6.

KIERAN

“Sir, I have escorted the Miss to the guest room,” The maid said when she approached me where I was seated at the bar, downing a glass of whisky to calm myself down.

I nodded and lifted my hand to dismiss her, and made my way to the guest room. The house was quiet now as all the workers had retired for the night.

I knew I looked ridiculous standing in front of her door, trying to listen for any sign of activity, but I couldn’t help it.

I was about to turn around and walk back to my room when I heard it. Soft sniffles, followed by choked, muffled sobs behind the door. The kind of crying someone needed to let out but didn’t want to be heard by anyone.

I closed my eyes for a brief moment and exhaled. It wasn’t from guilt because I didn’t regret what happened tonight. Rather, it was from relief.

Weird, I know, but I had been waiting for her to cry all evening, but she never did. It was almost physically painful to watch her clench her jaws and fists while fighting the fall that everyone expected when they made a mockery of her.

The sobs were her finally accepting that part of her life was over, and she needed to let go of it, even though she didn’t realise it.

I walked back to my room to give her privacy, and I couldn’t help but think about the life she lived with that bastard. Why did she stay with him and let him treat her like she was worth nothing, when she built the very wealth he stood on?

I expected more from her, but she didn’t even flinch. Not even when that good-for-nothing fool belittled her in front of guests.

When I lay in bed that night, I couldn’t sleep. I was plagued with worry for her, and images of her trying to appear collected.

The next morning, as soon as I entered my study, I dialled my assistant’s line. “Morning, Mr Blackwell,” Michael answered immediately.

“I want a report of Artemis Calloway’s marriage,” I ordered, “A full report of everything Van did to her. Timelines, transactions, and medical reports, if you must. I know she handed her father’s company to Van, and I want to know why it went under”

Michaeal didn’t say anything at first, but then “Sir, remember you asked me to always stop you whenever you wanted to look into her?”

“That was because I didn’t want to pry, but now it’s a different situation,” I snapped.

“Alright, Sir. I’ll get a new report ready by evening,” He said, and I hung up.

How did she manage to get married to an imbecile like that? How did she stay married to someone who was willing to discard her without a second thought for a piece of contract?

I didn’t regret anything I did yesterday. Van didn’t deserve her.

I walked out of the office and signalled to the first maid I saw, “Wake up the guest” I ordered “Tell her to be ready and down in fifteen minutes,”

The maids hurried off, and I took a seat in the dining room. “Get another cup, and plate the table for two,” I ordered the maid, pouring me a cup of coffee.

I wasn’t a man who waited for anyone, nor did I like company in the mornings, but Artemis was different. She was…

Anyway, I intended to begin what I planned to do with her. Hesitant footsteps drew my attention to the stairs, where I watched her as she came down. Her hair was slightly damp from the shower, and her eyes were still puffy from last night.

“Are you trying to fall sick? Why didn’t you dry your hair properly?” My voice came out harsher than I intended it to be, and she glared at me.

“It’s not like you gave me enough time to wake up and change properly,” She scoffed.

“Where was this fire last night?” I threw at her and watched her freeze, “Sit and eat,” I ordered, not giving her enough time to recover.

She sat, but didn’t touch anything after the maids served her breakfast. “You didn’t have to do this,” She muttered.

“Do what? Feed you?” I asked with an arched brow.

“Everything,” She whispered, casting her eyes to the floor. I hated that look on her face. I wished I could erase everything that had made her become like this.

“After breakfast, we are going shopping,” I announced, and her head snapped up in shock.

“Shopping? Why?”

“For clothes. Are you going to keep wearing that dress forever?” I asked, pointing to her last night’s outfit, which she had on.

“I don’t need you to buy clothes for me. I have enough.”

“Do you? I’m sure Van wouldn’t have hesitated to throw your things out the moment you walked out of that door,”

She flinched, but I continued. “You belong to me now, Artemis. Your husband gave you to me in exchange for a contract, so you will do everything I say without question.”

“I don’t belong to you. Did I ask for your help?” She snapped angrily, the fire in her eyes exciting me.

“It’s in both of our best interests that you listen to me. I could be much worse than Van,” I threatened deliberately.

I saw the flicker of pain in her eyes before she quickly masked it, but I didn’t take the words back or apologize for it because she needed to hear to threats.

She looked away, but not before I saw the hatred in her eyes. I forced myself to ignore it. She might hate me now, but it was because she didn’t understand that I was doing all of this for her good.

“Fine,” she spat bitterly, before she got up, pushing the chair back angrily. “I’ll get dressed”

I watched her walk away with that same fake confidence and I smiled. “Good,” I beckoned to the maid close by, “Did the dress I order arrive?”

“Yes, sir. It came in a few minutes ago,”

“Good. Take it to her. She doesn’t have anything to wear,” I waved her off.

Let her continue to be angry. Her anger was the most valuable thing to me now. And her. She just didn’t know it yet.