“H-hello? R-Rufus?” I called him with my trembling voice over the phone, tears brimming in my eyes.
Quivering endlessly with incomprehensible fright running in my veins.
“Hello? Candice? What happened?” Rufus asked, worried to sense the fear transmitted.
“I heard Nicolas was shot, Is he okay?” He asked again, concerned.
“H-He is fine…” I breathed out, holding my tears back but could as they rolled down my cheek.
“Then what happened?” He asked again.
I.. I don’t want to live here!”
I sobbed, putting my hand over my mouth to muffle the sound so Tyler might not listen, breaking into inaudible cries of devastation.
“I don’t want.. T-to live with him.. Please take me a-away and don’t l-let him know.”
I shivered violently to think what Tyler would do. I sniffed, wiping my tears, breathing with difficulty.
“What are you saying Candice? Did you two had a fight?” He asked.
“P-Please… I don’t w-want to live.. With him..”
I cried again, holding the hem of my dress while leaning my back on the sink of the bathroom.
Gasping for air, trying not to cry out loud but it was hard to contain my misery and stay composed.
“Candice… calm down. Do you know how much he loves you? How desperately he looked for you after you left?”
He tried to soothe me but he doesn't understand what I am going through and I have no strength to bear Tyler he has become now.
I couldn’t never…
“Please…” I almost begged. “O-Okay.. Okay.. I will come, please don’t vex. It’s not good for your condition.” He said.
I cut the call with my shaky hands and hid my face in my knees, crying with endless tears streaming down, glistening the heartache building inside me.
Tyler words are echoing in my mind and inflicting unbearable horror in me.
I, who got startled easily, it was hard to be at serene after his outburst. The thought of facing his wrath, made me disquiet, embedding dismay and stealing my ability to think.
Forcing my cries to a halt, I turned on the shower and took a long shower to take these thoughts from my mind.
My eyes were puffy from the cries but I had to bear with it. Pretending nothing happened, I walked out and changed my clothes.
Thankfully Tyler was not in the room. I don’t think I could face him now.
My legs gave up on me when I was about to leave the room, my very soul trembling to think about the consequences.
I sat on the couch, hugging my knees and putting my chin on it, on the verge of crying.
‘Why have you become like this Tyler?’
My breath hitched when the creaking sound of the door being opened reached my ears, revealing none other than Tyler entering.
I shivered and looked at him timidly. He spared a glance at me as my heart skipped a beat.
He motioned two maids to come and put the lunch on the table. They put the food and left, leaving us alone, the most dreadful moment for me now.
I kept looking down, not daring to speak. I almost gasped when he sat on the other side of the couch.
Not even meeting his ominous gaze, I remained still, never in my life I was this horrified.
“Candice.” He called. I convulsed and looked at him in fear, tightening my grip over me.
“Eat something.” He said nonchalantly. I swallowed the lump in my throat and even though the terror took away my appetite.
I managed to swallow my food under his sharp gaze. I couldn’t finish.
“Finish it.” He said. “I.. Can’t.” I whispered, sitting with my hands over my laps, looking down.
I sensed him coming closer, tears brimmed in my eyes when he lifted my chin, those sapphire eyes of affection held no emotion anymore.
Devoid, he asked, “Did you cry?”
“No.” My voice came out like a screech. His index finger from my chin began to travel as he could feel the quivers I received by his action.
His finger stopped at the center and moved back up to my chin, “You surely did.” He said.
I curled my toes, not meeting his icy gaze with my heart racing against my chin and he could sense my fright easily.
He stood, not leaving my chin, a tear pricked in the corner of my eyes but I managed to suppress it, lips parted in apprehension to face his lethal apparition.
“T-Tyler please… y-you are scaring me…” I whispered.
“I-I am sorry.” He let out a menacing suppressed laugh which stilled me.
He leaned down one hand across me, leaning too close to my face, His hot breath lingered on my face, immersing me in dread more.
“P-Please…” I said, almost crying.
“Ah… Love, let me remind you… you shall pay for each tear you will shred.”
His husky voice turned into a scowl, lifting me up and shifting me to his laps.
“Please Tyler.” I uttered, shutting my eyes while holding my dress tightly, he hummed, nuzzling to my neck and putting his hand over my thighs.
I shut my legs but when he dug his nail, I couldn’t help but to whimper as my voice was stuck in my throat, trembling in fright.
But, after a tormenting and devilishly long time, he stopped, pushing me from him and getting up.
“You better get used to it.” He said coldly, opening another button of his shirt.
“T-Tyler please don’t do this. Ty-”
Before I could continue, he left, leaving me in the dark and fear to embed this in my core.
The result of my action of isolating myself from him. He could literally break every boundary to make me his…
‘Why are you so desperate for me, Tyler?’
At dinner time, thankfully Rufus came and Tyler was beyond pissed, he entered the room, grabbing my arms harshly.
“Did you call your brother?” He asked furiously.
“N-No… W-Why?” I manage to reply, shaking in his supreme presence.
“Your brother is here. Make yourself presentable enough and come out.” He ordered. I winced when his grip on me tightened.
“And if you dare to take a step out of this place, I will drag you back here myself and you will be held responsible for the consequences.”
He hissed, I chilled by his authoritative words.