CHAINED TO THE RUTHLESS BILLIONAIRE

Chapter three

Ethan pulled out his belt from his trousers and held it in his hand as his eyes turned bloodshot red.

"What gave you the audacity to break into my study and try to steal from me? You've got some nerve," he said, drawing closer to her while she kept stepping back till he blocked her to a corner.

"How dare you come into my study?!" he yelled and grabbed her hand violently like he always did.

"I'll teach you a lesson you'll never forget," he said and pulled her down the hall. The maids who witnessed the scene kept mute as they watched the drama unfold.

"Please Ethan, let me explain," Belle cried but he refused to listen. He pulled her into one of the abandoned rooms in the mansion.

"Please, let me explain. I wasn't trying to steal from you," she said.

"What were you trying to do?" he asked as he pushed her to the wall.

"I… I… I just wanted to learn more about…," Belle stuttered as she spoke.

"Don't give me that crap. I do not want to beat you up with this belt so don't make me do it," Ethan yelled, exited the room and locked the door behind him.

"Ethan, please!" She cried and knocked on the door. She sat at the entrance and sobbed. Her life was a complete mess after her mother's death. She had made a terrible mistake and her stepfather ensured that she suffered for it by exploiting her. Her self esteem had taken a hit and she developed doxophobia. She was in a situation where she'd suffer in silence just to keep her secret because its exposure would be the death of her. Even if she had the audacity to share her opinion and speak up when bullied, she could not stand up to the mighty Ethan of the powerful Wilson family. They were like the modern-day royal family of the United States.

FEW HOURS LATER

"Can we have dinner with Belle, today? Ethan has left for Europe and won't be back till the day after tomorrow. She'd feel so lonely," Vera asked Olivia.

"My dear, I do not want you to go close to that woman. Your brother has reasons for marrying her and she doesn't come from a really good family. You also know that Ethan doesn't like having so many people around. Getting close to her might hurt you later," Olivia said as the maids served them dinner.

"She's like a pun in your business games," Vera mumbled and sighed. "But Ethan is not home. Just one dinner won't hurt, grandma. You'll like Belle when you get to know her. She's very nice to me and talks freely with me unlike other adults who cannot stop addressing me like a thirty year old woman," Vera complained, folding her arms over her chest.

"And when did you two become so close to the extent that you know her so well? Anyway, you can have her come over for dinner. Get Belle, Phoebe," Olivia said.

"I'll get her myself," Vera said and scurried to the west wing.

"Where is Belle? I've searched her room and the living room but can't find her?" Vera asked one of the maids.

"Eehm…uhm… Mr. Ethan locked her up," the maid replied.

"What? Why?" Vera exclaimed. "Take me to her," she ordered. The maid led her to the abandoned room and she ordered that the room be opened immediately.

"Belle! Are you alright? Why did my brother do this to you?" she said she rushed towards Belle.

"Oh my goodness. Thank you, Vera. I'm so sorry. I never meant to take anything from Ethan," she sobbed.

"I'm sorry too, Belle. Let's get out of this place," Vera said and helped her out. She was assisted back to her room to clean up because she had hurt her leg from Ethan's violent pushes.

"What took you so long?" Olivia asked.

"Would you believe Ethan…" Vera explained but Belle cut her off.

"I had to clean up before showing up for dinner," she lied.

"I don't appreciate any waste of my time, especially for such a meaningless reason. This should be the last," Olivia said and continued eating her meal.

Belle gestured to Vera who was infuriated by what Ethan had done. After dinner, she followed Belle to the west wing where they had a fun discussion.

"You're still a kid so play as much as possible. You only get to be young once in a lifetime," Belle said and laughed at a joke Vera had made.

"I'm a teenager not a kid. Though, I can't always act my age. Grandma Olivia made me visit the company subsidiaries a few weeks ago so I can start learning the ropes. I also have a business and economics tutor," Vera complained. Her eyes was painted with sadness as she spoke.

"She only wants what's best for you. You'd also grow to be a strong woman that will assist Ethan with the business. My father might have a company but your family is on another level," Belle said. Her voice was soft and calm as she tried to cover up her sorrows with a sweet smile. "Why do you like me? It's quite obvious that your grandmother and Ethan do not like me so why do you?"

"You treat me like a kid. Other adults are often afraid to speak to me. Our family is extremely powerful so they walk on eggshells around me. And I don't have any friends my age. They all just gossip about me," Vera replied.

"Well, you now have a new friend. Consider us best pals," Belle said and Vera embraced her. They spent the night discussing till they slept off.

**********

"I'm glad that you can swim. I've always wanted a swimming partner!" Vera exclaimed excitedly. They had both spent the early hours of the day together then watched a movie. Afterwards, they went to the swimming pool.

"Mrs. Belle! Mrs. Belle," one of the maids called her.

"What is it?" Vera asked.

"Mr. Ethan just arrived and he's asking to see you right now," the maid said, bowed and left.

"I'll go with you, Belle. My brother can be scary when he's angry. I'll tell him that I unlocked the door. He doesn't scold me," Vera said, pulling out of the swimming pool into her towel.

"Don't worry about it. Have fun. I'll handle it. He's my husband after all," Belle replied with a smile and headed to their room. She arrived at the door, took a deep breathe and walked in. Just as she approached him, Ethan grabbed a glass cup beside him and threw it on the floor in anger.

"You have no respect for me. I put you somewhere and you had the courage to leave the room without my permission?! Does Vera look like your husband?!" he roared. Belle stood still and said no word. She was so scared to her marrow and felt like she would puke.

"I'm talking to you!" He yelled. Unexpectedly, Belle fell on her knees as tears dropped from her eyes.

"I'm sorry. I apologize for going into your study. I admit that I wanted to look through your documents but that was it. Please, forgive me," she pleaded.

Ethan looked away from her and marched out of the room to the East wing.

"I need you to issue a strong warning to Vera. I don't want her hanging around Belle," he said, pacing Olivia’s room.

"You should be ashamed of yourself, Ethan. She might not be our best choice as a wife but locking up a woman is inappropriate. And before you ask, nobody told me. I knew you locked her up," Olivia said.

Ethan mumbled a few incoherent words then said, "you mean she's not my best choice of wife not 'our'. I never wanted that woman. Her father looks greedy and she's no better. I can't imagine who made that stupid family tradition. I'm just thirty. I don't need a woman!" he exclaimed.

"But she is pretty and we need aesthetics. She looks presentable and charming," Olivia said.

"I don't care about her looks, grandma. Anyway, I'm off to bed. Tell Vera to stay away from Belle," he said and turned to leave the room but his eyes met Vera's at the doorway.

"Why do you hate her so much? She's the only person that I've grown to love whole-heartedly aside from you and grandma," Vera complained. Ethan bent low to face her and his face grew calm.

"I'm doing this for your own good. People are not as nice as you think they are. You need to be wary of Belle. Take my advice," he said and exited the room while Vera held her breath in anger.

"It's been over two days already. Where are the documents?" Albert asked Belle over the phone. She hid in the bathroom as she pretended to take her bath while discussing with him.

"I got caught and he locked me up," Belle replied. She was tired of it all.

"How could you allow that to happen?" Albert yelled.

"There was nothing I could do," she cried.

"Save your tears to yourself. I guess it's time everyone got to know about what you did because it's obvious that you don't want to assist me," he said.

"This is so unfair, father. We both know that I did not kill that man deliberately. I only defended myself from a r****t," she cried.

"I'm sure about what I saw and I choose to protect you after you murdered a man in cold blood. Still, you think I'm being unfair? Get off the phone," he replied in anger and cut the call.

"Father! Father!" she cried but there was no reply. She fidgeted as she wondered if he would reveal her dark secret to the public.

"I can't take this anymore," she cried and drowned herself in the bath. However, she rushed out when a maid knocked on the door.

The following weeks were filled with torments for her as Ethan completely ignored her and when they spoke, he'd insult her. Albert also threatened her severely and when she could not take the emotional blackmail, she went to the swimming pool and tried to drown herself but she was rushed to the hospital by the house driver and Phoebe.

The doctor walked in as soon as she regained consciousness.

"You took in a lot of water but you were brought in just in time. I'm Dr. Leah, the Wilson family doctor. Your husband has been informed about your condition as well as Madam Olivia. However, you'll be the first to be informed about this good news," Dr. Leah said.

"What good news?" Belle asked with a soft voice.

"You're four weeks pregnant," the doctor replied excitedly.

"What? How? I can't be pregnant!" Belle screamed.