Bought my Life

3. Carved in Stone

***Narrator***Hastleton Villa***Friday

Jane was back in her room, and she had memorized how she would escape out of the Villa… When visiting the garage, she had noticed where the keys were kept. Marcus was nice but she had to find her way home; her family must be worried she had disappeared for over two months. She was surprised that her father’s men hadn't found her yet… She was regaining moments of lucidity, but she was quickly back to her comatose state of mind. Her thoughts were fluid without any start or end; she lay in bed all day until a maid brought dinner in her room, and she set the table for two. She fills the glasses two with water and two glasses with wine; she then exits the room.

A few minutes later Marcus knocks on her door, “Normally I would wait for your permission to enter but we both know that I could be waiting forever,” he says with a light tone as he enters the room smiling discreetly. “How are you, my dear?” He asks as he makes his way to the set table. “Are you hungry? Come sit with me, let's have dinner,” he says as he serves what would be her plate first. He then serves himself a portion; she sits up on the bed and watches him attentively. “As you please,” he says when he notices that she won't join him at the table.

He starts to eat without her, “When I look at you, I wonder what happened to you; you are a beautiful young woman… you are not a peasant, I can tell by the gracious way you walk… where do you come from Jane?” He asks her, he takes a few bites of his dinner leaving her enough time to answer. “I have investigated, no noble woman was reported missing in the neighbouring towns. I have concluded that you must come from far away or that you were sold for some reason…” he says with a sad tone.

She was shocked by the affirmation; Marcus was trying to find her family… She didn’t understand his intentions, she heard other slave girls talk about the awful things their owners had done to them. Marcus had never touched her or forced himself on her like she feared; he had been courteous and kind but she couldn’t trust him. “One day you will speak again, Jane, and that day I will listen to every word,” he says softly. He finished his dinner, wished her a goodnight and left.

***Narrator***Hastleton and Johnson’s Border*** Saturday

That night she sneaked into the garage and stole one of Marcus’s sports cars. She remembered the blue one had a GPS so she wouldn’t get lost; her heart was pounding as she found the keys. She started the car and programmed the GPS to reach her parent’s house; she was hopeful she could get there before sunrise. She drove out of the garage slowly to not make too much noise; she only turned on the headlights when the Villa was out of sight. The drive according to the GPS was five hours away from her family’s home. She had never driven this fast before… she didn’t see anyone pursuing her. Hopefully no one heard her escape.

She had slowed down, she didn’t want to attract any attention, she had so much trouble staying focussed on the road; her mind was travelling elsewhere. That is when she saw them, three cars following her trying to corner her; she accelerated to lose them. She turned onto a dust road before they could see her and slowed down to reduce the noise this powerful engine made. They were still following her but how did they know she had turned; now she has to accelerate on this dust road...

***Narrator***Hastleton Villa***Saturday

The door was now locked because of her recent escape attempt… She had ended up on private property, the Johnson’s property; Marcus doesn’t know what to do with her. He doesn't want to lock her up but she is a wild cannon. When he tried to allow her to roam around freely, she ran away and he had to bribe the authorities to not take her in for trespassing. She was shameless.

With the help of Lara and Rose her maids he had established a routine for her. She would bathe and have breakfast in the morning she would then meet with Dr. Isabella Chianti for an hour of therapy. When it was nice outdoors she would go for a walk with her maid and two guards then lunch would be served in her room. After lunch she would spend some time at the library before going back to her room for a short nap.

The highlight of her day was when Marcus had dinner in her room at night; she would refuse to sit with him even after three weeks. She would stay on the bed and watch him. He would always serve her portion first and he would talk to her and wait for her to answer and just continue when he gave sufficient time. She would only eat once he was gone.

“It is a good thing you chose the only car I could track to escape. You don’t have to run away; I will personally take you to where you want to go as soon as you can communicate where that is…” he continues. “You made me extremely worried and mad because I have failed to protect you again. Jane, I just want to keep you safe until I can make sure someone else is protecting you. If there is no such person… I will keep you under my wing until you find a husband and get married,” he finishes. Jane starts crying softly, he was a good man, why couldn’t she trust him?

“Please don’t cry… did I say something wrong?” He asks as he leaves the dining area heading towards her bed, he wanted to comfort her but she looked horrified by his presence. He sits at the far corner of her bed, “come here, let me dry your tears,” he asks. She wipes off her own tears and sits back uncomfortably; she still doesn’t let him close. “Have a goodnight,” he says as he walks out of the room. She knew she had profoundly hurt his feelings by refusing to sit by him; she didn’t trust him or she didn’t trust herself around him. He was a seductive young man with manners and the way he cared for her was very touching.

She wanted to sit by him, she wanted him to hold her; she wanted him to dry her tears but she couldn’t move towards him. She fell backwards when she tried to make her way towards him. He wished me goodnight and left… she wanted him to stay, she wanted to call him back but her mind and her body weren’t in sync. She couldn’t say a word, she couldn’t make a move; she sat there watching him leave. That night, she cried herself to sleep.

***Narrator*** Hastleton Villa***Sunday

Marcus received news about one his export and import business abroad; he had to leave the Villa, he wanted to take Jane with him but she was too wild to travel with. He knew he would be gone for ten days and he had to leave as soon as possible, so he couldn’t sit with her like he did daily. He instructed a maid to send her dinner everyday with a gift.

***Her*** Hastleton Villa***Sunday-Next Wednesday

On the first night, I was surprised when the maid had set the table only for myself. Where was Marcus? I noticed a notebook with a set of pens. He had left a note, “Enjoy filling the blank pages, Marcus”.

On the second night, the maid set the table only for me again… This time there was a book, it was bonded with a red leather cover and it seemed antic. I put it down to eat my dinner. As the night went by, I was lonely so I started reading a few pages. It was the story of his ancestor narrated and pictured, he was also part of the book towards the end… It seems like they added chapters as the time passed because none of the chapters seemed illustrated or narrated the same way. That night I fell asleep reading...

On the third night I received a snow globe with my dinner. When I looked closer, I noticed it was Hastleton Villa but when it was first built; it was beautiful. There have been three dinners without him… I didn’t realize how much I enjoyed his presence until he was gone.

On the fourth night, I was starting to worry, where was Marcus? He always had dinner with me and now he was sending me gifts instead. Was he tired of me? Did I make him that upset? That night I received a black pearl necklace with a four digit PIN number with no explanation.

On the fifth night, I was no longer expecting him… he probably gave up on me. I received a chapter about me for his family book, how Marcus found me in that basement; how I escaped many times… everything was documented until he disappeared. The book was written in a familiar language that could be read to children; I had never imagined that such an elaborate book was written about a family.

On the sixth night, again dining alone, this time I received a chapter for that book about the future. It was about Marcus travelling with me and bringing me back to my family. He came back to visit me a few times as the years passed by. I was so curious I read the entire chapter before having my now cold dinner; I wasn’t really feeling it so I only had a few bites.

On the seventh night, no Marcus in sight, I was alone again… this night I received an IPhone but it was locked and the pin required six digits… so it wasn’t the pin I had received earlier this week, what a strange gift… I tossed it aside and had my dinner while it was still warm. There was a message from Marcus on the IPhone “Please, eat your dinner tonight;” I could read the messages but I couldn’t answer without unlocking it. He was aware that I only had a few bites last night.

On the eighth night, I received another future chapter for the family book, in this one I decided to stay at the villa. Marcus was helping me finish my education and at the end, he walked me down the aisle on my wedding day. It was strange to read about the future… What did Marcus have in mind? Where was he?

On the ninth night, this time I received an evening dress; it was made with dark red silk and it was floor length with cold shoulder sleeves. It had to be laced up like a corset and the skirt fell straight in the front but was flowy in the back… it was haute couture and definitely not a simple dress. Why would Marcus give me such a dress? Now I was afraid there was a deeper reason that would require me to wear it. I had dinner then a maid I had never seen before came into my room to get that dress fitted. She marked it, pinned it and took the dress back with her.

For ten nights Marcus had not joined me for dinner. He had given up… somehow dinner was late tonight, it never happened in the past… dinner was served like clock work. My maid Lara came back with the dress and demanded that I wear it… I was hungry and I didn’t have the will to fight her so I obeyed. When I was dressed and pampered they brought me to my room where an exquisite dinner was being served… the table was set for two tonight. I laid on the bed waiting to see if Marcus would be there tonight.