56
LYRIC
And here I was, thinking this day couldn’t get any worse for me.
I nervously twiddled with the fabric of my shirt, trying to conjure the best possible lies in my head. I was already in too much mess with Jaris to add this to it.
“Care to explain?” His voice was stone cold.
Goodness, he was beyond pissed.
My lips moved, but no words formed.
“Were you trying to run away?” He took a step toward me.
“No. I promise, it’s not what you think.”
“It’s not what I think.” He chuckled. “Well, your bags are here on the floor, all packed up. And it’s night. So, maybe you want to explain what’s going on.”
Shit. He was never supposed to see this. No one was. I’d left the room in a hurry and didn’t think I’d be that unfortunate. “What is wrong with you!?” He growled. “First, you do unexplainable things, and now this? You’re trying to run away from our contract? Why? Do you have someone you’d rather be with? Have you had a lover all along?”
He glared at me like he had a name at the of his tongue.
“Please,” I said rather wearily. “I know what it looks like, but I wasn’t trying to flee.”
Of course, he had every reason to suspect me. It did look like I was trying to flee. But how do I explain to him that I’d changed my mind? How do I even explain why I’d been trying to flee in the first place? It wouldn’t make any sense.
Jaris was so pissed. He looked at me like I’d betrayed him. It was almost like that night at the temple when he glared at me like I was his enemy.
“And here I was, thinking you cared for my kids. For my son,” he said low, his voice filled with disappointment. “We had an agreement for you to help them. Yet, you’re willing to run away just for some other selfish interest.”
No. I wasn’t going to let him do this to me. His kids were the reason I was staying. I was risking my life for them!
“I love your kids! They’re the reason you still met me here!” I snapped.
His eyes darkened. “So, you do admit that you were trying to flee, then.”
Shit! The emotional manipulation dawned on me when it was too late. Ugh! Jaris was a vermin.
He took my phone from my table, surprising me. Then, he walked past me, going toward the door.
“What do you need my phone for?” I asked, confused, but he didn’t even look at me.
“I’m–I’m really sorry. It’s not what you think.” I couldn’t believe I was apologizing to him for something.
Yes, I was wrong. But he’d hurt me as well and didn’t even bother to explain himself like I have.
He didn’t say a word as he reached the door, pulled out my key and walked out the front.
Hold on.
“Wh–What’re you doing?”
His eyes were icier as they pinned me with a glare. “Punishing you. Keeping you locked here so you never think of this stupid idea, ever again.”
No! He couldn’t be serious!
“You can’t do that to me.” I started toward the door, but it was slammed shut in my face, and I heard the sound of the key going in next.
I turned the knob but the door wouldn’t open. I was really trapped in here.
“Open the door!” I hit my palms against it, repeatedly. “I’m not your prisoner! You can’t do this to me!”
But no response came. Instead, I heard his receding footsteps.
**********
For two whole days, I was locked in my room by Successfully unlocked!
I didn’t have access to my phone to call anyone, su i was stuck here at his will.
The only time I got to see people was when the maids came with food and drinks, and each time, there would be two guards at the door, making sure I didn’t try to leave. They wouldn’t even talk to me. I guess Jaris must have warned them not to so I wouldn’t try to talk my way out of here.
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56
I was frustrated and losing my mind. But I couldn’t say I was surprised. Everyone had always talked about Jaris being an emotionless monster. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a choice in this stupid contract.
When I heard the door going open in the evening, I figured it’d be one of the maids bringing me some snacks or something. Surprisingly, I was well taken care of. But it didn’t change the fact that I was a prisoner, and I hated it.
Unexpectedly, I found Jace walking through the door. Surprise filled my lungs in the form of a gasp.
“Jace?”
He opened his arms and I ran right in, feeling like an abandoned wolf who was finally meeting her family.
“How–How did you get access?” Jaris wouldn’t let me see anyone.
Just then, I caught Kael by the door.
“The bastard owed me a favour,” Jace clarified
Oh.
“And that bastard is gonna fuck you up if you don’t make it quick,” Kael grumped.
Jace tilted himself so he could face Kael. “I really pity you when you have too much confidence in yourself. You can’t fuck me up, dude. Get lost.”
“Right. You keep saying that and someday, you might learn the hard way.” Kael shut the door.
I shook my head. These two could never agree.
“Thank you for coming to see me,” my eyes were sad despite the smile I forced on my face.
“What the fuck is going on, Lyric? You never showed up, and I couldn’t even reach you on phone. And when I came here, that fucker told me you were locked up. Good thing he owed me a favor.”
I turned away from Jace, sinking my fingers into my hair. I told him what happened; how Jaris had caught me leaving. As expected, he was enraged.
“And so fucking what? You’re not his slave, Lyric. He has no right to lock you up,” he fumed.
“It’s actually a breach of contract.” He has the right to do worse to me.
“Please, spare me. This is nonsense. I could talk to my father.”
“Jace, please don’t. I don’t wanna complicate things.”
I sat down on the edge of the bed, staring at my non–manicurerd nails.
“I actually don’t want to leave again. I just didn’t have the time to tell you that night.
Jace looked at me like I’d just told him I was committing suicide.
“What’re you saying, Lyric? Don’t be stupid! These people are on your tail and will kill you when they find you. You can’t be serious about staying back.”
“I can’t leave the kids, Jace! On that night, while I was gathering my bags, the boy had one of his crises again. This time, it was worse. If I hadn’t been there to save him…” I shook my head, a chill running down my spine from the mental image of how much Xylon would’ve suffered.
“I’m sorry, but I’ll never be able to bear it if something happens to that boy when I could’ve been there to save him. That would have been selfish of me.”
Jace’s voice was softer now. “Lyric, it’s not selfish if you’re trying to survive.”
“I–I know. But I need to be there for him.”
Right now, it was beyond what Jaris and I shared. Jaris and Marta aside, the kids had become my friends and I wanted to
be there for them.
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