You, Me, And My Baby

Chapter 4 Punishment

"You should have been more careful. You know full well how short patience the madam is," Tanna spoke the moment we enter the study room.

The study room is where I used to sit all day while Tanna teaches me everything I need to know. Including embroidery, cooking, flower arrangement, tea brewing, and a lot of things that one may not need to know.

I was homeschooled until I reach the age of fourteen when I was transferred to an international school abroad. And until only two weeks ago, I was still studying in that same school. But now... her I am once more, locked inside this place.

A massive room where it holds, rows and rows of bookshelves that it can be called a private library. Yet it still has a cooking area, a sewing area, and an area where there sits a chair, a wooden table, and a green chalkboard.

A familiar room that became my classroom all those years and now I am back here once again.

"This place really remained the same all this time. As if it's waiting for me to come back," I mutter as I eyed the whole room with hatred.

"Young miss..." I heard Tanna whisper before clearing her throat.

"As you know, the madam has issued you to be punished for your behavior. Then if you will, please kneel to the mat over there," She stated before pointing to where the punishment area is.

Ah... the grey mat, a thin mat the same one that is used for yoga. I used to kneel on that wherever I committed a slight mistake while holding three thick books in my arms. My time kneeling varies on how bad my mistake was.

And this time, I am certain I will be kneeling for hours to come.

Ah... Maybe I should not have left my room after all.

I grimace as I kneel on the grey mat, before holding my arms out. Tanna places four thick books on my arm making it wobble a little.

"Ugh... this is quite heavy, Tanna. I don't know if I will be able to carry this for long," I spoke as she let out a sigh.

"Please endure this for an hour. Once you are done, you should make the madam an embroidered handkerchief to please her," she said as she steadied my arm before placing a timer on the floor beside me.

"I will be on standby here," she added once she made sure that my arm wouldn't wobble anymore.

She then sat down on the chair nearby before pulling out a book from a nearby shelf and starts reading it.

Ugh... I don't know if I can last an hour here. It has been a long time since I was punished like this so I am not used to carrying these heavy books.

Please let time flow faster!

"You were once an obedient girl... so why did you do it? Why did you allow yourself to be caught by them?" I flinch in surprise once Tanna spoke half an hour after my punishment started.

By this time, my arms are burning in pain. Yet, I can't even lower the books even by little if I don't want my time to be extended.

"W-what do you mean by that, Tanna?" I responded with a trembling voice since my arms wobble a little after I spoke.

"I don't need to repeat what I have stated for you to answer my question, Lady Yumi," she answers in a stern voice that almost made me lower my arms.

"...Can we talk after this? I am no longer used to this kind of punishment... so allow me to concentrate on this first," I answer her as I try to steady my arms.

If I talk anymore, my arms will definitely fall.

"All right, I will allow it. But make sure to answer properly... after all, your answer will define whether I will help you or turn a blind eye on your situation."

*Thud!!*

The sound of books falling on the ground echoes in the room.

T-this... Tanna! Why did you have to talk like that when I am in the middle of my punishment!

My arms are shaking and twitching in pain as I stare in defeat at the sight of the books in front of me. To think I manage to make it halfway through it and now I have to do it all over again.

I heard Tanna let out a sigh as she closes the book she was reading.

"It seems to me that, you have lost all your focus ever since you step outside of this house. I will allow you to take a five-minute break but after that, I will add another five minutes to your time," she commented as she picks up the timer and restarted the time.

I can feel my eyes tearing up from what I have heard until the tears slowly fall from my eyes.

"There is nothing to cry about this my lady. Dry your tears out and take a breather," Tanna stated before handing me a white handkerchief.

I shakily raise my hand before accepting the handkerchief. My heart is thumping painfully in my chest as my tears continue to fall.

Why am I crying exactly? Is it really just because of the fallen books? Because my punishment got longer? Or... Sean.

"Hic..!" I cover my mouth as my whole body trembles.

I miss him! I miss Sean! I-- I love him... I love you! I love you! I love you! I--!

"..."

Without any word, I felt something warm wrap around me then Tanna's perfume hits my nose.

"Tanna! I--! I love him! I really do love him! I miss him! I want to see him! HIc--! WH-why?! Why can't I love him?! Why am I not allowed to choose who I can marry?! Why--! Hic! WAAAHH!!!" I let myself cry out loud as Tanna caress my back to calm me down.

"Let it all out, Ash... I won't say anything," she softly whispers as I hug her back.

--

"How could you do this?! Why do you hate her so?!" his yell echoes in the quiet living room of their house as his parents eye him with disappointment in their eyes.

"We are only doing this for your future. What could you gain from someone with an unknown background? Nothing! She on the hand will gain your surname, fame, and riches so easily. How could I let that woman who is a year older than you be part of this family?" his mother responded as she fans herself with her red fan being adorned with golden designs.

"Is that it? You did not even bother getting to know her and you have already judged her because of her background?! Is it her fault that she was abandoned in an orphanage when she was young? No! How could you judge her so easily like this?!" he yells in anger as he turns his back on them.

"If you ever dare to step out of this house, mark my words... I will turn her life upside down, son," his father's voice made him stop walking towards the door.

He gritted his teeth as he clenches his fist. How could they treat him like this? How could they try to manipulate his life now?! Now that he... now that he has found someone he wanted to be with. For the first time in his life, he found a person who brings out the best in him, and yet...

He can't do anything to protect her. All because he is powerless...

'Then... all I need is to gain power,' he thought to himself before taking a deep breath and turning to face the stairs.

Instead of walking out of their house as he has planned to... he headed straight to his room to plan his next steps.

He will do anything to get her back.