26.

-HER-

I was immersed deep in the pool of my thoughts as I drove to the office next. Meanwhile, Nana’s words kept ringing in my ear. There were so many questions bubbling in my head which were unanswered. It was feeding more and more to my anxiety.

I managed to reach the office on time and get straight to work. It was now becoming a way for me to take my mind off the disturbing aspects of my life. Although, as soon as I was reminded that I would have to leave for the new properties, I wanted to cry out in frustration.

I soon had to wrap up my office work and start for the properties. My mood was bitter as I headed towards the places and it got even more bitter when I reached the place and found Theodore’s car already parked outside… alone. It meant that the interior designer, Hugo hadn’t arrived yet.

Had I walked in in that situation, I would have probably found myself alone with Theodore, which was opposite of what Nana had told me to do. Even though I had my doubts regarding Nana, I had decided to trust her and just go along what she had told me to do. She must have had good reasons but the situations seemed to be testing my nerves.

For the first time, I hoped that Theodore had brought that woman with him so that I wouldn’t be alone with him in the house… or I could wait inside the car until Hugo arrived. I was opting to do the latter but my phone rang up.

An unknown number flashed on the screen when I took my phone out of my purse. My eyebrows came together but I picked it up anyway.

“Hello,” I answered.

“Why are you outside?” Asked a familiar voice. I froze as soon as I realized that it was Theodore but how did he get my number? He must have had picked it from my business card that Mr Toles would have given him.

“What? You can see me?” I asked without thinking.

“Yes,” He breathed as I looked out of my car's window to find him looking out of the window on the first floor.

“I am doing some work,” I lied.

“It can be done inside the house too,” He told me. Even though the windows of my car were up and I knew he couldn’t see me inside, I still felt his eyes on me. It almost made me shiver after I remembered Nana’s words.

“Did Miss Vipsania come with you?” I asked him.

“No,” He answered.

“I am waiting for Hugo to come actually,” I tried to change the topic.

“Why?” He questioned sternly. I didn’t miss the edge to his voice.

“I just have to talk to him about some stuff,” I lied again.

“You are ignoring me, aren’t ya?” He questioned very grimly. His voice sent a shiver down my spine.

“No, I am not,” I frowned at how right he was. Why couldn’t he just leave me alone? What did he want from me? Yesterday he didn’t seem very happy with me. It seemed like he was disgusted by me then why was he bothering me again today?

“Then why don’t you come inside the house?” He pressed.

“I just want to sit in my car alone. Do you have any problem with that?” I snapped at him all of a sudden, taking both of us by surprise. A momentary silence fell on the line before he asked, “Why are you upset with me? Is it because of Vipsania?”

I was bubbling with anger all of a sudden. I wanted to take it out but at the same time, I didn’t want to be rude to him because it could have potentially affected the deal.

“Everything is not about you, Theodore,” I answered him as calmly as I could manage but he didn’t seem to get it because he went on to ask next, “Then who is it about, Annelise? Is it about another man?”

I grounded my teeth in frustration as I fought to answer him back. His words somehow managed to burn my skin as I felt insulted. Although, before I could answer him something crazy, I saw Hugo’s car approaching. I decided to disconnect the call and deal with him later.

Hugo soon parked his car beside me and got out. I got out as well before he greeted me with a bright smile. For some reason, it tugged at my heart. I don’t know when was the last time when someone, especially someone from the opposite gender, had seemingly been happy to see me.

Nonetheless, I greeted him back whilst feeling Theodore's eyes on me. I stopped Hugo for some moments from entering the house to tell him about some stuff that Mr Toles had told me to inform him about. We stood outside for a good five minutes as we talked.

Meanwhile, I felt Theodore's eyes burn on me. His heated stare seemed to leave scorch marks on my skin whilst I talked to Hugo. It wasn’t long when my phone started to ring again. I didn’t have to look at the screen to find out who was calling.

I simply cut the call and finally decided to step inside the house.

“Do you need help with that?” I politely asked Hugo as he struggled to carry a huge magazine of wallpaper samples along with two bags containing other samples for the house.

“Yes please,” He sighed as he handed me one of the bags which seemed to be less heavy than the one that he was holding. I might have imagined it but as soon as our fingers lightly brushed, I heard a guttural growl that seemed to have come from right inside the house.

“Did you hear that?” I whispered to Hugo but he seemed bewildered as he asked me back, “Heard what?”

“Nothing,” I said it dismissively whilst the picture of Theodore’s horns flashed in front of my eyes all of a sudden followed by Nana’s words ringing in my ears. I shivered and closely followed Hugo inside the house.

Theodore was waiting inside. His eyes blazed with fire as soon as they landed on me but I chose to look away and concentrated on what Hugo was saying instead.

“Yesterday, we talked about floor planning. I have brought some samples for the floor today,” He told Theodore, whose eyes were trained only on me. I glanced at him once before looking away quickly.

The air in the house was buzzing with so much tension that I was finding it hard to breathe with Theodore under the same roof. My heart was palpitating in my cheat and my palms were sweating. Hugo quickly noticed the strange tension between us. He instantly seemed uncomfortable by it but he gladly chose to ignore it and concentrate on the work instead.

For the most part of the discussion, Theodore’s eyes were trained only on me while the tension increased every passing moment. I didn’t miss how Theodore would glare at Hugo from time to time when Hugo would step too closer to me or simply smile to appreciate my taste.

My heart would start to race and my stomach would clench painfully whenever Theodore would stand too close to me and directly breathe down my neck. I could feel his anger oozing off his body.

He looked so dangerous. I knew Hugo was very well intimidated by Theodore and he was trying his best to not cross him. I was aware that Theodore was waiting for Hugo to go so that he could get me alone… just like yesterday.

“I think that’s all for today,” Hugo said to me while making sure not to look at me directly while he pretentiously scratched his forehead so that his eyes were covered with his hand.

“That’s great,” I tried to sound calm and checked my watch before remarking, “I am late for a meeting anyway,”

“Yeah me too,” He said and took his things before rushing to the door. I followed him as well but as soon as Hugo had stepped out of the door and I was going to follow him outside, the door slammed shut on my face. I staggered back only to stumble into Theodore whose hand was still on the door. He had traped me against the door with his huge body.

“What’s the matter, Annelise?” He growled… he growled! Like a wild animal. It sounded similar to the one that I had heard before stepping inside the house. I froze and looked at him over my shoulder. My heart stopped in my chest as my eyes widened with terror.

Instead of his head, sat the face of a bull with those huge horns. I wanted to scream with horror but the only sound that managed to escape past my lips was a whimper. Even though fear coursed through my veins along with blood and adrenaline, my womb seemed to have a mind of its own because my core pulsed with need. Feeling aroused was the last thing I thought I’d feel upon being confronted with something so eerie.

Dizziness washed over me as I looked into the beast’s eyes which were very similar to Theodore. I chose to stare in his eyes because that was the only thing that reminded me that Theodore was there. I didn’t want to look at the beast.

Meanwhile, the greyness in his irises had something odd about them. The more I looked into them, the dizzier I felt. Slowly, black dots started to take over my vision while my legs turned into jelly. The last thing I remembered when my body submitted to gravity and my consciousness abandoned me was him breaking my fall by wrapping his strong arms around me. I was being picked up next.

I dangled from his arms in a lifeless manner while I felt him take me somewhere.

Where?

I didn’t know. Maybe to the labyrinth, where I would be locked up with him forever.

**...
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