BOUND BY A BILLIONAIRE'S DECEIT

THE PROPOSAL

ROSE'S POV

I walked home in the comfort of the blues in my ears; I sang along and took steady steps to match the rhythm; I turned a corner and realized I had gotten to the dreadful bridge; the bridge had a way of creeping me out every time.

Afar, I saw two men walking towards the back of a really expensive car. I was ready to turn back, but I wasn't prepared to take the longer route tonight; I couldn't wait to have whatever delight Marvel had prepared for dinner and hit the bed with the most carelessness.

As I moved closer, I saw clearly, a man was strangling another man who looked frail.

A car went over a bridge and its light hit the face of the assailant and I immediately took his face in.

It was Aiden Vaughn!! I must have held my breath till I started screaming in horror, “Oh nooooooo!!” He really was the devil I thought him to be; that was the last thing I thought of before I started feeling weird.

My head felt light, and my legs couldn't lift my weight any longer; as I went down, I was deafened by the sound of my body hitting the ground, thump!!!.

*******************************************

"I thought you were never going to wake up," a thick, sensual voice said to me as my eyes fluttered open. Like a camscan, my eyes swept across the room and reported its unfamiliarity. My brain immediately registered danger.

I jolted up to meet the eyes of the man who had spoken to me. It was Aiden; I immediately remembered last night's incident and understood the danger I felt. To be in Aiden's house at this moment is to be in trouble.

"Why am I here?" I asked him with my eyes shooting arrows in despair and my feet constantly clashing with each other from fear.

I looked around the room, it was painted linen white, with a touch of gold cornice at every corner, the sheets I laid in, were so silky and soft, it was regal. I quickly snapped back at the situation I was in as Aiden responded.

"You're here because you passed out last night and I didn't want to leave you on the street" He said "From how jittery you are, I can tell you remember last night's incident." Of course, I remember, but I shook my head no.

"Well, I have two proposals for you and I hope you choose the smarter one," He said, without paying attention to my terrible attempt at pretense.

"I'll recount last night's truth to you and, if you believe me, you sign a contract agreeing to ultimate silence on the incident forever, and If you don't believe me, I'll give you the phone to report to the police now, but I can't assure you my certainty on what comes afterward for you," Aiden said, with such calmness and poise.

“What makes you think I have to do anything you want? I don't care about your proposals, I just want to go home!!. I responded with my lips quivering, fear brimming in my belly.

“There's only one way home, lady, and it's to choose your fate. Which of the proposals do you reckon with? He said, still calm, but the way he tapped his fingers on the bed let me know he wasn't going to be so patient with me.

Only a fool would choose the second option, and I wasn't one. "I'll take the first proposal". I immediately responded, there are battles you leave to fight another day and today surely was the right day to comply first.

I sat there and listened to the pretty devil Aiden recount last night's incident without hearing one word he spoke. My ears were ringing, and I was constantly sweating in my palms. I don't know when I blurted out "Just bring the document already please, I'll sign it".

I signed the document without bothering to read through it. I couldn't wait to be out of here, Marvel would be worried sick.

"Thank you… " He hesitated, I assumed it was for me to say my name, "Rose", I added, there was no point lying about my name when he could have run a background check on me and was just waiting to see if I'd lie .

"Now you're free to go, but only after I've thanked you while getting to know you for the next few days." My heart sank.

He wasn't letting me go now? What will happen to Marvel? My mind doing its thing, showed me several possibilities of what could happen to her without me.

“I'm free to go, but you're not letting me go?” You must be practicing clownery” I said with disgust.

“I signed your dumb contract and I want to leave here now, my sister will be worried!!” I yelled this time. If only voices blew brains, there would be a mushy sight on the floor now.

"Ahah, don't worry about your sister, she thinks you are on a work trip with Aiden Vaughn, and you're having the time of your life, my men will take care of her," He said with a smirk, as if he didn't just kidnap me, lie to my sister, threaten her and most likely put her under his surveillance if I knew this devil well.

He turned to leave, and I was going to protest some more, but for a second I heard him wince, it seemed like he was in pain, but immediately he had his stoic composure back on and walked out of the room.

To hell with the contract, I am going to report this madman, but first I need to find a way to get out of here.

****************************************************

“Good evening ma'am, Sir Aiden requests your presence for dinner in the grand dining hall now.”

A petite lady said after I let her into my room.

She had such a nice voice, but I concluded that anyone working with the devil was a devil.

I was still sweeping her with my eyes when she laid an exquisite dress on the bed.

“Please get dressed quickly, Sir Aiden doesn't like to wait long”. She exited the room to wait for me to get dressed.

The dining hall was indeed grand, exquisite, and thorough. It was as big as an auditorium, and smelled like Oakwood and fresh flowers, with an undertone of parsley and rosemary.

“Dining with the devil won't be so bad after all,” I said as I saw the platter of delicacy on the very long dining table.

“Welcome Rosa, dine with me” Aiden said, like a king seated at his royal feast. I wonder who he thinks he is.

I sat very far from Aiden and dinner was in absolute silence and every now and then I got the shivers whenever my eyes met his.

Aiden stood up to leave after a while. Dinner wasn't over, but he had no courtesy of politely excusing himself, not like I cared.

I ate wholesomely, touching every delicacy on the table. The roasted turkey and potatoes was definitely my favorite. I enjoyed every bit of the feast.

When I finished, I asked the kind lady to show me around the house.

“You are yet to tell me your name,” I told the lady.

“Sir Aiden asked us to refrain from speaking to you beyond necessity”, she answered and paused.

“Phoebe, you can call me Pheebs”, She eventually added.

“Okay Pheebs, do you ever use phones here? “ I asked.

“Sir Aiden forbids any means of digital communication when we're at work“ she responded with such sadness in her eyes.

“How then do you make contact if the necessity arises? “ I continued to probe her.

“Sir Aiden allows the use of the landline in the living room in the case of an emergency”, she responded.

“Is Sir Aiden at his office now?” I asked. She hesitated to answer, so I added, “I'd like to say a formal good night”

“Come with me,” Pheebs said.

Aiden wasn't at his office, but I was excited. I had gotten to know his office, “He must have kept my phone there”, I thought.

I slept with such contentment that night, I was leaving the house of the devil soon. I have a plan, and maybe it's not a smart one, it's a functional one.