His Forbidden Debt

Chapter Seven — The Flame and the Silence

Tristan's POV

Why didn't she fight? Why didn't she try to resist? I asked myself as i sipped from the glass in my hand while facing the window.

Why am I even bothered by what she did?

She's just a slave.

She's nobody.

Why are my thoughts wrapped around the memories of her?

Her silence was louder than any cry, it was unsettling, it disorganised me.

This wasn't submission, it wasn't even close. It was a feeling of detachment.

Like she’d stopped caring, stopped feeling.

She just didn't give a f**k.

I know what I'm going to do.

I walked to the door, “Get me the head maid”.

Soon after, there was a knock on the door.

“Come in” the head maid came in and greeted.

“Go into the dungeon, the girl there should be moved into the servants’ quarters. She'll be Isadora’s personal maid”. The head maid bowed and left.

I'll let her know I still have control over her, I'll break her spirit. I'll make her hate the day she was born.

A well deserved punishment wrapped in silk and shadow.

---

Lilith’s POV

I was just laying down on the cold, hard fall after serving my purpose in Tristan’s chambers.

“I'm sure life can't get worse than this—” I was cut off by the footsteps coming near.

It was a lady, she looked like she could be in her late fifties, she had a calm look on her face, the kind you see on a mother's face.

“How are you dear?” she asked.

“Well, I'm not dead…” I replied without emotions.

“Come with me dear, you've been assigned a position”. She said, stepping back to let the guards open the cell.

I was moved into the servants’ quarter, I ate and freshen up waiting for my “position”.

It couldn't be worse than being a s*x slave… or so I thought.

I was led into the mansion, we passed a couple of rooms and then stopped at a door, she knocked and a voice answered from inside.

The voice was too familiar… Hope it's not what I think?!

The door was opened and I get to see Isadora in front of her vanity table admiring her face or something.

What are we doing here??

Why am I in her chambers?

I couldn't even dare to ask these questions.

The head maid turned to leave and said to me “You're her personal maid, be good!”

Nahhhh!! I’m hearing things—being a s*x slave is definitely way… better.

What the f**k?

Is Tristan trying to punish me?

“Hey you!” my thoughts were cut short and I was brought back to this horrible reality.

“What are you here for? If you're going to work for me, I do not enjoy being stared at”. She warned.

Isadora wastes no time turning every moment into torture.

-----

Lilith brushes her hair, brings her meals, bathes her, polishes her heels—all while listening to venomous jabs about Tristan, about her body, about her supposed “place.”

She could see that it was circumstances that made Isadora become who she was.

Isadora hits her, call her and her father worthless piece of s**t.

She doesn’t flinch. Doesn’t cry. But inside, her hatred simmers like poison.

Even though Lilith was tired of life, tired of the way she was being treated—her friend from the dungeon still does well to check on her.

His routine has become quite often, she starts to find comfort in the routine, the way he passes by and gives her a soft look or leaves something on her tray—fruit, bandages or even balm.

Isadora never stops throwing things at her.

Never stops beating her.

And Tristan sees all that, but that was what he wanted. He just wanted Lilith to remember her place and Isadora is doing a great job restoring her memory.

Camren has seen what the dungeon did to her. What Tristan has been doing to her.

And it tears at him.

So he offers quiet acts of kindness. No speeches. No promises. Just presence.

He keeps his voice low, his hands respectful. Lilith doesn’t trust easily, but she doesn’t push him away.

One night, Isadora asked Lilith to wash her clothes. That was supposed to be a normal job except Lilith has been washing them since morning but Isadora kept on saying they weren't clean enough.

Lilith was tired from continuous washing since the break of dawn, she hasn't even eaten. She barely eats though.

But this time was worse, she could see herself fainting from stress and hunger but she never stopped to rest, her hands were shaking.

Just then, Camren shows up like an Angel, he gave her a seat then called a maid and asked that Lilith be fed. He was so angry at Isadora, he couldn't hold it any longer.

He left Lilith in the care of the other maid, he walked straight into Isadora’s chamber—barged into her room.

“Isadora! Are you even a normal person?” Camren asked as he stood by her bedframe.

“What's the meaning of this, Camren? I'm trying to sleep”. Isadora couldn't care less

“You're trying to sleep yet you're making Lilith go through unnecessary labour, I've seen the way you treat her and let me just warn you. This should be the very last time this happened or else it won't be funny, if you think I'm joking just let it repeat itself”. Camren said and left the room.

Isadora was stunned.

She had never felt this humiliated in her life.

Isadora’s jealousy spirals.

She's been seeing the way Tristan grows frustrated and she knows it's because of that stupid girl, Lilith.

Now Camren comes to tell her what she can and cannot do to her personal maid.

She decides it’s time to end this game.

“It's time I teach this b***h a lesson”

She slept off plotting and finally having a solid proof plan.

Weeks later, it's been almost a month when that incident with Camren happened.

She made sure everyone has forgotten about it, she didn't report to Tristan because he would side with his right hand man over her.

She went to Tristan’s chambers as she always does but he's been so busy lately.

Tristan’s Mafia wasn't going so well, the rival Mafia was always one step ahead of them.

He knew something was up but couldn't guess what.

It took him all night to plan something big, so big that he gets to put his rivals back in their place once and for all.

Isadora was watching him closely, she saw where he put the files. He locked the door to his office and went to his bedroom.

Late at night, Isadora sneaks into his office and steals the files, the files he has been working on for awhile.

“This would be enough to stir panic”. She said as she left his office.

She folds the papers and hides them beneath Lilith’s mattress.

The next morning, she was woken up by a lot of commotion. She quickly got dressed and went to Tristan’s office.

Twelve guards were kneeling on the floor, they were the guards on standby last night.

Camren and the other guard were tearing the place apart looking for the files.

Tristan was very angry, you could see how angry he was by just looking at him.

“Where are my files?” he asked calmly, the calmness of his voice contradicted the anger on his face.

“We didn't see any files, boss”. One of them spoke up with fear.

Tristan got up, took a gun from his stash, corked it and pointed it at the speaker.

“Since you don't know where it is, I don't see your—” Tristan was cut off.

“Tristan that wouldn't be wise, we would see the files, there's no need killing anybody. I'll deal with them myself”. It was Camren, he took the gun from Tristan and ordered that the guards were sent to the dungeon.

“So where are the files, Camren?” He was getting really pissed.

“Babe, I know what you're looking for and I think I know where it is” Isadora stepped forward looking and feeling like a hero.

“Do you know what you are saying, Isadora?” Tristan asked, his temper was shortfused.

“Follow me babe”

“Stop calling me babe!” Tristan warned

Isadora led them to the servants quarters, she got to where Lilith stays and stood there.

Lilith was unaware of what was going on, she stood up and was just looking in oblivion.

“Isadora, this is no time for one of your silly games”. Camren said getting angry too.

“Just search her—Camren. Then you know I don't play games”. Isadora replied.

Tristan ordered the guards that followed to search Lilith’s bed.

They scattered her bed, her few clothes, but they couldn't find anything there. They were about to give up when they raised her bed from the bedframe.

There it was.

The file Tristan almost killed someone for.

They picked up and gave it to him.

“I didn’t put that there, I don't know how that got there”. Lilith was scared, she knew something was up, whatever they were looking for was found and it was found—with her!

“Of course, you would deny it now you've been caught. I saw you sneak into his office last night, I watched you take something from it and came to hide it here. You though no one saw but I did”. Isadora started narrating.

“She's a spy, Tristan. She must be the one telling your rivals your plans, that's why they were always one step ahead”. Isadora continued— she was enjoying this.

Camren couldn't even say anything but he knew Lilith wouldn't do such a thing.

Tristan's expression doesn’t change—but something shifts in his eyes.

He nods once. “I’ll take care of it.”