Chapter 3: A Very Expensive Bath
757 Words
Julian Thorne sat at his desk, a faint smile playing on his lips. He’d found her – the woman who had eluded him and Ethan for three years. Clever, yes, but now she was in his hands. He wouldn't let her escape unscathed.
He placed the file – the Simei family trust – back on his desk and headed downstairs. "Mrs. Davis," he instructed, "prepare the guest room next to mine."
Alex awoke to a sharp pain in her arm. A woman, a doctor, was tending to the wound. Alex instinctively kicked out, sending the doctor reeling. "What the—" she started to yell, but stopped, remembering Julian's presence.
Alex looked around the unfamiliar room – a luxurious space far removed from the grim sanitarium. She was still wary, but Julian's presence, a few feet away, was a sobering reminder of her situation.
"How is she?" Julian asked the doctor, his gaze briefly meeting Alex's before shifting away.
The doctor, still slightly winded, stammered a response. "She's fine, Mr. Thorne. Just a concussion. She'll be alright with a few days' rest."
"Thank you," Julian said, dismissing her.
Alex remembered, through Simei's memories, that the woman had been treating her injuries. She chose to remain silent, remembering the brutal death Simei had suffered.
"Go upstairs, shower, then eat," Julian commanded. The mention of food jolted Alex. She was starving. "Can I eat first?" she asked.
Julian gave her a look of disdain. Alex realized the state she was in – disheveled and covered in grime. "Fine, I'll shower," she mumbled.
"Miss Stone, I'll show you to the room," Mrs. Davis, the housekeeper, offered kindly. Alex found Mrs. Davis's warmth comforting.
Julian had Liam deliver a selection of women's clothing and shoes, all freshly dry-cleaned. When dinner was ready, Mrs. Davis left, respecting Julian's preference for privacy. Hours passed, and Alex still hadn't emerged. Julian found this infuriating.
He burst through the door to a scene of utter chaos. The bathroom was flooded, a mountain of suds covering everything. Alex was submerged in the bubbles, her hair plastered to her face, looking like she'd been having a bath-time party.
Julian's face darkened. "Get out," he roared.
"You get out," Alex muttered, stubbornly refusing to meet his gaze.
Julian slammed the door shut. Alex's body trembled. She had been seen naked. She knew the customs, that being seen naked by a man meant a commitment. But she was still nominally married to Ethan.
She hastily cleaned herself, wrapped in a bathrobe, and opened the door to find a dress laid out on the bed. It was a pale blue sundress, simple yet elegant. She slipped it on, the fabric soft against her skin. The sight of her reflection surprised her; she looked like someone from a painting.
Julian was in the living room, reading a file, his fingers tracing the upside-down words. He looked up as Alex descended the stairs, her bare feet padding softly on the polished wood.
"Why aren't you wearing shoes?" he asked, his tone surprisingly gentle.
"I didn't know where they were," Alex mumbled.
"Put them on, then come eat," Julian said, rising from the sofa.
Alex, relieved, slipped on her shoes and joined him at the table. She gasped. The meal consisted of only vegetables. Julian had reheated the food, and it did smell good. He had never eaten alone with a woman before. He looked up to see Alex pouting.
"Why aren't you eating?" he asked.
"I… I don't eat rabbit food," Alex whispered, her voice barely audible.
Julian slammed his fist on the table. "Eat it, or starve."
"I won't eat rabbit food!" Alex retorted, her pride overriding her hunger. She stormed upstairs.
Julian, frustrated, ordered chicken and rabbit from a nearby restaurant. He knew she was being difficult, but he found himself strangely captivated by her defiance.
Later, Alex, having cooled down, realized she'd overreacted. She opened the door to find Julian standing there, a roast chicken and a rabbit in his hands. Her eyes lit up.
"Thank you," she mumbled, snatching the food and closing the door.
Julian watched her go, a smirk playing on his lips. He went downstairs to eat his own dinner, finding himself strangely without an appetite. When he returned to Alex's room, he found her happily devouring the food.
"Finished?" he asked.
"Yes," she replied, her mouth full.
"Satisfied?" Julian asked, a glint in his eyes.
"Yes," she answered again.
He threw a document at her feet. "Sign this." It was the Simei family trust.
- Writer
