CHAPTER 18. A NEW LOOK.
1309 Words
Lila felt a gush of hope when she saw a tiny ray of light coming from the small window that was almost completely blocked by the huge branches of a tree.
Her stomach grumbled loudly, a reminder of the emptiness inside her; she hadn’t eaten since the previous afternoon. She licked her dry, trying as much as she could to swallow her saliva. She was pale, weak, and feverish, an effect of the cold.
She wrapped her arms around herself, wishing for warmth. She missed Richmond, his touch, his caress, she missed the way his lips felt on hers, warm and chocolaty, thinking of him was what helped her through the night. She promised herself that she would stay strong for him, she would endure everything, and come out a free woman for him.
She tried swallowing another gulp of saliva, but it didn’t pass through this time. Her throat was dry, and every swallow felt like swallowing sand. She closed her eyes for a moment, imagining the taste of something warm and comforting.
Suddenly, she heard a faint rustle outside. Her heart raced. Was it a wild beast? She leaned closer to the wall, trying to breathe through the dampness seeping from it. Just then, the door swung open with a loud creak, making her jump.
Hakim walked in looking all serious as usual, his eyes scanning the room, as though expecting to see something else.
She tried to stand, but her legs trembled beneath her, refusing to cooperate. As she wobbled, panic rose in her chest. Just when she thought she might fall, Hakim rushed forward and caught her, lifting her effortlessly in his strong arms.
“Easy now,” he said, a hint of warmth breaking through his stern demeanor.
“Where are we going?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
………….
Lila blinked several times, struggling to adjust to the bright light around her. When she finally focused, she sat up quickly, her heart racing at the sight of Damien's cold gaze staring daggers at her. “What Happened?” Oh s**t. She remembered; she remembered Hakim lifting her and everything going blank.
“How long have I been out?” she asked, ignoring Damien’s cold gaze.
“Instruct the maids to get her cleaned up and probably make some soup for her for the fever” Damien instructed Hakim not taking his gaze from her.
"You will accompany me to the press conference"
“What!” but she knew better than to protest
“Sir, I don’t think this is….”
“I don’t care what you think right now” Damien snapped, cutting Hakim short.
“I'm sorry sir” Hakim bowed his head slightly before leaving the room.
“Damien I don’t think I am strong enough to follow you, besides, my presence wouldn’t be needed there,” she muttered weakly, attempting to sit up but falling back against the pillows.
"You don't have a say," Damien replied coldly. "True, your presence won’t be of any value, but you are to follow me regardless."
With that, he walked out the door, leaving Lila alone. The thought of standing next to Damien, pretending to be a loving wife, made her stomach turn. But she knew she had no choice. At least, not yet.
“He locks me the whole night in some scary cold cave and expects me to be the perfect wife in front of the cameras?" Lila muttered to herself, her voice tinged with bitterness.
The memory of the previous night sent shivers down her spine. "I spent hours shivering in the dark, trying to force myself to sleep, and now he thinks he can just walk up to me and tell her to follow him for some f****d up conference? If he is trying to make me defy him again so he can derive joy in punishing me, I’m sorry but I won’t give him that privilege again."
A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. A maid entered, carrying a tray.
She approached her with gentle hands, helping her to sit up. "Ma’am, let's get you cleaned up and feeling better, but first you need to have this soup," she said kindly, her voice soft, giving her a steaming bowl of chicken soup, the comforting aroma filled the room.
"Miss Lila, please try to eat a little. It will help you feel better," the maid said softly, offering her the spoon.
“A little? I can finish this in an instant, I am so famished” She took a small sip, the warm broth soothing her sore throat. She managed a weak smile at the maid.
In a moment she was done eating, she wished it wouldn’t finish, at least not now, “I enjoyed it”
“Thank you, ma'am,” the maid replied. “I’ll be downstairs ma’am, I have prepared a warm bath for you, and you can call on me if you need me” she pointed to the intercom which was on the nightstand before taking her leave.
……..
Lila stepped out of the bathroom, feeling refreshed, the scent of her lavender shower gel clung to her skin.
She had crawled into the bathroom earlier, exhausted, and ended up sitting on the floor during her bath, but now she felt alive like the water had some sort of healing powers.
She wrapped a soft towel around herself and quickly moisturized her skin before heading to her closet. The rows of designer dresses and luxurious outfits would have dazzled anyone else, but not her.
"What should I wear?" she muttered to herself, her fingers skimming over the racks of elegant gowns and tailored suits, but she walked past them all, heading straight to her own section, where her personal items were tucked away. She needed something that felt like her, so she picked up a black V-neck, double-breasted suit coat dress that she sewed by herself.
The fabric felt cool under her fingertips, she slipped the dress off its hanger and held it up against her body, looking into the mirror “Hmmm, this would be just perfect, not too loud and it will match Damien’s aura also. If I am acting as his wife, I should at least do that well”
Taking a deep breath, she decided this was the one. It wasn't just a dress; it was a piece of herself, she quickly shed her towel and slipped into the dress.
She fastened the buttons with practiced ease, the act calming her nerves slightly. Next, she reached for her favorite pair of heels. As she slid them on, she straightened up, her reflection stared back at her, and for a moment, she allowed herself to admire the transformation.
She reached for a simple yet elegant necklace, a gift from her mother, and clasped it around her neck. It was her good luck charm.
With one last look in the mirror, she smiled softly. “One last thing, a light makeup” she whispered to herself.
Seated at her dresser, Lila carefully brushed her hair into a center part, tucking one side behind her ear while letting the other cascade freely over her face. She meticulously applied her makeup, opting for a light and cool look, ensuring to conceal the dark circles under her eyes from a night spent in tears.
As she turned to leave, she grabbed her clutch and phone but was interrupted by a knock on the door. “Come in she called out”
Hakim walked in, staring at her in disbelief “Ma’am are you ready” he asked.
“As ready as I can be,”
“Good, the young master awaits you downstairs, he orders that you should come down immediately”
“Okay after you,” she said, locking the door behind her.
- Writer
