by S. S. Sahoo
Hmm! Interesting! I guess this man is slowly winning my trust, day by day.
29
Juliette
“I am frustrated now!” I yelled pulling my hair and looked at myself through the bathroom’s mirror.
Why am I here? What am I doing here? What have I done to anyone to be treated like this?
I slammed my palm frustrated next to the sink.
What did I ever do to deserve all this?
Two days!
I have been thrown into his room and I have been locked up away from everyone all of a sudden since two days.
What did I even do?
It all started when I was with Cosmina in the kitchen. She was scribbling the items which were to brought on the notepad when I saw Zachary entering the kitchen with a stoic expression. I sat on the kitchen counter and watched as he marched up to me. He looked different some way.
He looked tensed.
Before I could get down from the counter and even ask him what has happened he chose to manhandle me by grabbing onto my arm and pulling me down onto my feet.
“Hey! What are you doing?” I cried because his firm grip on my arm was hurting me. It all happened all of a sudden that I couldn’t even understand what was going on and to where he was dragging me. I was in shock as well as scared. He wasn’t even talking and it made me feel that maybe I have done something to be treated like this.
Is he angry with me? But what did I do?
I was pushed into the room and I stumbled on my own feet, but I saved myself from tumbling down by holding onto the small wardrobe next to the room’s door.
“What are you doing?” I asked petrified.
“From now on you will be staying inside this room!” he said still standing in the entrance of the room near the door.
“W-what? But why?” I asked baffled at his statement.
“Don’t question me!” he yelled to which I visibly flinched.
I saw as he balled his fist and looked up before looking back at me.
“This is the last time I am warning you. Don’t ever question me again,” he said enunciating each word.
My hands trembled seeing his eyes.
What is wrong with him?
“This is my house and don’t forget who you are and from where and in what condition you have come here!” he said his face void of any expression.
“Zach-” he cut me off “Shut up!” and instantly I shut my mouth scared. He was intimidating me and to tell the truth I was scared to death.
“Stay in this room. You are prohibited from talking to anyone. If you do remember,” he took an intimidating step towards me which made me step a foot backward in an instant.
“Your near and dear ones have to pay the consequences,” his word held promise and I gulped the lump in my throat. The sides of my eyes stinging because of the tears that were pooling to flow down my cheeks but it was waiting for a blink. I lowered my gaze and let the tears shed down.
“You will be provided food, but remember, what I told you. Don’t try to act smart,” he warned for the last time.
“You are my little bird in my cage and it is in my hand to let you fly but if I don’t want that to happen then I am the type of person to choke the little bird right between my palm choking it till it breaths its last” he said and smirked when I looked up at him shocked.
I was never really afraid of Zachary but what he just told me made me scared to the point to where I just wanted to run away and hide from him and never ever show him my face. I know that he has done so many wrong things with me but I never really thought that he would ever hurt me. Somewhere deep down I used to think that maybe he isn’t what he is presenting before everyone especially before me. Maybe he is trying to save me. From that Nicholas!
But whatever I was thinking what just an exceptional. I knew at that moment that whatever I was feeling and thinking for him were false. He wasn’t what I thought and I wasn’t what he was forcefully trying to make me. A bird.
After saying those words he just shut the door on my face and locked the door with me inside. I banged on the door and even begged to let me out but my prayers were unheard and I remained inside the room sobbing. A man would come to the room and the door was only opened for him to give me my food. I tried to barge out but I was pushed back in by two bulky men back inside the living hell.
Since then it has been two days. Two days since I have gone out and I have been trapped as he calls me a bird trapped inside a cage guarded by snakes. My condition was worst even then that bird because in my case my life is not the only little pity one who would suffer, but my family’s life was also in threat because of me.
But I had enough now. I don’t really care anymore now. It will be better if I die. I won’t ever need to suffer any longer.
Splashing water few times in my face, I made up my mind that I just had enough.
If death is written on my face then nobody can change it. Why keep crying thinking that your life is in the hand of someone else. I will not cry anymore. I wouldn’t cry anymore. And I will not fear my fate. Why would I? It is my life and I won’t let anyone handle it. Nobody.
I took a bath and shampooed my hair and when I was done I went back inside the room and changed my clothes. My hair was wet and I let it dry naturally. I looked at the food that was on the plate, untouched.
I took the plate and sat on the couch.
“You will be needing energy,” I muttered to myself looking at the food.
After finishing my food, I went to the window and opened it. I huffed at the sight of people guarding down my window and the whole house.
Why is this tight security?
Who is that person who is causing all this to be done?
Is he more powerful than Zachary?
Through all those people my eyes glanced towards the gate where I saw a black sleek car pulling over.
Zachary’s car!
The door of the opened and came out Zachary himself wearing his black suit with black shades. From the other side, it was Cosmina who came out holding a mini laptop in her hand. She came to the side where Zachary was standing and I saw as he ordered her something and she nodded before walking ahead towards the house.
Zachary pulled his suit to himself and I saw as he leaned on his car and took out a cigarette from his pant pocket and using a lighter he lighted the cigarette and began smoking it. I scowled at his action. Doesn’t he know that smoking cigarette is injurious to health?
He doesn’t even have one single good habit within him. Why am I even expecting a good habit from him?
I watched as he took out his phone and began scrolling it while smoking the cigarette from the other hand.
All of a sudden I had a craving.
I wanted to walk up to him and smack his face tightly.
As if he heard my intentions or something he gazed up at me and looked directly into my eyes. He took the cigarette up to his mouth and blew out a puff of smoke out of his mouth. I frowned at him and decided to get back inside away from his sight.
It was what he wants right? Keeping me away from his sight. If he can’t bear the sight of me then why should I even show him my face?
I went back to the couch and sat on it idly playing with a loose strand of my wet hair. It’s not that I could do anything trapped inside a room. My trains of thoughts came to halt when I heard sounds coming from the door and the door of the room opened revealing Zachary himself.
“Come out,” he said and like a dog, I stood up and followed him out of the room. I followed him till the living room and I saw everyone already present in the living room. There they were Cosmina, mom, and Gale, grandfather, and Willi too.
“What happened? Is everything alright between you two? Why we were not allowed to meet Juliette and why was she locked up in her room?” asked mom.
So she had no about everything that has been going on?
“Yes! I want to know. Why was my grand-daughter-in-law locked up like that? I want answers
Udolf” grandfather asked Zachary.
All Zachary did was, he shoved his hands into his pant pockets and pursed his lips.
“Nothing! Everything is fine between us,” he said lying looking back to my face. I clenched my jaws and gave out a forced smile to the family.
“Do you think we are stupid Zachary?” Gale asked pointing an accusing finger towards Zachary.
“Nobody locks his own wife like that. Away from everyone without any reason!” he continued and I looked back at Zachary to find him looking at Gale with a stoic expression.
“Forget it! I will ask Juliette,” he further added irritated by Zachary’s expression.
“Juliette is everything okay?” he asked to me.
I was about to open my mouth when Zachary interrupted me by saying “I already told you! Everything is okay!” he said gritting his teeth at Gale.
“Is your name Juliette? I am asking to her and she is the one who will answer. Do you understand?” Gale glared at Zachary while I stood there shaking in anger for Zachary has tested my patience too much. I was beyond angry upon him now.
“Yo-” I cut Zachary.
“No! Nothing is okay between us,” I said all of a sudden leaving no room for Zachary for interfering.
He glared at me and warned me through his eyes not to do anything stupid.
But I didn’t care.
“What?” mom whispered.
“Truly speaking I also don’t have any idea why all of a sudden I was locked inside the room like that away from everyone” I further added which caused Zachary seething in anger.
“And I am angry. Angry upon Zachary for not even letting me know and treating me like that,” I said as calmly as I could but I knew that the bridge of my patience was breaking second by second and I would lose it any second.
“But!” I added when I saw Zachary about to speak.
“Everything can be normal if he pays for what he did,” I said and saw as Zachary gave me a confused look.
“Look at him seething in anger” I chuckled sarcastically and further added “I guess his anger has raised his body temperature. You need to cool down before you get your blood pressure high!” I said and looked around when I spotted the jug of water.
“Wait a minute!” I said and walked to the table where the jug full of water was kept.
I took it and came back to my previous place.
“Have it! It will,” I paused and heard the gasps of everyone present in the room when I practically poured the water out on Zachary’s face.
“Cool you down!” I said once the jug was now empty.
He stood there in shock for a minute and then he raised his hand and touched his face as if not believing that I just splashed water on his face before everyone humiliating him. He wiped his face using his palm and then his facial expressions contoured the angry ones and angrily he got rid of his now wet dripping suit and he began to flip it in air.
I sighed and turned around and kept the now empty jug on the table beside the sofa.
“Oh my!” mom said out of shock.
“Why you!” he seemed clearly miffed with the scenario.
And as I have already predicted, I was grabbed by my arm and I was dragged back towards the room with him muttering something in annoyance.
30
“How dare you?” he snarled at me pushing me against the wall.
I just wrapped my arms across my chest and stared at me while he raked his hand through his wet hair.
“How dare you humiliate me? I get it you didn’t get a thing that I had warned you earlier” he punched the wall from the side of my face which made me flinch a little.
Don’t be scared, Juliette! Don’t let him dominate you.
“Just a flick! Just in a flick of my fingers, I will destroy everything. Do you get it? I can destroy everyone you love and your family” he rage was clear from his voice.
“Oh really?” I said and for the first time I raised my hands and in one go I pushed him hard and away from me.
He stumbled backward a little with a shocked expression. Never had he ever thought I would ever fight back.
“What more will you destroy? Hu?” I yelled.
“You have destroyed everything already!”
“What more is left?” I yelled on his face.
“Shut up!” he growled and held my arms and he jerked me a little in anger hurting me a little. I winced when he pushed me hard on the wall enraged.
“Don’t raise your voice on me!” he threatened.
“Or what?” I pushed on his chest testing his patience.
“Or..” he came dangerously closer to my face for which I had to look towards the side avoiding the contact.
“You know Jace,” he said and I looked back at him with wide eyes.
“Your beloved brother Jace Swanson,” he whispered.
“He is opting for medicines right?”
“How will be it if your brother gets kidnapped directly from his way back home?” he threatened to which I gasped.
“Yes! I do know everything about your family. What are their names, what they do and want? Everything” he tightened his hold on my arms jerking me to him.
“You wouldn’t!” I gritted out.
“Oh believe me! I can and after he is kidnapped I’ll make sure that he gets the best treatment for,” he smirked, “he is my wife’s only brother after all.”
“Yo- You are a monster” I cried out.
“Much more than that,” he smirked.
“Get away from me!” I pushed hard on his chest and he did move away running his hand through his damp hair.
“Do you think me as some average thief or gangster?” he asked.
I stared at him while he folded his sleeves up.
“Don’t take me for granted Juliette. I do what I say,” he said and crossed his arms across his chest.
“For instance. This is your-” I cut him off.
“And what makes you think that you can suppress me every time? I am not your dog,” I retorted back.
“Do you think you can just lock me inside a room for two days like some dog? You will say stand up and I will just follow your commands as if I am some kind of dog?” my voice raised.
“For god sake I am human and I have some limit and you are crossing it every time you do something like this. You are a despicable man!” I told him by a pointing a finger at him.
“Despicable?” he chuckled darkly.
“Oh so I am despicable?” he said and in a moment he was before me with my hands up pressed on the wall as he caged me with his body sandwiching me between the wall and his body.
“I see this little bird has grown its wings hu?” he jerked up when I tried to push him away.