Chapter 5

Chapter 5 stm 

Caterina was nervous. The backyard was filled with hundreds of people. She eyed them nervously as the butler handed her another tray of appetizers to take to the table and serve to the guests. 

She had never dealt with so many people although she was running a cafe with her father for years. The slacks and shirt was already making her uncomfortable and those heels. And not to mention the tray was filled to the brim. 

She managed to hold it and serve the guests one by one, ignoring the wandering hands and people mocking at her. 

She bit the insides of her cheek to hold her tears back. She wanted to shout and stab every hand that moved on her body without her consent. She wanted to make sure not to offend any guest because she was surely scared of Hugo and Luca. 

It was her fourth trip from the bar to the table when suddenly someone pushed her purposely. She tried to balance herself but failed. The tray fell off her hands and splashed on a few people surrounding her. 

It was all pin drop silence for a while before she heard someone snickering. One person to another, it was a full blown laughter and all she could do was gather the broken pieces of glass with trembling hands. 

She was trying to tone down her tears, her heart was beating fast. 

“Get up”. She heard a cold voice behind her and she instantly froze on the spot. 

Without turning, she stood up on her shaking legs. Her arm was grasped in a death grip as she was pushed towards the kitchen. 

“I specifically told you not to embarrass me in front of my honorable guests and you did exactly the same”. Hugo snarked on her face as he pushed her to the counter. 

“Sir.. I… I didn't do it… some… someone pu..pushed me”. She was trembling, looking fearfully at Hugo who stretched his hand and Luca provided him with a special stick. 

“No.. please no. I didn't do it on purpose. Please sir”. She clasped her hands but her eyes opened wide to see the stick coming towards her. 

She couldn't get her mind to run away as it contacted her arms and legs. She cried in pain. It was increasing every second as Hugo was mercilessly hitting her. Her slacks were torn at her legs and her white shirt was blotted in red at her arms and back. 

“Next time you will remember the lesson”. That was the last thing she heard before she lost consciousness. 

—---

Caterina woke up in her room and didn't know how she was there. She groaned in pain. Her head was throbbing and her body was reminding her well of the beatings she endured. 

She didn't know how much time had passed. All she knew was she wanted to run away. Her throat was parched up and she could feel the heat wafting from her body. 

She put a shaking hand on her forehead and teared up to feel herself burning. She was helplessly lying there waiting for anyone to come and check on her. To give her water but her body was shutting down again. 

The next time she woke up was a sensation of something cold and wet pressed on her forehead and a little prick on her arm. 

It was dark outside when she finally regained her consciousness. She could feel her temperature a bit lowered. Maybe someone came to check her up. She had this faint memory of someone feeding her water and some tablets but she didn't know who and if it was a reality or not. 

She managed to sit up and took a few shaking steps towards the bathroom to relieve herself. 

Her vision was clouded with black and white spots dancing in front of her and it was a miracle according to herself that she managed to pee and wash her face before coming back to her bed. 

Her stomach was in knots reminding her that she had not eaten anything for God knows how long. She wanted to go out and look for herself if there was something she could eat but her feet refused to walk and she slumped down on the bed again. 

“Please … papaaaa”. She was crying again, missing her father when she heard the door opening. 

She saw another maid coming inside followed by Gerard. Without speaking a word the maid helped her sit and held a tray to her. 

She looked at her with grateful eyes and took the tray with some kind of soup and bread for her. She thought maybe they would leave her alone but they kept standing until she managed to finish the soup and bread. 

Gerald opened a bottle from his pocket and shook out two tablets and held it to her. 

“Thank you”. She whispered as she gulped the tablets and lay down on the bed. She didn't know who came up with the idea of giving her medical assistant but whoever it was, she was grateful. 

—--

“Wake up princess. The days of rest are over. Get back to work”. She was jolted awake by the sound of Luca speaking to her. 

She rubbed her eyes and stood up immediately but her body had not recovered fully. She was about to fall face first only if Luca had not held her. 

“I am sorry sir”. She licked her dry lips looking at her feet. 

“Get changed and start your chores. Hugo is very angry as you have not cleaned his wing for the last four days. I don't want to hear his ranting anymore. Get back to work now”. Luca ordered her and left her room. 

“Four days”. She talked to herself and although her body was protesting all the fatigue, she went to take a shower and sighed to see herself in the mirror. 

The wounds were healed but maybe that was the reason for her fever. Her thighs and arms had ugly purple bruises. There were a few on her back that actually bled. 

A warm bath felt good to her skin and no matter how much she wanted to feel it warming her up, she had work to do and she could not afford another beating from Hugo. 

—---

The place wasn't a mess to say but yes it wasn't as clean as Hugo liked. She ignored all the aches and head throbbing and started cleaning the master bedroom. 

She took a deep breath, feeling Hugo’s signature smell enriched in the room even if he wasn't there. 

It was all manly stuff. Shades of greens dominated everywhere just like his eyes. The drapes were a dark shade of olive with matching rugs while the bed covers were the color of grass. 

There wasn't anything electronic in his room as she cleaned and dusted all the surfaces available.

The bathroom was another story to define. It was bigger than the size of her old living room. The vanity was made of black marble just like the shower area. 

There were huge jet sprays on the walls of the shower area and the head of the shower too. 

She picked a soap bar and sniffed it, inhaling the smell when the door smacked open. 

“What the hell are you doing here?” She looked at Hugo through the mirror and the soap fell off her hands. 

“I am sorry I…”. She quickly moved to pick up the soap but she didn't check the distance between the soap bar and slipped on the floor. 

“What the actual fuck”. Hugo angrily shouted at her but frowned when he saw the titles turning red where her forehead smashed with the toilet seat. 

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Tabby