18

I woke up achy in my closet, stretching as I removed my blanket. I gathered my pillow and blanket, then walked out plopping it down on the bed.

"Oh dear! I didn't see you." Aria held her hand to her chest. "Did you sleep in the closet?"

"Yes. It felt safer in there."

Safer from what, I have no idea. I didn't feel like doing today, or any day ever again.

I took my clothes from Aria and headed to the shower. I was quietly staring off at the wall while she did my hair and makeup. She picked a pretty white dress that flowed from my hips to my knees. I looked aimlessly at my reflection. This wasn't me. I liked dresses, but not ones like this, and not every day.

"You want to get some new clothes after lunch." Aria smiled at me, hoping to cheer me up. I could tell her and Antonio were glancing at me in worry. I guessed I seemed depressed.

"Sure." I simply replied then walked down to breakfast. I walked past the large window, finding the garden outback. Maybe I could take a walk in there later? I had nothing else to do with my life.

I was on track to be a doctor and would start my residency next year. In the mornings I like to wake early and run at least five miles, then I would study, head to class, meet some friends for lunch, and then study some more before dinner. Some days I had a part time job to help pay for food and then at night... Well, at night, Vincent used to come. We would stay up late goofing around, playing games, or headed to a party for a few hours then always back to my place for lots of orgasms.

Man, he really knew how to work that tongue and his dick. His dick was perfect, hitting every spot that made me burst into bliss. All of that was nothing now. I had no need to work out, could never attend school again, a job was pointless as Caelum provided everything for me, and Vincent. Vincent was made up. He never existed and everything we shared was a lie.

As I entered the dining room, I smiled softly at all the people that sat around the table. I guess a lot of the family were too drunk to leave last night. The house was big enough for ten families so I'm sure Caelum didn't care. I walked to sit at an open chair in the middle of the table and quietly took some food.

"Hey! Strip poker girl." The boy Enzo kissed my cheek as he walked in and took a seat two chairs down from me and two away from Caelum. My eyes met the beast and he had nothing but a cold glare for me. Figures!

I quickly diverted my eyes to Enzo remembering how I saw Caelum very naked and very much fucking a woman. "Hi Enzo." I gave him a small smile then returned to my food. I filled my plate, but didn't eat much. I thought I was hungry yet the food wasn't going down well.

"Caelum?" I quickly said his name before I lost the courage to ask. Everyone gasped at me like I said something wrong. I looked around confused. "Now what did I do?" I huffed.

"What do you want Solenne?" Caelum pulled my attention to him.

"Am I allowed in the gardens?"

"You can go anywhere on the property. Antonio can guide you."

"Ok." I went back to pushing my food around my plate.

"I can show you around." Enzo offered. He seemed like a sweet boy, but I wasn't in the mood to be lied too anymore.

"Thank you, but not today. I don't feel well. Excuse me please." I stood and walked back to my room.

I waited until lunch time then headed back downstairs. This was all I had to live for now. As I made it down the steps Caelum was there staring at me.

"What are you up to?" He asked me.

"Nothing. It's lunch time." I answered and continued walking to the dining room. I went to take a seat at the end of the table, but Caelum grabbed my elbow and walked me to the other side.

"Sit and explain yourself, now!" He ordered, pointing to the chair to his left.

"I don't understand!"

"Why are you being good?" He asked and my eyebrows shot up.

"Being good? You think this is me being good." I laughed then wiped my eyes that were tearing.

Thankfully I opted out of makeup today. I usually only wore it when going out on the town, not every day like a damn trophy wife.

"I think this is you playing a game." His tone was now deadly, but I was over it. He can kill me, I have nothing to live for.

"You're so clueless when it comes to women. This is me being sad, stupid." I rolled my eyes at him. He needed to get over himself.

His fist slammed on the table as steam poured out of his ears. "What did you fucking say?"

"Why do you insist on me answering you if you don't want to hear my response." I stared hard at him, my anger boiling at the surface and I had no way to vent it. Vincent was dead, but I desperately needed to scream at him. "I'm fucking miserable and I'm trying to quietly come to terms that my life is fucked now. Can you please just let me fucking breath for once?" I stood up and left, but Caelum was quick on my heels.

He roughly grabbed my arm, forcing my body to turn to his. "I should have your tongue removed for the way you speak to me."

"Caelum, I'm simply in a bad mood and I want to be left alone. I'm sorry you don't understand emotions, but it is obvious. Just let me go so I can spend forever in my room, alone." My eyes showed him no fear or really anything. I saw his confusion and he let me go.

I walked up the stairs like a robot with no purpose. Maybe Aria was free now and we could buy something other than dresses. If I was going to be stuck in this house my whole life I mind as well be comfortable.

I decided to head back downstairs to find her and luckily, she was in the kitchen cleaning up everyone's lunch. I walked in and took out some Tupperware containers then helped pack away the left-over sandwiches.

"You don't have to help child." Aria looked at me concerned.

"I know. There is literally nothing else for me to do. I was hoping we could buy some clothes. I really hate wearing these dresses every day."

"Sure dear. Let me get these to the fridge in the basement then we can look online. You have to promise to be good though."

"I will." I said with an eye roll.

I already figured out Caelum feared I would try to contact someone if I got a hold of social media. It was also why I didn't bother asking for my phone. It was sad that Caelum plucked me right out of my life and not a single person noticed.

After the food was sorted Aria and I spent hours shopping. It helped me get out of my funk and some of the clothes would be rushed delivered. It was Caelum's money so I didn't mind the extra f*e. Aria was the one that offered anyways.

I sat in the library looking for a book to escape into and found the perfect one. This wasn't so bad. I could buy anything I wanted, read every book every written, maybe I could finish my school online. Antonio or Aria could supervisor I didn't send out any SOS signals to my teachers. I couldn't be a doctor and would never be able to do my residency, but maybe I could be a scientist or something.

The front door opened with three guards carrying packages and I nearly attacked them. I was so excited and couldn't wait to get changed.

"What is this?" Caelum asked from behind me, making me jump.

"Fuck Caelum!" I whispered. A small smile appeared on his face and I knew what that meant. God, please don't let that man think he could do to me what he did to that woman.

I cleared my throat, washing the dark memories of him fucking a woman from my mind. "I ordered some clothes with Aria. I hope that is ok?" I didn't care if it was ok. He kidnapped me and locked me away forever.

"It's fine. Bring them to her room. I'll let Aria know to unpack them." He ordered everyone then met my eyes. Was he being nice?

"Thanks, I guess." I looked at him for another moment then headed upstairs. That was weird.

Maybe he wasn't such a brute if I stopped running my mouth. Ha, that was unlikely to happen. I was just too scared and depressed to argue with him right now.

The second I ripped opened a bag with black leggings I peeled off my dress. The guards dropped the packages and quickly turned around. It was amusing how they never tried to sneak a peek. After being threaten many times that I would be raped it was nice that some men still respected me.

I threw on the leggings and continued opening packages until I found a cow neck sweater to throw on too. It was mildly chilly, but this sweater was gorgeous in a teal ombre.

"Antonio?"

"Yes Sol." He was still facing the wall.

"You can turn around. I'm dressed. Can you take me for a walk in the garden? Caelum said to ask you for a guide."

"Of course."

"Here, you need shoes dear." Aria handed me these really cute black boots. There were no heels, but they looked perfect with my leggings.

"Oh my god I feel free. Well, not really free, but at least not constricted in those god-awful dresses."

"Hey, I picked out those dresses." Aria scoffed.

"And they are beautiful, but I hate wearing them every day. Let's go Antonio." I grabbed his hand and ran out the door. Franco was still around, but I mostly ignored him. He annoyed me and I wasn't in the mood to hear his hatred for me.

The next few weeks I ran around the house exploring every nook and cranny, both inside and out. Antonio lightened up to me a lot and we talked more friendly with each other. Aria was like my mother, always correcting the things I said or the ways I acted. That woman needed to understand I won't parade around like a model hoping a man would take me away. I was me and that was all I wanted to be.

Caelum had business and left for days at a time. We didn't speak much and I was sure to bite my tongue when we did. I still hated that man, but he was my gate keeper. I knew you got more flies with honey and I needed to butter him up. I was hoping he would let me take classes online.

That was it. My big plan in life was to survive this house, not lose myself, and continue my dream as closely as I could online. Who knows, maybe o

ne day the made men will leave and never come back, releasing me from this prison I was trapped in. It was something for now.