Chapter One.
EMBER’S POV
When I got to the front door of the Mongroove resident, I asked, “Good day. Is Mr Mongroove in?” I didn’t want to be seen around the family since they had announced my engagement to Cassius, but Dad had instructed me to drop the file with him only — since it was confidential.
“No Mr. Mongroove isn’t in currently but you can leave a message,” the doorman had responded,
The sound of a horn blaring irritatingly behind me struck only one person in my mind, and that was the last person I wanted to see —my supposed fiancé.
“You’ve got a sexy behind, has anyone ever told you that,” Cassius said, prompting me to turn to look at him, not making an attempt to hide my irritation had always been very paramount when dealing with Cassius.
“You’ve got a disgusting personality Has anyone ever told you that?” I shot,
“Come on baby, that’s no way to talk to your husband…” he said flicking the toothpick that was once in his mouth at me,
“Ew..” I let out with disgust, but not at the toothpick but at the thought of him being my husband,
“What are you doing here anyway. You couldn’t control the urge to be my bride so bad that you showed…” he started but I wasn’t in the mood to deal with him today,
“I’m here to see your father… but the doorman said he isn’t in, so get that crazy idea and me out of that disgusting head of yours. You own no level of importance to me.” I said. This caused him to let out a laugh,
“Dad is in, he just says that so pests like you don’t come bothering him with their leeching presence,” he shot,
“You know your father is my dad’s best friend right? Not everyone keeps leeching friends around them like you do,” I retorted,
“Mr Mongroove is in, can I go through now,” I said to the doorman causing him to open the gate, and the same for Cassius as he drove in.
“What are you coming to see my dad for? Finally curated a way to call off the wedding,” he said tossing his key to the valet,
“Not everything is about you Cassius, People have actual lives,” I spat,
“Correct, this is my world, you’re just an extra… but luckily, I’m about to make you a star…” he said, winking at me. And honestly splashing pepper in my eyes would have been a better option.
“Where is your dad? Can he know I’m here?” I said,
“He’s downstairs, he’s working on some secret new weapon that would catch wolves immediately they are sighted,” he said,
“Too much information but okay, can I go see him, I have a lot to do,” I said. But then he had this disgusting smile corked up his face as he made the move towards the back of the house and that was how I ended up following him stupidly to the basement where he pinned me to the wall without second thoughts.
“Cassius, get away from me!” I yelled struggling to get his grip off my wrist. But I was so stupid to think any of my effort actually amounted to anything compared to him. He was skilled and built. He spent all his life training to capture and kill on the spot, and then there was me, whose only weapon I had ever picked up was my paintbrush,
“Stop resisting it like you don’t want it,” he said, tracing my neck with his wet, slimy tongue. I could feel my lunch slowly make its way up to my mouth,
“I don’t want this Cassius please… let me go!” I begged, screaming at the top of my voice hoping someone would hear me,
“Don’t be ridiculous Ember… everyone wants this..” he said placing a kiss on my cheek,
“Please Cassius I beg you…” I cried as I could still feel the disgust from what he had just done linger on my cheeks,
“How can my parents betroth me to a fool, women across the world are dying to be in your position, yet you keep stressing me out, and for what… this feeble body of yours, you aren’t even attractive, with how uptight you look, I’m a hundred percent certain that you are still a virgin. I mean…. When last did a man touch this… this bosom…” he said slowly bringing his hand up to my breast, but I fought, I fought so hard against the movement making it my life’s mission to escape from this position I was pinned to,
“Help me! Someone!” I screamed!
“Oh shut it. No one is going to hear you down here. The walls are soundproof, so be a good girl before I get rid of you… quietly,” he said now bringing his face closer to mine,
“Cassius I don’t know why you brought me here. I am not here for you, I am here for your father, let me go!” I begged, but I guess there was something amusing in my words that made him laugh,
“You’re a fool to have followed me down here. Why on earth would my parents be in a dungeon? Plus, you keep saying no. We are getting married soon and once we do, your body belongs to me, all day… all night… for the rest of your life…” he said. And as these words registered in my head, I felt a sudden surge of power overwhelm me,
“Over my dead body!” I screamed pushing him with all the force I had summoned, and with that Cassius staggered towards the wall and the next thing I heard was a loud bang from the impact leading him to collapse to the floor.
I stood there frozen by the series of events that had taken hold within the last two seconds,
“Cassius… Cassius…” I called out, but he was still. He wasn’t moving for someone who was restless all his life I had known him,
“Cassius if this is a joke please get up..,” I said, now taking hesitant steps towards him. I used my leg to kick him lightly but there was no response.
Was this his plan? To play pretend and then attack me? I thought to myself, but as my eyes made their way to look up at his face, I could see the pool slowly begin to form,
“He… he… he is bleeding…” I stuttered. At this point, my brain had completely frozen on the next step to take. With my mind repeatedly singing,
I just killed the only heir to the Wolfters clan.
Spiraled by fear, I dashed out of the dungeon, taking numerous glances at my environment making sure I wasn’t seen. I wasn’t supposed to be here, this wasn’t my fault. I only came here to deliver a file and be gone, he brought this upon himself.
“I needed to get out of here, fast” was the only statement ringing restlessly in my head.
When the Mongroove’s family finds out what I have done, they would kill me, they would forget whatever bond my family ever shared with them, and destroy us on the spot. But none of this was my fault. I didn’t want to come here in the first place, Dad made me and then Cassius tried to r**e me. I didn’t really have much of a choice, and in all; I didn’t expect him to die, but a part of me also saw the light in it. At least I wouldn’t have to get married to that disgusting beast, and I saved a lot of women from his torture. The memories of how I saw him sneak over five girls into his room in less than two hours while we grew up with our forced study dates as children made me fully aware of the disgusting character he had.
I got to my car, taking a deep breath as the images of blood forming around Cassius filled my mind.
“This is it, there’s no need to stay here and give them enough reasons to hurt me. I have procrastinated on this for so long. It was time,” I said to myself. I reached for the glove box and brought out the flyer to the art school I had applied for in Baltimore, and it was time to pack up this act and finally get a fresh start.
It was time I came to face it. My parents were never going to back down on controlling everything that concerns my life. And even though Cassius was out, they would find another powerful bounty clan to betroth me to, but they never wanted to support my dream as an artist.
“Art is an excuse for talentless people, we are bounty hunters we save the world from those freaks of nature and we make a difference, that’s important,” Dad always rang before tearing up my paintings or sketches, and mom… well she was always in support of her husband anyway. But this time… this time my art was going to make a difference, and no one was going to break it.