Chapter 2: Teddy who?

After several days of no food and water, it felt as if I was about to die. I was exhausted, thirsty and starving, praying for anyone to give me even a drop of water.

I was on the floor curled in on myself when the door opened. I couldn’t lift up my head but I saw polished Oxford shoes and striped blue pants until the figure sat on his hunkers and the man’s face came into view.

This close, his blue eyes looked empty, a scowl on his face. Even in my state, I noticed his high cheekbone and sharp jaw - he was handsome like the devil.

“You aren’t dead,” he says dryly as if talking about the weather.

“Wa.. Water,” I mumbled, my throat parched.

He shoved a flask of water in my face and I leaped up to take it but he withdrew it out of reach.

I stretched my hand, watching as he stood up and took a step back. Eyes on me, he poured the water on the floor, laughing wickedly as I crawled towards it and scooped the water to my lips.

I sighed in relief when the water hit my throat but gasped in horror when he stepped in the puddle.

Tears in my eyes, I looked up at him. “Please, one more drop.”

He shoved a paper and pen to my chest that I quickly grabbed. “Sign.”

With shaking fingers, I did as I was told, tears blurring the words. He took them from me and turned the flask upside down.

I shuffled closer, my mouth opened wide, swallowing as I drank. When it was finished, he threw the flask at me and left.

Minutes after he left, a team of maids entered, grabbed me and took me to the bathroom. They scrubbed my body so hard, my skin became red, brushed my hair and put in different products that smelled so good I could eat.

I was waxed, nails trimmed and painted, feet scrubbed until it became as soft as my hair. They put me in a pink silk dress that felt like feathers on my skin.

Once they were done, they served me a tray of food and left, locking the door behind them. I ate ravenously, finishing the food almost immediately.

Some time later, they came in, took the plates away and soon after, the man who had been beside my Master that other day came to get me.

He introduced himself as Oliver, Mr. Chamberlain’s secretary. Oliver led me downstairs out the front door into a sleek range rover.

My heart picked up like a rabbit in a cage when I noticed Mr. Chamberlain in the car with me, his eyes accessing me.

“You clean up nice,” he said, and I didn’t know if that was an insult or not. “Now, you’re accompanying me to a party. You’d be there as my arm candy, nothing more. You’re to shut up and look pretty. Is that clear?”

“Yes,” I licked my lips, “Master.”

“Come here.”

I shuffled to him and stiffened when his head dropped close to my face. Sweat dripped down my spine at the close proximity and my throat closed up.

It was when he moved did I notice the collar he had around my neck. It was smooth leather but there was no mirror to check whether it looked good.

“That has my initials on it inside. Take it off only when I say so, understood?”

“Yes, Master.”

“Good girl.”

Despite myself, my toes tingled at the praise but I kept my mouth shut. The drive to the party was met with silence, my Master a heavy presence beside me. When the car pulled to a stop, Oliver didn’t get out but waited for the valet to open the door.

My Master got out first, buttoned his suit jacket hat was dark blue and tailor made and stretched his arm to me. I took it and we made our way inside the sleek, grand hotel.

Inside of the hotel was golden with beautiful and powerful looking people milling around.

Waiters slipped around people carrying trays of wine and tiny sized food. My Master swiped two glasses of champagne from a passing waiter and passed me one.

He turned his head to whisper in my ear. “Get drunk and you’d regret it.”

“I won’t, Master.”

He said nothing. His blue eyes scanned the people, silently accessing before walking towards a group of people. Chorus of “Mr. Chamberlain,” rang in the air, the men shakes his hand and the women presses kisses on his cheek.

The conversation was perfunctory and business, topics moving almost too fast for me to keep up. He said his goodbyes and before we even took one more step, a different set of people swarmed in, vying for his attention.

It got so bad that I was pushed off him but he hardly noticed. No one did.

I hung back thinking he’d need me but when it was clear he didn’t, I turned around and left, aimlessly walking.

It was when I found myself on the balcony away from the party did it struck me that I could leave. Right now. I could slip out of this party and run away. But where would I go? My house was rented, I had no savings and no family.

I have lived in an orphanage home my entire life and my only friends were Jake and Emma. The same people that sold me. And even if I did leave, it was only a matter of time before I was caught.

I hated to think what would happen to me when I was caught.

“Who left a beauty like you unattended?” A voice said from behind me and I turned around, face-to-face with a stranger.

He wore a black suit, short brown hair cropped to the side. He was holding a glass of champagne and when he smiled sloppily.

“What’s your name, beautiful?”

I smiled politely at him and made to sidestep him but he blocked my path. “Hey, now. Let’s talk. My name’s Teddy. What’s yours?”

“Monica,” I said, hoping that’d be the end of it but he closed the distance and stared down at me.

“Monica,” Teddy licked his lips. “Are you here alone?”

“I—” I stopped, remembering my Master’s order. “I have to go.”

He grabbed my arm, pressing me tightly to the balcony. “Why the rush? We can have a little fun, can’t we?”

He licked his lips again, eyeing my cleevage. He slid his hand on my wrist, guiding it to his crotch. I wrangled my hand free and shoved him off but he only laughed and grabbed my arm again, gyrating his erection on my hip.

“Get off me, you jerk,” I struggled, hitting him in the chest with my other hand. “Get off.”

He brought his lips to my ear and licked, grinding faster on me. Tears spring to my eyes, hating how helpless I am. My whole life had imploded and here this idiot was thinking he could use me? I wouldn’t let him.

With all my strength, I jabbed my knee to his balls and he stumbled back, champagne glass crashing on the floor. Teddy held his crotch between his legs, red in the face.

I walked past him but he grabbed me by the hair and dragged me back.

“You’ll pay for that, you bitch,” he cursed and hit me across the face.

I clawed at him, screaming and cursing. My nails scratched him in the face, kicking and hitting him. How dare he? How dare he think he could come to me and take whatever he wanted? Why didn’t he leave me alone when I told him to? Why didn’t he listen?

“Hey, hey,” he snapped, bringing his hands up to protect his face but I was unseeing.

I was angry and hurt and reeling from the betrayal that I didn’t stop myself. I couldn’t. He was cowering before me now and this brought me joy.

I was on the offensive, ready to tear him down. When he straightened, poised to attack, I didn’t let him. With a yell, I shoved him away from me with all my might.

He stumbled and with one final push, he went over the edge, hands outstretched to me, eyes wide as he fell down.

Heart beating fast, I looked over the railing and a choked sound left my lips at the lifeless body on the ground.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***