Chapter 4

Shocked by her knowledge of the situation, I wondered how she had found out about my ride home. "I'm not a child, you know. I don't need to explain every move I make," I said, my voice steady and unwavering. "Those days when you hit me as you pleased are over. I won't tolerate that anymore."

Outside, her face hardened, but I refused to back down. "Have you ever questioned Isabella about the numerous men she goes out with?" I continued, my confidence growing. "No, you haven't. So please, stay out of my business."

A tense silence filled the air as my words hung between us. For a moment, it seemed as though my aunt might surrender, but her stubborn pride refused to submit.

"You will respect me under my roof, young lady,” she said, clenching her teeth.

“Respect isn't something you demand; it's something you earn. Perhaps, this’s my uncle's house!" I contradicted, my voice unwavering.

As I leaned against the door, a mix of relief and unease washed over me. I had stood up for myself, but I knew that the battle was far from over.

Later that evening, I sought comfort in the soft embrace of my bed, hoping for a peaceful night's rest. The house was quiet, a welcome relief from the tension that had saturated the air earlier.

Morning came all too soon, and I rose early to begin my daily routine. A touch of glossy red lipstick, pulled back hairstyle transformed my appearance, giving me a sense of confidence and control.

As I approached the door, I discovered it was locked from the outside. "Is anyone there? Isabella? Aunt?" I called out, my voice filled with urgency. "Please, I need to get to the office. Aunt, I'm truly sorry. Please open the door," I pleaded, desperate to avoid any issues with my boss.

Isabella's voice rang out from the other side of the door. "You're not going anywhere today," she declared, her tone arrogant and steadfast.

"Isabella, I beg you. I need to go to work. I can't afford to have problems with my boss," I reasoned, hoping to appeal to her sense of decency. My pleas, however, were met with cruel laughter as Isabella refused to give in.

Frustration and anger bubbled up inside me as I realized the extent of her malice. The situation was spiraling out of control, and I knew I had to find a way out before it was too late.

I sighed, wondering how to escape from the locked room. "The window, of course!" I exclaimed, attempting to find a way to slip through the window.

Though my uncle's house was small, the room I was in seemed inescapable. Ever since my father passed, my uncle had been providing for me the little way he could. In return, I had endeavored for academic excellence, graduating with first class honors.

"Why is this happening?" I whispered, tears streaming down my cheeks as I failed to escape through the window. It seemed as if it had been locked from the outside too.

I quickly grabbed my bag from the bed and searched through it, desperately searching for my phone.

"Please pick up, Jennifer," I murmured in a prayer, hoping my friend would answer the call. With each passing second feeling like an eternity, the consistent ringing of the phone persisted until Jennifer finally answered.

"Olivia, where on earth are you?" she asked, her tone filled with concern. "Our boss is very angry. You're supposed to be at work."

I cut in, my voice trembling. "I'm in serious trouble, Jennifer. Isabella and her mother have locked me in my room. I can't even escape through the window. I'm so confused," I cried.

Jennifer released her breath sharply. "Olivia, this is bad. I don't even know where you live. Even if I did, I can't just leave the office like that."

I could sense her desperation as she tried to come up with a solution. "Listen, maybe you should call our boss. He might understand," she suggested.

"You think he'll listen?" I asked, doubtful that our arrogant boss would show any compassion.

I trembled with fear, anxiety gnawing at my insides as I contemplated on how to put a call across to Lucas. After thinking about it for minutes, I finally gathered courage to search for my boss's number on my phone. My hands shook as I dialed, each ring echoing in my ears like a fatal signal.

Finally, he answered. "Miss Olivia, you are suspended," he yellsd, his voice sputtering over the line.

I breathed sharply, taken by surprise by his tone and the unexpected news. "Suspended, sir? I'm truly sorry for not being at work by this time, but I assure you, it was not my fault. You see, I'm currently stuck in my room, locked in against my will," I pleaded, desperation seeping into my voice as I struggled to explain my predicament. But my boss was having none of it.

"I don't care, Miss Olivia. You should have found a way to get to work. Consider this your last warning, Miss Olivia. You can come over to the office tomorrow to get your suspension letter, if you wish,” he declared.

"But sir, please..." I stammered, my voice catching in my throat as the finality of his words sank in. "I can assure you, I am doing my best to get out of my room. I will…”

Before I could complete my sentence, the call had already been disconnected.

Disheartened, I decided to stop yelling, accepting the fact that I wouldn't be leaving my room any time soon. "But I'm so hungry," I lamented, realizing I hadn't eaten since morning.

Surrendering, I went back to the door and banged on it again. "Aunt, please, I'm starving. Can you let me out, just for a moment?" I pleaded, hoping against hope that she might take pity on me. Time passed, and I heard soft spoken voices from the sitting room.

Curiosity getting the better of me, I pressed my ear against the door, pushing to make out the voices. It sounded like Isabella and her mother were talking with someone, their tones noticeably lighter and more friendly.

"Who could it be?" I wondered, my mind racing with possibilities. Perhaps it was a friend of theirs, who came to visit. Or perhaps it was the landlord. Whoever it was, they seemed to be putting Isabella and her mother in a good mood.

Suddenly, I heard a sound at my door, my heart leaped as I heard the doorknob turn, anticipation mixed with fear. Was it Isabella or her mother? Or was it someone else entirely?

A wave of confusion washed over me as the door swung open, revealing not the stranger, but Isabella, smiling kindly at me.

"Ah, sis," she said, her voice sweet and friendly. Sis? I thought. Isabella had never addressed me so affectionately before. Something was wrong.

"Someone's here to see you," she continued, her hands stretched out to help me out of the room. "I never knew you had such a rich friend," she said, guiding me towards the sitting room.

As we entered the living room, my eyes fell upon a tall, well dressed handsome man standing near the couch. Williams? How did he know where I was staying? Is he now stalking me?

"Hey… Good morning, William," I greeted, hoping to keep things formal despite the unusual circumstances. “Let's go out please,” I said motioning for William to come outside with me.

"Oh, don't send our handsome guest away," Isabella's mother added, her words dripping with sweetness.

"Please, take a seat, sir," Isabella added, She smoothed the couch with a smile.

The sudden change in Isabella and her mother's attitudes towards me was strange, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease.

William, sensing the awkward scene before him, decided to come out with me. “I’ll be right back,” he said to Isabella and her mother before leaving.

As soon as we were outside, I turned towards him, my anger boiling over. "What do you want, William?" I snapped. "Are you stalking me? How did you know where I live? Why are you bothering me?" My words came out in a rush.

William remained calm, reaching into his pocket and producing a handkerchief. Gently, he wiped away the stained lipstick on my face. I was stunned into silence, the anger draining from my body as I met his gaze.

In that moment, I realized that I was seeing William in a different light. He was kind and attentive, and his presence felt almost comforting.

"I'm sorry for coming to your house like that," he said softly. "But I really needed to talk to you. Please, can we go for a walk and talk for a while?"

Despite my initial unease, I found myself nodding in agreement. We fell into steps, strolling down the street without a destination in mind, knowing his driver remained at my house, patiently awaiting our return.

"Olivia, I came here because I needed to apologize," he began, his voice low and sincere.

“Apologize? For what exactly?” I asked, feeling concerned.