005

TESSA

I stood mortified, by the window overlooking the vast landscape of nature. There was a beach a distance away, and the building I was in seemed to be built on top of a hill or mountain. My mind was a mess as so many thoughts flowed in at once.

I remembered all our fun memories together, the good and bad days, I remembered how heart broken I was when I lost him, and then I remembered Andrew. I met him at the right time, and it wasn't easy to forget Pierre and grow, but I did eventually, and Andrew was always by my side. We had beautiful memories too. And now, my heart tried to make me pick between them both, but there was no choosing.

I had moved on a long time ago and now I was engaged to Andrew. No hassle. It's him I loved now, and even if that changed a little, there was nothing I could do. I certainly won't repay his years of patience and support with such disappointment.

I heard the door unlock and creak open, but I didn't look back.

“Good day, ma'am. The Don sent us here to help you get ready.” I heard a lady’s voice, and I swiveled my neck round to look at her.

There were two ladies dressed in maid uniforms. One held a big white box.

“Get me ready for what?” I asked as I walked past them and peeped outside the room, where I saw bodyguards mounted in front of my door.

“The Don said to get you freshened up and bring you downstairs for dinner,” the second one said, anxiety laced in her voice.

“I want to have my dinner here,” I said and they stood fixed like I didn't have any say in the Don's order.

I rolled my eyes. “I'll help myself. You can leave.” If I needed to leave this place, I had to apply Andrew’s belief that problems could be solved with patience and logic. I was going to reason with Pierre and get myself out of this situation.

“Okay, ma'am. Please knock on the door when you're done, and it'll be opened for you,” the maid with the box said as she placed it on my bed, and they both exited the room.

I was wrapped in a towel as I walked over to the bed and opened the box that lay on it. There were clothes and footwear to last me two to three days, jewelry, make-up and perfumes too. I picked up the nightwear in the box and held them up. They were lingeries and silk dresses that barely covered anything but came with compensating robes.

What has Pierre become? I tossed them on the bed. He definitely didn't have plans of letting me go. I felt rage creep up my neck as I glared down at the box.

He didn't have any right to keep me against my will. The sixteen-year-old Tessa he knew then wasn't the same now. I was going to get out of this strange man's captivity no matter what.

I knocked, then stood in front of the door dressed in a short black velvet dress that had gold linings here and there. It was one of the only decent dresses in the lot.

I was slim but curvy thanks to my genes, so the dress clung properly to my body. I didn't have any make-up or shoes on. I wasn't about to impress him. Logically, the prettier I looked, the harder it'll be to get him off me.

I walked downstairs with four men trailing behind me like tails till we got to an outdoor dining area in a beautiful garden.

Pierre was seated at the head of the long table with two of his men engaging in a conversation with him.

When he noticed me, he raised two fingers up, indicating the end of their conversation, so both men stepped away from him. He ran his eyes over me so slowly it felt like he was stripping me with his eyes.

He stood up from his seat and made his way over to me, extending one hand out for me to take. His face was void of any emotion. I looked him in the eyes for a few seconds, then walked past him and took my seat on one of the dining chairs.

He walked back to his seat and with just a look, dismissed his men.

“Why don't you have shoes or make-up on?” He asked plainly as he leaned back on his seat.

“Why does that matter to you?” I hissed.

“It doesn't matter, love. If I didn't have thousands of men swarming my villa, I wouldn't mind you coming down for dinner naked.”

I screwed my nose in disgust as I stared at him. “You've lost it totally. How did you even change this much?”

Pierre didn't say anything. He just stared at me expressionless again.

If he wasn't going to say anything then I will. “You're not the Pierre I know. That alone is a major reason why all of this feels insane.”

“You're not the Tessa I know either. You never judged me even once back then.”

“That was then! That was then, Pierre. Now you're different. You're everything I'd never go for in a man. I'm happy now. Please accept it and let me go. The police are probably searching for me now.”

Pierre chuckled darkly, which made the hairs on my skin rise.

“Let me make a few things clear to you, love. I lost you once and it shattered me. I'll never let that happen again. You might've lost feelings for me, but not to worry, we'll rekindle the old flame. Also, I never take no for an answer. There's nothing the police can do; they know better than to mess with me. You're mine. And the sooner you come to terms with that, the better,” he said and snapped. Then two dining room attendants walked in to serve us food.

I stared calculatingly at my empty plate before food was placed on it. Easygoing didn't work.

It was time for plan B.