CHAPTER 6
1443 Words
MELIORA
“I will not do such a thing!” I yelled, taking a step backward. This is insane. Absolutely insane. “I draw the f*****g line!”
Dominic’s eyes darkened as he took a menacing step forward. “What the f**k did you just say to me?”
My gaze darted to the others watching us. Their silence screamed louder than any words could. They looked at me as if I had lost my mind—maybe I had. Maybe I lost my mind the moment I agreed to work for this man.
“This is insane,” I repeated, my voice trembling slightly.
Dominic tilted his head, his jaw clenching. “Have you lost your mind?”
That question should be directed at him. Yes, it was wrong for one of the security men to slap my ass, but forcing him to crawl across the entire estate on his knees? That was beyond cruel. That was downright inhumane. “I know what he did was wrong, and I am sure he has learned his lesson.”
I turned to look at the man in question. He was frozen in place, his face ashen with fear. His lips trembled, and I could see the sweat dripping from his forehead.
“Can’t we just forgive him—”
Dominic grabbed my jaw abruptly, shutting me up. He yanked me closer, his grip firm, his fingers pressing into my skin. “How f*****g dare you challenge me in the presence of my men?” he spat, his voice low and menacing. “What do you take me for?”
I swallowed hard, my breath hitching. My body stiffened as I felt the weight of his fury pressing down on me.
“I—I’m sorry,” I mumbled, my eyes watering. “Please.” Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything. Maybe I should have ignored what happened entirely.
“You’re sorry?” His voice was laced with mockery, his grip tightening for a brief second before he let me go. “What am I supposed to do with your apology? Eat it?”
“What do you want me to say?” I cried. “I don’t want to make a big deal out of this.”
Sophia stood nearby, puffing on her cigarette, her eyes filled with amusement. She looked thoroughly entertained as if this were some reality show.
Dominic took a slow step back, his gaze raking over me. “You already did the moment you challenged me.” His voice dropped lower. “Go down on your knees.”
My heart stopped.
“What?” I whispered.
“Go down on your f*****g knees!” he barked, his hand moving to his waist—where he pulled out his gun.
A cold wave of terror rushed through me. I had seen this man press a gun to my father’s head, and I knew one thing—he never bluffed.
He c****d the gun. “One thing I will never do is repeat myself.”
Tears streamed down my face as I hesitated. The humiliation. The utter shame. My knees wobbled as I slowly lowered myself to the ground, pressing my palms to my thighs.
I squeezed my eyes shut.
Then.
A gunshot.
I screamed.
My eyes flew open to the horrific sight of the security guard collapsing. Blood pooled beneath him, staining the dirt red.
Dominic barely flinched. “Drag him over.”
The man was barely conscious, his hands weakly grasping at his stomach as one of Dominic’s men obeyed the order, hauling the dying body toward me.
I gasped. “He—he’s going to die,” I stammered, my voice rising in panic. My vision blurred with tears. “He’s going to die!”
I frantically looked around at the others, hoping—begging—for someone to help him. To at least show a shred of humanity. But no one moved.
“You’re going to kneel there and watch him bleed to death.”
My breath shuddered.
“Know that his death is a result of your defiance toward me.”
I slowly turned my gaze up to him, my lips quivering in horror.
This man—this monster—had killed someone over something as stupid as this?
“How could you…” My voice was barely above a whisper, cracking under the weight of disbelief. “You killed a man… because he slapped my ass?” I choked out.
He scoffed. “I killed him because you thought you had it in you to challenge me.” He shoved his gun back into his waistband and turned away. “She is to leave here only when he breathes his last,” he instructed his men before disappearing into the house.
************
Later that night, I couldn’t sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw blood. I heard the gunshot ringing in my ears. I saw the man’s vacant eyes staring at nothing, the life draining from them, the fear, the regret.
It was my fault.
No, it was Dominic’s fault, but I had played a role. If I hadn’t spoken up…
The sheets felt suffocating, trapping me in my own mind.
When morning came, my body ached, my chest heavy with exhaustion. I took my time dressing, dragging my feet out of the room.
As I approached the dining area, I heard Dominic’s voice.
I stopped in my tracks. My breath hitched.
I wasn’t ready to see him.
For the past week, our mornings had become a ritual—I’d eat while he read the newspaper, barely acknowledging me. But today…
I couldn’t stomach sitting across from him, not after what he did.
Later That Afternoon
“You missed breakfast.”
I yelped at the sudden voice behind me. My heart lurched as I spun around.
Dominic stood there, cigarette between his lips.
I clenched my jaw. “I wasn’t hungry.”
His gaze remained fixed on me. “Or maybe you were avoiding me.”
I swallowed, keeping my eyes on my work. “I wasn’t avoiding you.”
Silence.
When I glanced up, he was still watching me with that knowing look. He didn’t believe me.
“Don’t skip breakfast again,” he said finally.
A bitter scoff nearly escaped my lips.
“I don’t want to sit at that table every morning and find you missing.”
Then, as abruptly as he appeared, he turned and walked away, leaving me stunned in place.
I stood frozen long after Dominic left, his words looping in my head like a haunting echo.
I don’t want to sit at that table every morning and find you missing.
Why did that sound more like a command than a request? More like a threat than a concern?
I clenched my fists, my nails biting into my palms. This wasn’t normal. None of this was normal. I needed to stop acting like I could pretend it was.
Shoving my thoughts aside, I focused on the documents in front of me, forcing myself to work. Anything to distract from the sickening feeling clawing at my stomach.
But before I could fully sink into it, Sophia strolled in, her heels clicking against the marble floor. A cloud of cigarette smoke followed her.
She leaned against the desk, arms folded, amusement dancing in her eyes. “So, you’re still alive,” she mused, taking a slow drag.
I tensed but didn’t look up. “What do you want?”
She exhaled a soft laugh. “You really thought you could go against Dominic and walk away unscathed?” She shook her head. “Admirable. Stupid, but admirable.”
I gritted my teeth, my fingers gripping the pen too tightly. “I wasn’t trying to go against him.”
“Then what do you call it?” She tilted her head, examining me. “He could’ve done worse, you know. That little display last night? That was mercy.”
I snapped my head up, disbelief surging through me. “Mercy?” I hissed. “He killed a man, Sophia!”
Her expression didn’t change. “And?”
My breath hitched. And? As if murder was nothing. As if I was the one being unreasonable.
Sophia rolled her eyes. “Look, you need to stop thinking like some naive little girl. This is Dominic world.”
I pushed back from my desk, standing abruptly. “I didn’t sign up for this.”
She flicked her cigarette onto the floor, crushing the ember under her heel before sauntering off, leaving behind the sharp scent of tobacco and something even more suffocating—reality.
- Writer
