Darius and Astrid managed to sneak out of the dining hall, while their parents talked and laughed together. Darius stopped in front of his play room and turned to Astrid. “You can’t tell anyone about this.” He told her. “Who would I tell?” She shrugged, highly curious to know what would happen behind the door. He opened the door and let her walk in first. Cautiously, Astrid entered the room and frowned. “This is where you torture women.” She said like it was a major discovery. It was, at least to her. “I don’t torture. I give them what they need. They just don't know that they need it” He corrected her, locking the door. “You inflict pain on them. Seems like torture to me. I'm sure the walls in here are not even soundproof.” She argued. “Well, the pain works hand in hand with the pleasure. You see, pain in the most pleasurable way makes you question your life choices. Do you want to broaden your sexual exp

“Can we talk?” Darius said as he found Astrid alone in the garden. It was some minutes past midnight. She had found it hard to sleep, so she decided to watch the stars while enjoying the fireflies in the garden. “Sure.” She replied, her concentration still on the moon. He cleared his throat, and she turned to look at him. “You wanted to talk?” She reminded him. “Yes. About what happened today. We can’t let this cause a misunderstanding between us.” He started. “I believe it already has.” She replied, surprisingly calm. “Well we have to clear it up. I can't keep living in a house where I have issues with someone, and we can’t hash it out like the two adults we are.” He spoke sternly, almost taking his tone to his business meeting level. “What’s there to talk about, exactly? We already cleared this up. What’s left is for us to carry on with the act and break it off as soon as we can.” She shrugged. “I was thi

Astrid's heart deflated as she saw that it was not Darius. She started to wonder who it actually was. She had a few on-and-off friends, but she wasn't sure if they didn't know her phone number. The only person back in England who knew it was the guy that helped her get the SIM card through the back door process. Curious, she picked up the phone and pressed it against her ear. “Oh, my God! Is this the Astrid Peyton?!” The woman on the other end screamed out immediately. Astrid f

Astrid didn't know what to feel—anger, fear, maybe even nothing at all. Darius was standing right there. He now knew that she had heard him and Ashlee in the library. “Oh, I didn't know you were back.” What a useless lie, she scolded herself in her head. He literally just got out of there with another woman. And she was going out of there minutes later. He wasn't that stupid. “You saw?” He raised his eyebrow at her. “Heard, thankfully.” Now, she allowed her disappointment show.

“Don't let him get in! What is he doing here? Isn't he supposed to be at work?” Nikoleta stood up from her seat. “I believe he's in the elevator right now.” The woman revealed. Just then, they all heard the ding of the elevator. Astrid rushed back into the changing room, clutching the dress in her hands and breathing rapidly. . Darius stepped into the room, his eyes doing a quick sweep for any sign of Astrid. He smiled at Nikoleta and shrugged. “Why do you look like you're angry at me?” He asked, feigning innocence. “You're supposed to be at work. You knew Astrid and I were coming here. What are you doing? Showing off, trying to tell everyone just how many private jets you have?” Nikoleta frowned at him. “Oh, but I am at work, mum. I own the place.” He sat down next to her on the comfortable sofa with an air of pride. Cassia knew that Darius was engaged, but that didn't stop her from blushing at how he carried himself, and he noticed. “Leave! We were in the middle of something.”