3

Edna returns to her office very exhausted with every joint in her body crying for a soft bed to lay on.

The press conference has just been concluded and she is glad that it has, but she has just gotten news that she will be traveling to Korea with Malik.

She is wondering why she was told about this early, but she is used to it already.

Her father-in-law makes the decisions for her and she is to bend her head and carry them out without complaining. This time around, she is feeling very different about this one.

She picks up her pen and looks at the inscription on the pen. Writing in gold and slated in design.

Jackson is what is written on the pen, the name of this mighty empire.

She has made great sacrifices for this name, but all it has brought her is pain and regret. Right from the time she was in high school and to endure the hate Keith had for her because she was his key opponent. Such irony that she is now married to the one person that hated her so much.

She slams the pen against the table and lets out a long exhale. She needs to speak to her father-in-law.

She doesn't want to travel to Korea with Malik. She feels terribly uncomfortable around him. She feels that since his brother hates her so much, he will definitely feel the same way.

This is the first time, but she is willing to speak to her father-in-law to change his mind and send someone else.

She knows that a lot of the workers are crushing on him so it would be a dream come true for them to travel with him, not her.

It's embarrassing that she had a crush on him during their high school days and now she cringes whenever the thought comes to her head. She can't imagine spending weeks with him, she would rather take the risk to beg her father-in-law to change his mind.

She pulls closer to her table and picks up the phone and dials her father-in-law's number. It rings a few times and he doesn't pick up.

Normally, she would have let him be, but this is a desperate situation. For all she knows he might be ordering booking of hotels, and expensive jewelry are being bought and that would only make it harder for her to drop out of the trip.

She redials his number and taps her finger on the table, praying that he picks up soon. He does pick up and for a slight minute, her heart skips a beat.

"Edna, I am in a minute. " His deep voice sounds very unimpressed.

"I know sir, just wanted to let you know that I need to speak to you about something very quickly. " She explains.

He is silent on the other end of the phone for some time. She bites her lip, anticipating his reply. She won't want him to say no.

"Okay. " He finally answers. " I think I can give you a few minutes of my time."

"Thank you, sir. " She says in relief and he ends the call.

She knows that it is too quick to be relieved now. Only when he approves for her to skip the trip, only then will she be truly happy.

******

"No. " He tells her in finality.

Her pedicured nails dig deeper into her palm as she tries not to overreact. She can probably change his mind.

He isn't even looking at her, he is looking at the laptop in front of him.

Edna swallows a hard gulp and keeps her head up.

"Sir. " She hopes her voice is polite. " Please don't send me there. "

"Why not?" He asks without looking up. " You work for me and I have the authority to send you anywhere I so desire. "

That's right, he reminds her that he owns her and it leaves a huge hole in her heart again. She hates it when he throws it in her face like that, but there is nothing that she can do about it.

" Sir, please. " She begs. " I am having my time of the month and I don't function well during times like this. "

She bites the soft skin on the inside of her lips. She is lying to him, but she desperately needs him to agree to her staying back.

" That's not an excuse and you know it. " He snorts. " Seeing your menstruation isn't an illness and definitely not worth cutting a trip for. "

Her heart falls as she hears him say this. He is standing strong on his ground and there is nothing that she can do to change his mind.

She wishes there is something else she can tell him that will make him change his mind, but knowing her father-in-law, she knows that this is the end of it.

He tears his eyes away from his laptop and sees her misty eyes, but he doesn't care.

"An email will be sent to you with details of the trip. " He informs her. " I guess you go back home and have enough rest for tomorrow. You may go. "

She stands up and leaves the officer dejected. She doesn't even know what she bothered trying.

****

10:49 PM.

That's the exact time she turns the doorknob to her home and got into the house.

Everywhere is dark, except for the security lights reflecting from outside, the place would be even darker. The housekeeper must have gone home by now and Keith should be watching the television or had fallen asleep by now.

She doesn't even bother to get something to eat. She has had a lot of snacks at the office and she is not that hungry.

She is exhausted and has to travel the very next day so the best option for her is to get into her bed as soon as possible.

The trip to Korea is not a vacation. She is going to work her butt off trying to impress the Kim Soo family and God help her if she doesn't. Mister Jackson is going to have her head.

She sighs as she gets to the banister and holds it for support as she heads up the stairs.

She gets to the hall and slowly opens the door as quietly as she can. She doesn't want to disturb her husband's sleep and that's not because she loves him so much, but because sleeping means peace for her.

Unfortunately for her, he is not asleep. He is half sitting on the bed.

Her heart falls, but she still walks into the room. On getting closer to him, she notices that he has a cigarette in his hand and he is puffing out smoke into the air.

"Hi. " She says to him, but he says nothing to reply to her.

She proceeds to the huge closet and turns on the light. She takes off her jacket and drops the bag in her hand.

She takes off her clothes and grabs a robe which she puts on. She walks out of the closet and into the bathroom. As she goes, she catches the mysterious eyes of her husband following her. She ignores them and goes on her way.

After a short shower, she feels less exhausted and terrible about herself. She looks into the mirror of the bathroom and that's when it dawns on her that she won't be here by this time tomorrow.

But looking at the bright side, she is not going to be with Keith and it's going to be alright.

Malik can be handled. She will try her best to avoid him and then she will be fine. It's not as bad as she thought it would be.

She takes off the robe and slips into a nightie. It's made of flimsy material and it's bright pink in color. It falls just below her buttocks and she pulls it down a bit, she wishes it is longer.

She strolls back into the bedroom and climbs on the bed from her side. The night is somehow hot, but she pulls the duvet over herself, she has her reasons.

She can hear Keith beside her. She can hear him exhale out the toxic fumes from the burning elements of the cigarette.

She tries to hold her breath because it's much easier to do that than to inhale irritating thickness in the air. She feels the desperate urge to cough because if she dares to cough, she might get a black eye this night.

"Keith?" She calls.

"What?" He answers irritatingly.

"I um. " She swallows as her eyes dart around in the dark. " I am traveling tomorrow to Korea. I am going with Malik AND some others. "

She deliberately emphasizes so that he would know that she is not going to be alone.

"Got the news yesterday. " She feels a stab. He knew the whole time, but she didn't. She is just a toy to this family, isn't she?

" I will call every day. " She informs him. " You won't even know I am not here. "

"Not like I care. " He chuckles wickedly. " I won't feel a thing even if the plane kills you and that shit, Malik. "

She feels tears building up in her eyes. She clutches her pillows and tries her best not to cry.

"This is what you have always wanted, isn't it?" He nudges her.

" No. " She bemoans.

"Of course it is. " He insists. " You have always wanted to fuck Malik since we were kids. "

"I don't know what you are talking about, Keith. " She lies.

"Of course you do. " He laughs. " He is fine, I know that. Nothing makes me more proud than dangling you right in his face. If there is one thing I have and he doesn't, it is you. "

She hates it so much. She hates it when they treat her like a price or a toy, the worst part is that she can't say she does.

She hears him lying down on the bed and feels his scratchy hands on her side. her skin jumps repentantly.

"Too bad your savior isn't here to save you. " He mocks her.

She can't take it anymore. She pushes the duvet away and darts out of the bed, but it's too late.

He grabs her and pins her against the bed. He gets on top of her and watches her try to get out of his grip. It's all useless, she is so weak.

"Please, Keith. " She sobs. " Please don't do this today. "

He smacks her across the face so loudly that the sound of his hand coming in contact with her face bounces off the wall.

" I will do what I want with you, bitch. " He tells her. " You are my fucking property. "

With that, he undoes his zip and his fully erected penis drops out of it.

Edna begs and cries, but he ignores all of it and thrusts into her so hard that she screams in sheer pain.