Chapter 2— You’ll Need It
1270 Words
Chapter 2
“Let me go!” Lydia yelled as she twisted and turned in the hands of the two guards holding her, but their grip was unwavering. Their hold on her hand was so tight that she could almost feel her bones cracking. The more she struggled, the more pain she felt. Derek followed closely behind them, obviously enjoying her cries.
“What the hell is going on here?” A new voice suddenly asked, halting both Derek and the guards holding Lydia.
It was Derek's father. The resemblance between him and his son was uncanny. The man frowned when he saw Lydia still struggling in the hands of the guards. He came running towards them, and following closely behind him were Lydia's parents and Derek's mother. Apparently, they had heard the commotion and came out to investigate.
“I was only looking for my cat when I bumped into him,” Lydia began to explain without waiting to be asked. “He wouldn't even let me apologize or explain when he started hurling insults at me, then he asked his guards to throw me out.” She didn't miss Derek's death glare or the disgust that registered in his eyes when their eyes met.
“Is that true, Derek?”
He looked away and shrugged. “She is lying about chasing a cat. I found her snooping around my room, apparently looking for what to steal.”
“She was indeed looking for a cat!” His mother said as she came up behind him, holding a small white cat curled in a ball. “I found her down the hall.” The woman explained as she dropped the cat on the floor and gave her son a disappointed look.
The cat ran to Lydia. When she still struggled to free her hands, Douglas Lincoln gave the guards a knowing look, and they let go of her. She bent down, scooped the cat into her hand, and kissed its head while shooting daggers at Derek, who looked at her with even more disgust now.
“You'll apologize to Lydia, now that you know she is my guest!” His father told him sternly.
“That doesn't explain why she was snooping around my room…”
“I don't have time for your nonsense, son. You know better than to treat a lady like that!” He went closer and told him in a low tone, “I still have some unfinished business to discuss with my guests, whose daughter you just humiliated. I'll give you two the chance to talk this out.”
His father gave Lydia an apologetic look. “This was all a misunderstanding, darling. He's not always like that.”
She wanted to tell him that she didn't care if Derek apologized because she was not going to forgive him that easily. But the man was already leading his wife away, and to her horror, her father followed while her mother gave her a reassuring smile before walking away too.
She was left alone with him again, and this time, she was prepared to stick her fingers into his eyes if he continued to give her that disgusted look again. But since he was quiet and his parents had urged him to apologize, she waited, anticipating his apology and ready to make him eat his words.
But nothing prepared her for what he said next, “So that was your excuse for trying to steal from me, huh?”
Lydia was taken aback. “Excuse you? Are you serious right now?”
He scoffed. “Wait, were you waiting for an apology?” He threw back his head and laughed scornfully. “I would never apologize to a slave. I know what I saw, and if you thought for a second that I was going to, then you must be the most delusional person I've met.”
She raised her hand to slap him, but he caught it mid-air and held it there firmly. “Did you seriously just try to slap me? Damn! You are one feisty slave!”
Lydia jerked her hand from his grip angrily. “Slave, really?”
“Yes, really.”
She sighed in frustration. “Let me tell you something you don't know. I'm Lydia Gates, daughter of Barry Gates. I've never had to beg in my life. I'm a princess, heiress to my father's estates!” She turned so he would see her. “If you don't see that, then you are either blind or psychic.”
He looked at her with amusement. “So if you are as comfortable as you say, what are you doing here?”
“Were you deaf when your father told you? I escorted my father here on business! Perhaps if you were a good son, you would have noticed that earlier.”
He regarded her with an expressionless face for some time, and she even dared to hope that he would apologize this time. Perhaps she would overlook and forgive him, but she would seriously have to teach him just a little lesson.
“Should I assume you are simply stupid or are you pretending to not know what your parents are really here for?”
His insults no longer surprised her. Too bad that someone this handsome had to have such a terrible personality. But she still asked, “How about you tell me?”
“You know, I have a feeling that your parents are up to something.”
“I won't tolerate you insulting my parents.” She warned.
“What will you do?”
Without warning, she lifted her cat and held it out in front of his face. The cat needed no telling; it jumped up and launched its attack on Derek's face. It kicked, scratched, and cried all at once while Derek struggled to pull it away from his face.
Lydia watched with amusement as he struggled. The cat even went as far as pulling at his hair, which made Derek even more infuriated. But the attack didn't last for long, because soon, Derek succeeded in capturing the raging cat.
“Very funny.” He remarked as he held up the cat in front of her, several scratches now lining his handsome face. “Let's see how funny you'll find it when I roast the stupid cat alive.”
She didn't doubt him at all. “No! Please! I'm sorry, okay? Forgive me, but please don't hurt my cat!”
Realizing he still had the upper hand now and with the cat still swinging in his hand, he moved closer to her, leaned down, and said in a low tone, “I think I might know what business your father and mine might be discussing.”
“And?”
He gave her an evil grin. “Something tells me it has to do with arranging for us to get married.”
Lydia stared at his back in shock. “That's not true!”
“You'll wish it isn't. Because whatever intentions or plans your gold-digging parents are making with mine to tie us in marriage, just be rest assured that they are pricing your coffin and arranging your funeral.”
“What?”
He raised her cat up, then dropped it without warning. The cat crashed violently to the cold floor and gave a loud yelp of pain. Horrified, Lydia bent to pick it up. When she looked up, he had a serious look now.
“Just keep that piece of advice in mind. You might need it later.” Derek said before walking away.
- Writer
