me.I had no idea what the future held for me or what being married to Marcelo would do to me but I knew I had to be careful.

I couldn’t afford to offend him so I had to ignore his disability.I had to pretend he was really disabled and not ask any questions.Curiosity kills the cat and it might kill me if I do not thread with caution around him.

A knock sounded on the door.

“Are you awake,Mrs King?”

It was Chad.

“Yes.”I croaked out.

“Mr King wants to see you.”

Oh God.

What now?