Episode 6

"Come with me, Stella!" Megan called as soon as she opened the bathroom door and stepped out, finding me by the window. I had been there for some time, watching the security guards smile as they drank and chatted. The day had passed and nightfall was upon us.

That day, we had met for breakfast, lunch, afternoon snacks, and dinner, but Megan only opened her mouth to eat. However, her eyes remained on me, analyzing me with her cold gaze. Her mind was surely filled with thoughts, twisted thoughts. She had confessed her desires for me, and now I knew that all she wanted was to have me in bed.

"I'm going to sleep... go by yourself," I said simply.

I felt the wind of her arrival behind me and froze.

"I didn't ask..." she whispered in my ear, and I pulled away, but she held onto my forearms tightly. "I ordered!"

"I'm tired, Megan... leave me alone!" I escaped from her grasp and went to bed, but she followed me and wouldn't allow me to sit down.

"You won't assert yourself, wife!"

"Don't call me that!" I exclaimed, staring into her dark blue eyes, brimming with irritation.

"I will call you that for as long as I want!"

"You can't keep me trapped here as something I'm not!"

"I can, and I already am. No one in London can help you, so you'll never leave, wife!"

"London?" My heart squeezed, and no, I couldn't be so far from home.

"Exactly, London. Now you live miles away from your Aunt Georgia."

"Don't speak of her that way!"

"I'll speak however I want... she's just another opportunist."

Opportunist?

"What are you talking about, you wretch?" I stepped away from her, but didn't move far.

I would exchange words with her, even if I was intimidated by her superiority and arrogance.

"Did you really think Aunt Georgia didn't know anything?"

"Don't you dare..."

"Your aunt always knew about your father's debt... she was going to report it to the authorities, and I had to silence her with money."

"No! Aunt Georgia would never..."

"How do you think she bought that apartment in Brooklyn, working a measly job?"

"No, no, no... you're saying this to make me hate those I love, but it won't happen!" I shouted those words.

Megan smirked ironically and pushed me, causing me to fall onto the bed, her malicious gaze fixed on me.

"Listen, Stella..." she put her hands in the pockets of her black jeans. "Never raise your voice to me again... I like obedience!"

"You'll never have obedience from me... you don't deserve it!"

"It was this kind of obedience you gave to your aunt?"

"No, I never disobeyed her, so don't defame her... you won't make me hate her."

"I don't want you to hate her."

"Yes, you do... you're no good."

"I know I'm no good, but I would never sell a rarity like you, Stella."

"Oh..." I ignored her.

"I just want to open your eyes... we all have a price, and Aunt Georgia is no different."

"No..." I refused to believe it, Aunt Georgia? "No, no."

Megan sighed deeply, as if she were bored with our entire conversation.

"When you hit rock bottom... don't say I didn't warn you."

"No!" I stood up to distance myself from her. I needed to think.

It couldn't be possible that the two people I loved the most had been part of such a dirty negotiation.

Amidst Megan's defamation about Aunt Georgia, she was somewhat right. Aunt Georgia didn't have enough money to buy an apartment in Brooklyn, not with her salary as a domestic worker or with the minimal support my father sent every month, in addition to my job at the cafe - a job that took a long time to find because I was still underage. When we moved into the new apartment, I was suspicious for a few days, lost in my thoughts. Aunt Georgia simply brushed off my questions about the property, giving me flimsy excuses and never answering me. Could it really be true, everything she, Armstrong, had said?

"Let's talk right here!" she said, gripping my arm. I couldn't escape her strength - I'm just telling the truth, but I don't intend to make you hate those who say they love you.

"You're not a saint either!"

"I acknowledge that I'm not, but you should also open your eyes to the truth."

"No!"

"You're with me, a woman who has only wanted to treat you well... I admit that my desire for you made me act a bit aggressive when I first saw you. Seeing you sleeping like an angel there, protected by the sheets, made my heart burn because I would finally have you for myself."

"You weren't exactly gentle."

"I know, but..." she pulled me towards her and lifted my chin, our eyes meeting - "have you ever stopped to think that you could be much worse off, suffering, crying, or maybe in a place where women are only treated as playthings by men?"

"No! They wouldn't do that to me."

"If they had sold you to a brothel owner, you would now be being raped by dirty, despicable men... you wouldn't be able to say anything, they would mistreat you and force you to do disgusting things."

Amidst her words, I got lost in her serious and concerned eyes, the kind of concern I only saw when my mom was still alive, that look while giving me advice was unforgettable.

I ended up thinking about what Megan said, and yes, if I were in a brothel, I wouldn't even know what to think, I would die of anguish, especially knowing that those responsible were my own flesh and blood.

"So, please, Stella..." she said and I freed myself from that gaze, but her face was closer to mine - "make things easier for both of us, accept me... I can make you happy, I can give you whatever you want, or even..." she looked deep into my eyes - "even let you go."

Let me go?

Would she really be capable of letting me go without wanting anything in return? She bought me, kidnapped me, and she says this?

"Would you really let me go, Megan?" I asked, touching her face, which made her smile slightly. I don't even know why I did that. But I soon saw sadness in her eyes.

"Yes, Stella... I have power, I'm a millionaire, I can have whoever I want, but one thing I refuse to have is a bought love... I can't buy your love."

"Megan, I..." I saw her moistening her lips and leaning closer to my mouth...

"I can't buy your love, but I can make you fall in love with me."

"It's..."

"Let me do it."

"No!" I said and turned my face, and felt her lips on my cheek - "I can't fall in love with someone like you."

She brushed her lips against my cheek and I closed my eyes with the sensation, I couldn't allow my body to feel those sensations, not in her arms.

"And why not, Stella? I desire you so much."

"Because I love someone else," I confessed, but she obviously already knew that, she knew practically everything about me.

Megan reluctantly let me go, and I walked with my head down towards the window.

"I can make you forget about Ariana."

"I won't even ask how you know her... you've snooped into my entire life."

"Exactly, and I know Ariana doesn't deserve your love..."

"She betrayed me, but still... I feel something for her."

"You should forget about her. She betrayed you. You should open your eyes to what's around you... I won't be available for much longer... I have needs."

I clenched my jaw and remembered the maid, the one who easily succumbed to her boss.

"Those needs you can..." I interrupted suddenly.

"Say it!" I felt her getting closer - "speak out, wife."

"You have a very beautiful and obedient maid."

She smiled behind me and turned me towards her, then before I could prevent it, I felt the weight of her lips on mine, forcing me to give in to the kiss. But I managed to pull away, and everything she made me go through made me furious. Megan licked the corners of her mouth and I wiped mine with the back of my hand slightly.

"So you already know about the maid?!" she became surprised.

I was certain that she didn't set me up.

"Well, fortunately I saw the two of you in the hallway."

"And what did you feel?"

"Feel? I didn't feel anything!"

"If you didn't feel anything... why did you bring up this topic in our conversation?"

"Because, because... I panicked, I didn't have any arguments to use."

"Did you happen to like what you saw?"

"Don't be indecent!"

"Hmm... she came closer and I moved away."

"Stop right there!"

"Are you afraid of me?"

"No! I'm afraid of you trying to kiss me again."

"Am I that bad of a kisser?"

"Well... that's not the point! I stopped as she stopped."

"Stella... I hope you think about everything we talked about earlier... your father and your aunt don't deserve your love and certainly not Ariana."

"And are you worthy of being loved by me?"

"I don't know. That answer is up to you... I've already told you the whole truth, already shown you my desire for you," already said that I could let you go and...

"Then let me go... let me go back to my life?!"

"If you were to come back right now... think about it... would you feel disgust, anger, hatred, or love when you saw your aunt Georgia's face?"

I thought...

And I would never look at Aunt Georgia with a look of love, but with other looks, after everything she did.

"What's your answer?" she asked and went to the door and opened it, but turned around and looked at me.

"I would look at her with any kind of look, except love... she didn't have the right to conspire with my father, they messed up and that's unforgivable."

"True. And where would you live? How would you manage to live your life, without money, a job, or anyone's support?"

My hands were tied.

"I don't know, but I would figure it out."

There was silence between the distance that separated us and she blinked a few times, seeming thoughtful...

"You know, Stella... I won't wait for you anymore... whether you become my wife or not."

"What do you mean?"

"Live here as a guest, but I hope you recognize what I've done for you... I am what many desire and I don't waste time when it comes to my pleasure."

"Does that mean I'm no longer your wife?" I asked, already hopeful because I longed for her answer to be a yes and finally end my nightmare.

"Think as you wish... oh, and you can go to sleep, she pointed to the bed, I don't intend to take you with me anymore."

"So, this conversation is over, right?"

"Yes... I'll see if I can distract myself with some fun."

"Fun? What kind of fun?"

"Any kind. I just won't take you with me because you haven't accepted me as your wife."

What?

"And I'll never accept."

"Great! Good night and see you tomorrow... maybe."

"Enjoy yourself..."

"I'll try... despite wanting to be here with you." she said warmly and I shivered.

"Well... I tried to speak, but she left, closing the door, leaving me there with thoughts and more thoughts."

I would try to sleep and hope not to have nightmares. After the conversation we had, I felt sad, I was alone in the world and completely lost.

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