Chapter 4: Follow My Rules

Samantha POV...

"Now that the contract is signed and sealed, we move straight into business."

I didn't think much of his words, until he suddenly clapped his hands. Before I could react, the bodyguard seated behind us snatched my phone away.

"That's the first rule, Samantha," Adrian said coldly. "You no longer have the right to communicate with anyone from this moment onward. And that shouldn't be a problem...."

His eyes locked onto mine. "-since you have no family. You're an orphan."

My ears rang in confusion as soon as his words hit me. I turned to him, my eyes holding the shock of a perfectly confused soul.

"What are you talking about?" the words hammered out of my heavy lips after minutes of thick silence. If it were the early hours of the day, the silence would have been loud enough to hear a needle drop.

"You shouldn't see an issue with it, Samantha. You just have to follow my rules," he drawled, like he hadn't just snatched my entire life away. "If you want to be on the safe end, you just have to follow my rules. Trust me. That's the way to win my heart."

He fastened his seatbelt and hit the front seat.

Win his heart? As if I was interested in that.

"I-"

"You don't get to oppose my rules, Samantha. They stay, okay?" he snapped, cutting me off.

"You don't talk when you're not permitted. You don't argue with me. You don't challenge me." His eyes seethed with provocation. "You just follow my damn rules. You follow me like the obedient dog you are."

A small smile crept onto his lips as his hand found its way to my face.

For the first time, I nodded, terrified. His eyes was doing something to me, and his terrifying smile wasn't helping. I had never seen a man this dangerous. One minute he was angry, the next he was smiling.

"I love it, Samantha. You're a good one," he said, tapping my head before turning away.

He tapped the driver's seat, and immediately the car pulled away from the curb. Within seconds, we were on the road.

"Once we get home, you're getting a makeover done. My wife isn't going to move around the house like a mad woman." He gave me a quick glance and drew a cigarette from his pocket.

I nodded like a scared little fool.

He took a long drag and turned to me again. "If only you knew how long it took me to get you."

Those were his simple words before he faced the window.

I watched him, unsure of what he meant. But deep down, I knew he wasn't a stranger. This man had known me for a long time. He chose me for a reason, but why? To what end did he go so far just to get me?

..........

I felt a soft tap on my shoulder, forcing my sleepy eyes open. I yawned, stretching my arms in different directions.

"Good evening, ma. The Don asked me to get you from the car," a voice said beside me.

That was when I realized I had been woken up.

I rubbed my eyes and looked around. I was still in the car, but how come...? The words seized in my throat as everything came rushing back.

He had been driving for what felt like forever, and when my tired eyes couldn't keep up, I must have fallen asleep. I pinched myself. How was I able to sleep in front of him?

"Are you okay, ma?" the lady asked, smiling gently.

I forced a smile in return. "I'm fine. I'll just get out of the car."

I stepped down carefully.

The young lady wrapped a heavy cloth around my shoulders as soon as I got out. "Welcome to the Don's house," she said, pointing ahead.

Staring at the massive paradise in front of me, it took everything in me not to scream.

My jaw dropped, my eyes widening in disbelief. Staring at the beauty before me, I completely forgot the chaos I was in.

"Is... is this Adrian's house?" I asked, desperate for an answer.

She looked shocked before replying. "It's not Adrian," she whispered in panic. "We don't refer to him as that here. We call him the Don."

I paused, then shrugged slightly. "How many identities does this man have?"

"I'll be in serious trouble if he ever hears that from you, or anyone," she said, her eyes pleading more than her tone.

I nodded, not wanting to escalate things. "Noted. Is this the Don's house?"

"Yes, ma. One of his many houses," she replied calmly.

"One of his many houses?" I wasn't expecting that. I simply nodded and let her lead.

"I'll take you inside, ma. Welcome once again."

I followed her slowly, my eyes resting on each masterpiece as we walked in. Even in movies, I had never seen a house this beautiful. Everything stood tall and perfect.

She pushed open the massive door leading to the sitting room, and my eyes fell on something even more fascinating.

Inside the large sitting room were five stairways, each leading to a different corner of the house.

"Your food is waiting for you in the dining room," one of the many maids who rushed to meet me said with a slight bow.

Embarrassment hit me instantly. She was obviously older than me.

"I'll lead you to the dining room," she added.

We walked for a while before finally arriving. I was definitely going to get lost in this house.

"Dinner, ma," she said, pointing to the food laid out before me, enough to last me a whole week.

"Dinner?" My confusion was obvious. "I'm not eating all this alone, right?"

She gave me a strange look before replying, "It's all yours."

"All mine? You've got to be kidding me. I can't even finish one portion of this."

"Ma! The Don wants to see you in his room now," another maid rushed in, breathless.

She looked like she had escaped hell, her clothes torn in places, bruises faintly covering her face.

Whispers followed as the maids slowly disappeared from sight, leaving only the one who had brought me out of the car.

She gulped, visibly trembling with fear, before turning to me.

"Let me show you to his room."

Chapter 5: A Record

Samantha POV...

The maid's legs almost gave way as she led me through the silent halls. I was tempted to ask her what was going on, but my lips felt too heavy to open.

Everything that happened with the previous maid replayed in my head, the way her lips quivered when she spoke, her torn clothes, the bruises on her body. None of it was adding up. My mind sat heavily in my chest, whispering warnings over and over again. Something was wrong.

I swallowed hard, trying not to think too much about it. I forced myself to remain calm, even though my mind was in utter chaos.

What if you're next?

Do you even know what he did to that woman?

You were warned not to get involved, but you didn't listen.

You have no family. You're just a poor orphan.

If he kills you and buries you here, who would come looking for you?

My thoughts refused to stop, driving me dangerously close to insanity.

"Nothing is going to happen," I whispered to myself when the whispers became unbearable. "He needs me. I am his wife."

I had to force some sense into my head.

"Ma'am, we're here," the maid said, stopping abruptly. "I'll leave you now."

She didn't wait for my response before turning and hurrying away.

"You're leaving alre-"

The words died in my throat. I swallowed them back, knowing I had no choice but to face my fears alone.

I stood there, shaking, staring at the large brown door for several minutes. Something about it felt different. It looked older, worn out, and nothing like the other doors in the house.

Why was this one different?

"Come in, Samantha."

A sharp pain pierced my chest at the sound of his voice. My legs quivered as my hand slowly wrapped around the doorknob. I didn't wonder why he knew I was there, he was a man of misery anyways.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before finally pushing the door open.

I froze and my heart almost leapt out of my chest when I saw him, his huge, imposing figure standing right in front of the door, staring straight into my eyes.

"Sweet Lord..." I gasped.

One hand flew to my chest, the other braced against my knee as I struggled to steady myself.

"Why did you do that for? You scared the living daylight out of me, and that isn't funny one bit." I took deep breaths, trying to calm my nerves.

He didn't answer. He didn't even act like he had done anything wrong.

He simply turned around and walked toward the bed.

I stared at him, wishing I could grab the flower vase resting on the table opposite me and smash it on his head. Nothing annoyed me more than how nonchalant he acted whenever he did something cruel or strange.

"Close the door and come closer," he said. His voice came out hoarse, heavy with authority and command, even though he made no effort to enforce it.

It hurt that I couldn't react, that I had to act like an obedient dog. I shut the door and walked toward him, just as he commanded.

His eyes slowly traveled over me, lingering on my face before he finally spoke again.

"My family will be here for lunch tomorrow, so keep that in mind and behave accordingly."

I stiffened.

"When they arrive, they'll have a lot of questions for you," he continued. "Answer none of them. I'll do all the talking. Do you understand?"

I nodded calmly. That wouldn't be a problem. I wasn't a fan of answering questions anyway.

"My mother will ask the most questions," he added. "She'll use every opportunity she gets to touch your stomach, because they all believe you're pregnant."

His words caught me completely off guard.

"Pregnant?" I blurted out. "I don't understand what you're saying. I'm not pregnant, so why would they think that?"

"Watch your tone, Mrs. Samantha," he snapped. His eyes slowly burned with rage.

But I wasn't listening anymore. I needed answers.

"Tone?" I snapped back. "How can you say that now? You need to clear the air because at this point I'm completely confused." I paced back and forth in agitation, my fingers digging into my hair as my ears strained for a response.

"I told them you're pregnant," he said coldly. "I also told them we've been married for a year now. That's all you need to know, for now."

I stared at him as everything slowly began to make sense.

"You'll wear this tomorrow." He tossed a black nylon bag at me.

I caught it, confused, then froze when I opened it.

A fake pregnancy bump.

"You're going to put this on tomorrow and keep it on until they leave," he said casually, grabbing a bottle of wine from the bar in the corner of the room. "I hope that isn't too hard for you."

Anger surged through me. This was the last straw that broke the camels back.

"This wasn't part of the contract," I snapped. "You never mentioned this. I'm already not okay with you cutting off my communication, and now this? Did you even ask if I was comfortable with any of it? I'm not your puppet an-"

"You see, that's what you don't understand, Samantha." He walked toward me, swirling the wine in his glass. "You are my puppet. And I twist you into any position I wish."

My breath hitched as he got closer.

"Do you remember what I told you in the car?" A sly smile crept onto his lips, the kind that sent chills down my spine.

"Why don't you listen, Samantha?" His smile melted into frustration. Suddenly, he slammed the glass onto the floor. It shattered, the sound echoing loudly through the room.

I staggered back in panic, and he followed, slow and deliberate.

My heart raced wildly when my back hit the wall. There was nowhere else to go.

"I'm not a difficult man," he said calmly as he closed the distance between us. "If you just listen."

His breath brushed against my neck. My body trembled as his hands wrapped tightly around my throat.

"I don't want to hurt you," he said softly. "Just be the good puppet you're meant to be."

His grip tightened. I coughed, gasping for air, my eyes burning as hot tears spilled down my face.

My feet slowly lifted off the floor.

"Be a good girl and obey every command without complaint," he whispered. "Or do I need to keep reminding you?"

With the last strength I had, I nodded.

"Good."

He released me.

I collapsed onto the floor, coughing violently, struggling to breathe.

"Now get lost with that useless nylon," he snarled, "before I come for you again."

He wasn't joking. His eyes were bloodshot, his face void of mercy.

I didn't know how I managed it, but the moment he took another step toward me, I fled the room.

As I ran, only one thought echoed in my mind.

What exactly have I walked into... and what really awaits me?

Chapter 6: The Meeting

Samantha POV......

"Smile. You wouldn't want them to think I am maltreating you, will you?" Adrian pulled my cheek, a forced smile on his face. I nodded my head, swallowing my pain and fear. I still haven't been able to forget what he did to me yesterday.

"You are one pretty lady." He tugged my hair behind my ears and held his hand out. "Hold my hand. I will lead you down the stairs." I gulped hard and wrapped my hand around his.

"Keep that smile." He spread my lips wider, that devilish sly smile still perfectly tugged at the corner of his lips.

Slowly, he led me down the stairs. Halfway through, he wrapped his hand around my waist. My heart sang in panic as his hand crossed my waist, and I felt a sensation I have never felt in my entire existence. Why would you do this? I wanted to scream, but that could wipe my existence from the world.

"You look gorgeous in this red gown and the bright makeup. Sorry, I forgot to compliment you earlier." I looked down at the red floral gown that highlighted my perfect curves, showcasing them to the world, and the fake pregnancy bump sitting calmly on my stomach.

"And be careful with the heels. Don't trip yourself." I looked down at my shaky legs that were new to wearing heels. They were frantically exhausted from having to try something new. "You won't want to show my family that I picked you from the trash, will you?" he yanked slowly. I nodded, avoiding eye contact with him. I wouldn't dare look into those deadly eyes.

"You will get used to it, dear wifey," he said calmly, like he hadn't been rude to me minutes ago. "We are close. Keep the smile brighter." I forced it again.

"No! That sucks. Even a fool would know that your smile is fake, so you better brighten up for real." His face went sour immediately. I gulped, trying to force a genuine smile now. "Now that is what we call a smile." We were standing at the end of the stairs now.

From our standing point, I could hear the sound of plates clicking and water roaring out of jugs. "Let's go. They are waiting for us at the dining," he said. I nodded and followed swiftly.

My heartbeat tripled as I stood in front of his family. Maintaining eye contact was almost impossible, but I could feel their eyes swimming around me. I felt Adrian's firm grip around my arm, and I felt a bit of reassurance.

Deep silent sat for a while before Adrian finally broke it, "This is my wife I told you all about," he said swiftly and led me to a seat.

He pulled out a chair for me and watched me sit before locating one next to me. Devil. The word echoed within me, but my face said otherwise.

"She's beautiful," an elderly feminine voice caught me off guard, and for the first time, I was able to look up, a peck of confidence dancing in me.

"Good day, ma," I greeted, realizing it was Adrian's mom. My eyes were glued to her, and I couldn't admire her less. Her expensive golden jewelry decorated her neck, hands, ears, wrists, and fingers. The grace with which she carried herself radiated effortlessly, even without her doing much.

"So you are the lady that locked my son's heart?" she smiled sweetly.

"I never knew Adrian would get married in his life, and I strongly doubted it when he told me he had a wife, and a pregnant one at that," his dad chirped with a bright smile. I turned to him and smiled calmly.

"So tell me, Samantha," his mom drew my attention back to herself. Samantha? She knows my name. This big mouth has spilled everything regarding me to them already.

"How long have you been pregnant, dear? We need to make preparations for the baby's arrival and-"

"She has been pregnant for four months," Adrian snatched the words from her lips. I gave a quiet sigh, glad he came to my aid. I would have shattered so badly and exposed myself.

"Four months already?" she clapped her hands excitedly. "Then it's time to start shopping. Tell me, Samantha, what do I get for my grandchild?" She turned to me with a bright smile.

"Uhmmm-"

Adrian sliced a soft pinch across my laps and passed warnings to me with his eyes.

"Mom, these questions are not necessary now. The good thing is that I have a wife and a pregnant one, so can we just eat?" Adrian's tone was filled with irritation as he spoke.

"But I would love to get something for the baby too. Is it a boy or a girl?" a soft-spoken voice sang, and I was forced to look.

It was a young lady, probably in her early twenties. She had this soft aura all around her. She was beautiful to the core, and her ocean-blue eyes spoke more volume to her beauty. Everything about her spoke wealth and luxury, and I couldn't admire her less.

"Yes, Adrian. We need to know, is the child a boy or a girl?" a voice intruded, not from the table but from a distance. I followed the voice, and my eyes landed on a young man walking towards us. He was wiping his face with a handkerchief, so I couldn't get a clear view of his face.

His figure was huge and intimidating at the same time. He was well-built and muscular, just like Adrian. Even without having a clear view of his face, I could tell he was handsome too. Beauty runs in the family for sure.

I picked up the glass of water in front of me and took a long gulp from it. I swirled the cup as I waited for more spontaneous questions to lash at me.

"Tell us, Adrian. Is it a boy or a girl?" he continued, putting a stop to his endless cleaning of his face.

I could finally get to see his face, but my excitement lived shortly as my eyes fell on the most unexpected being.

"Steven!" The word escaped my lips slowly, and my cup shattered on the floor without warning.