Chapter seven

He carried her into the room they’d emerged from, before climbing up the golden staircase. Phoebe wondered if he felt pain at all with the way he was carrying her effortlessly like she was weightless even when she weighed over 59kg. On reaching the top of the stairs, Phoebe saw that the mansion was massive as they kept passing door after door, just how many rooms did the house contain? She wondered if it would be possible for her to escape from the house which seemed to expand the more they went.

He opened the door to a big bedroom with a queen-sized bed in the middle. The whole room was painted milky white, matched with golden tiles. The vanity, wardrobe, closet, and door were all of golden color. Before Phoebe could finish drowning herself in the beauty of the room, she was thrown with force on the bed. The force with which she landed made the bed to vibrate violently. The hair tie she'd used to put her hair up in a ponytail, snapped and her hair came undone, adding color to the pristine white bed.

“What is wrong with you?” A frown marred her face as his smile widened. Naturally, she was supposed to feel scared by the way he was acting like a psychopath but all she felt instead was anger.

“Look, I have no idea why I am even here. For all I know, this is nothing less than a kidnap and I would advise you let me go this minute if you don't want to face the repercussions,” She threatened as she stared hatefully at the man in front of her. The last thing she wanted to do was show him that she was scared. She wasn't going to let him treat her that way, no matter who he thought he was.

The man scoffed as he stood above her feeling like the prince of Paris. Her stomach twirled in disgust as she watched him standing like he owned the whole world.

Pathetic jerk.

“From now henceforth, you will listen to whatever I tell you. For this whole year, you would be my surrogate, and I, your master. I will send the documents and your food up soon, it's important that you sign on it. I would let you rest for now.” he said, exposing his immaculate white teeth. Knowing that it was all a facade and he wasn't the gentleman he was trying to portray himself as, she made a mental note not to give into his silly games either.

“I won’t sign anything,” she insisted as she sat on the bed, pulling at her dress that had gone up from the awkward position. If he had seen anything, he didn't mention it and his demeanor remained unchanged.

“You will, princess. You surely will,” he said, his voice filled with authority that made Phoebe wonder what would happen if she didn't comply. A part of her wanted to push the jerk’s buttons, to drive him insane until he let her go but she wasn't sure if her safety would be guaranteed.

Phoebe turned her head to the window, indicating uninterest in the conversation.

Didn't Raven signify a bad omen? She wondered as she caught sight of a black raven perched on a cable through the window.

“You didn't ask for my name? His voice interrupted her thoughts but she refused to look in his direction. The raven ate something that was on the floor and flew away. Looking farther to the right, she noticed that the compound had a garden, a beautiful garden with different varieties of flowers adorning it. She’s always had a thing for flower and the mere sight of it brought back color to her once-pale face.

She startled slightly, a frown marring her features as she felt a body behind her. She tried getting away from him but as if sensing what she was up to, he entwined his fingers in hers and leaned his head on her shoulders, both of them facing the floor-to-ceiling window.

“You like the view?” his voice was calm and Phoebe couldn't help but wonder if there was a soft heart behind the hard exterior.

“Please let me go, I beg of you. I promise I will repay the money my father must have collected, down to the last penny,” she resumed her pleading. It was not like she bought his useless story anyway but she had to convince him into believing she did.

“I would give it back. Just let me go. I know you are a good man and wouldn't want to go to the length of abducting a woman,”

The fact that he'd been acting all nice with her since she came was even more scary. Why would he go through the trouble of kidnapping someone just for a child? The luxury in the mansion was enough proof of his financial status, that he was a billionaire and could get as many women as he pleased. No, women would gladly throw themselves at him, he just needed to smile at one. What was his real motive then? As much as she cracked her brain to figure it out, she didn't find any possible answer. Her heart thumped erratically in her chest as his breath fanned the nape of her neck.

He chuckled in a manly way, that had Phoebe’s body reacting in the opposite of her mind, before responding. “You want to repay me? The CEO of Reid Group of companies? Hmm, interesting.”

“So how do you intend on repaying me?” he asked, turning her around until she was facing him. With his hands still on her shoulders, he flashed her his set of teeth.

“You can't possibly pay me back, sweetheart. You would stay here until you give me a child. The earlier you accept that fact and start seeing here as your new home, the better it will be as I am not going to let you go.

With that and without signs, he exited the room, giving the door a little bang.

Pathetic jerk.

Phoebe cursed under her breath as she exhaled the air she'd been holding while staring at the door in disbelief. Everything felt so unreal, like a dream. But she was sure it wasn't one. Thoughts about Trevor and her father clouded her mind. Did her father really sell her off to pay their bills? She walked towards the bed but paused midway as her phone was out of sight. She must have dropped it during her struggles. No, she'd brought it with her. She was sure of it. Scanning the room with even more zeal, she sorted for her purse but it was nowhere to be found.

Assuming that she must have left it downstairs, she made for the door. At this point she needed some form of emotional support, she needed someone to know that she was in danger and that person was her sick father.

As soon as she opened the door, stood the figure of a woman, who looked to be not so far from her age, somewhere in her mid-twenties, hair packed up in a sleek bun, putting on a maid uniform. The woman was posed funnily, with one hand holding a closed tray and the second arm outstretched towards the door. Phoebe’s furrowed eyebrows relaxed as she soon understood that they had reached for the door at the same time.