Chapter 4.1

Chapter 4.1

Eliesse’s POV

The following day arrived, and that was when my quiet rebellion began. I had officially become a rebel inside my own golden cage.

That morning, Celia knocked on my bedroom door to bring me breakfast. She placed a plate of pancakes, fresh fruits, and a glass of warm milk on the table before politely excusing herself. However, the moment she left, I didn’t even bother touching the food.

Lunchtime came, and the servants brought me my favorite sinigang. The delicious aroma filled the room, but I simply let it sit on the table until the food gradually turned cold.

By the afternoon, Celia had noticed that all the meals delivered to my room remained untouched. Some of them had been sitting there for hours, practically freezing because of the air conditioning.

“Ma’am Eliesse, please, you really need to eat,” Celia pleaded as she entered my bedroom that afternoon.

“The master will be furious if he finds out that you’re starving yourself.”

“I don’t care,” I answered coldly, lying on my bed with my eyes fixed on the ceiling. “Tell him I won’t eat a single bite until he allows me to see my Mama and Papa. If he wants me to cooperate with him, then he needs to keep me alive, and if I die here because of starvation, that’s his fault.”

Celia looked horrified by my words. She opened her mouth as though she wanted to argue, but apparently, she couldn’t find the right words. A few seconds later, she hurriedly left the room.

I was certain she would immediately report everything to that arrogant Zavier.

Night came, but I continued refusing every meal they brought me. Even when my stomach started hurting and I began experiencing slight dizziness, I forced myself to remain determined.

This was my only weapon. If he had all the power, then I still had control over my own life. It would be his conscience to deal with if something happened to me.

That was assuming he even had a conscience. I certainly hoped he did, because I might actually die if he continued ignoring my demands.

The following day, around three in the afternoon, I heard the unmistakable sound of heavy footsteps approaching my bedroom. They weren’t the usual soft footsteps of the household staff.

Before I could even wonder who it was, my bedroom door suddenly swung open with such force that it slammed against the wall.

I immediately sat up on the bed, startled by the unexpected intrusion. My body was already weak from not eating, and even that simple movement made me feel slightly lightheaded. Standing in the doorway was Zavier Castellano.

He was breathing heavily, his white button-up shirt had its top two buttons undone, and his sleeves were rolled up to his forearms, revealing the tattoos covering his skin. His expression was dark, and the dangerous aura surrounding him was so intense.

He was clearly furious. Judging by his appearance, he must have come straight from an important event or meeting.

Without wasting another second, he strode toward my bed and stopped right in front of me. His sharp eyes immediately settled on my face.

“What the hell do you think you are doing, Anneliesse?”

I looked directly at him, doing my best to conceal how weak I was feeling, “I told your staff. I’m not eating.”

“You are playing a dangerous game with me, little girl,” Zavier growled, leaning down until his face was only inches away from mine.

I almost found his choice of words amusing. Little girl? Was he seriously calling me that? His eyes were practically burning with anger, but I refused to look away.

“You think a hunger strike will scare me? I can force-feed you if I want to. I can make your life here absolutely miserable.”

“Then do it!” I shouted back, my voice cracking despite the determination behind it. “Force me! Lock me up in chains, but you cannot force my body to stay healthy if I choose to destroy it! It’s easy for you to tell me to obey because you have no idea what it feels like to be separated from your own parents. I don’t care about your wealth or your protection anymore. If I can’t even see my own family, then this life is useless! Did you really save me from that scandal, or did you just make my life worse?”

Zavier stared at me for several moments. The anger on his face gradually shifted into an expression I couldn’t quite understand. His jaw remained tense, but something in his eyes seemed to change as he studied me. Perhaps he had finally realized that I wasn’t bluffing.

Despite being physically weaker than him, I had enough courage to put my own health at risk for the people I loved.

I had no other family to turn to. I only had Mama and Papa. If I couldn’t even see them anymore, then what was the point of saving my reputation and protecting my name?

Slowly, Zavier straightened his posture and adjusted his slightly disheveled shirt. He took a deep breath before finally speaking.

“You are incredibly stubborn.”

“I learned from the best, Mr. Castellano,” I replied seriously.

He turned away and walked toward the window, staring outside at the garden. It was the same view I often found myself looking at whenever I felt trapped inside this mansion.

Silence settled between us for almost a minute before he finally turned around. His eyes traveled over my face and down to my visibly weakened body. I suddenly felt uncomfortable under his scrutiny, and every muscle in my body seemed to tense.

“Fine,” he finally said.

My eyes widened, “What?”

“I will grant your demand,” Zavier said, crossing his arms over his broad chest. “You will be allowed to visit your parents, but under my conditions.”

My heartbeat quickened, although this time it wasn’t because of fear or anger. It was because of the sudden hope blooming inside my chest.

“What are your conditions?”

“You can visit them once a week. No more than that. Whenever you go there, my security personnel will accompany you. A vehicle will take you there and bring you back here afterward, and absolutely no one else can know about your visits.”

He approached the side of my bed again and pointed toward the untouched food on the table.

“And in exchange for this new privilege, you will eat. Right now. You will stop this childish rebellion and cooperate with me fully whenever we appear in public. I expect you to act like a sweet, affectionate girlfriend in front of the cameras.”

I swallowed nervously, “Does that mean if the public demands a kiss, I have to do it?”

“Of course,” he answered casually.

I nearly choked on my own saliva. Did this old man seriously expect me to kiss him in public? Did he even know that I was still a virgin and had never had a boyfriend?

I looked at the food on the table before returning my gaze to him. Visiting my parents once a week was already more than I had expected from a controlling man like him.

For the first time since entering this mansion, I had actually managed to get something I wanted. It was a huge victory.

“Deal,” I finally said, looking straight into his eyes.

Zavier reached out and adjusted the strap of my dress, which had slipped off my shoulder. I didn’t move away, although the unexpected gesture made me momentarily uncomfortable.

“Eat,” he commanded.

I slowly stood up. My knees trembled slightly as I walked toward the table, and I had to steady myself before reaching the chair.

I picked up the fork and began eating the afternoon snack Celia had brought earlier. The food tasted surprisingly good, although I suspected that my hunger had something to do with it.

From the corner of my eye, I noticed Zavier’s expression soften slightly as he watched me eat.

“Good. Don’t make me come back here for the same foolish reason, Anneliesse.”

“Don’t give me a reason to rebel, Mr. Castellano, and I’ll be a good fiancée in front of your cameras,” I replied with food still in my mouth, deliberately refusing to show him how intimidated I actually felt.

He stared at me for a moment before finally turning around and heading toward the door. Just before he closed it, he glanced back at me one last time.

“Your first visit will be scheduled this weekend. Make sure you look healthy by then.” Then the door finally closed.

I lowered my fork and leaned back against the chair, releasing a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. A tear of happiness slowly rolled down my cheek. I won this battle. No matter how powerful Zavier Castellano was, I had proven that I still had a voice in this relationship. I might not have the same influence, wealth, or authority as him, but that didn’t mean I was completely powerless.

My rebellion had finally paid off and this coming weekend, I would finally see Mama and Papa again. Well, going without food for a day and a half wasn’t so bad after all.