Chapter Twenty- Nine: The New Lady
He placed me down on the sofa, the nurse arrived and attended to my leg. He was right, her hands worked like magic, just one squeeze and I could feel the ache a little less.
“Tea?” he asked, I grabbed the cup in my hands sipping from it as I looked around, admiring every bit of the splendour. It was like a house of a King, it was not a surprising tale that every girl wanted a bit of him, either to bed him or suck from the sap of his wealth.
“You have a beautiful home. I haven’t really seen this part of your home.”
“I guess you only worked outside.”
“Yes, and certainly the worst places.”
“How do your feet feel now?”
“Good as new.”
“I told you her hands work like magic.” He waved to the nurse and she walked out. It was just Ryan and I. He moved closer to the couch still watching my eyes.
“Why do you shy away when I stare at you?”
“I don’t know if it would be respectful to look directly into your eyes.”
“But I want you to look into my eyes. I want to see the colour of your eyes. I want to know how you charmed me.”
“Charmed you?” I looked away.
“Yes, I know that I don’t deserve your beauty, your intelligence. I am an alpha who has everything but lacks the thing that really matters. But when I saw you in that garden that day, I knew there was something about you that completes me.”
We were interrupted as the door flung open and a lady walked in. One of the finest I had seen around. She seemed like she had just gotten into town as she looked very modern and very much familiar. I could not tell we’re I had seen that face but it was clear that was not the first time I had seen such a look.
“Ryan!” She went in for a hug.
“Patricia? Is that really you?”
Ryan grabbed her in his arms as they hugged tightly like two lovers who had been distant for a while.
“Flesh and blood.”
“It’s so good to see you. I had missed having you around here. The pack would be so happy to have you back.”
I began to feel the urge to leave as their little drama charade had become long lasting. One did not need to spend more time to know that they had a thing. I managed to clear out my airways and bring back the attention to me which I got first from Ryan and then from the new girl, Patricia. And then it came to me, she was a girl I had seen walking beside Lady Ana at the moment I was coming to see Ryan.
“Hey Clara, this is Patricia, my childhood friend. We go way back,” he said as he introduced her to me and then he turned towards Patricia, “This is Clara.”
“Nice to meet you Patricia,” I stretched out my hands for a handshake but only kept it back after she looked at them in disgust.
“Ryan, why do you have a pregnant lady in a ragged dress in your living room sitting on your couch?”
“Hey, C’mon Patricia, you would not disrespect my guest that way.”
“Well, I’m going to refresh and I will be hoping that before I get back you will be done with your guest so we can have all the time to catch up.”
“That would be a great idea.”
“Perfect!” She said and walked out leaving just us again as my mind clouded in mixed feelings.
“I knew coming here was a bad idea. I’d like to take my leave now.”
“Hey c’mon so soon?”
“Ryan, I am pregnant and I am still your slave. I shouldn’t be here.”
I tried to move and my dress got whacked by a protruding nail from the chair which ripped it out.
“Oh my God! ” I held my torn dress looking at it.
“I’m sorry about that.”
“I wonder why this keeps happening every damn time. Why would you even have a bad chair in your home? ”
I had become furious as it was the only good dress I loved wearing from the pile of raggedy dresses Lady Ana had given me.
“Can I take a look at it at least?” He asked calmly and I agreed.
“It’s gone beyond mending, I think I have some dresses here.”
I watched as he got some dresses. It was a red dress with a full skirt. These were the dresses that the nobles in the land had on. With their hats and an umbrella over their heads, they strolled the streets with their slaves. I always caught a glimpse of them whenever she was out in the fields.
“No, I can’t accept this.” I rejected the dress and walked towards the door.
“Why? It’s a nice dress and you can’t go around looking like…”
“Like what? A slave? That’s what I am, remember. And I still wonder what I am doing in Lord Ryan’s space, the alpha king.”Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.
“Calm down.”
“Let me leave or I’d tell them that their so-called Alpha kidnapped a slave girl.”
“And you think they’ll believe you over me?”
“Ryan look, I don’t know the game that you are playing but I want out of it.”
“I’m sorry but I can’t let you go,” he said.
“Open the damn door.”
“Why did you do what you did?” I turned to face him with a furrowed brow.
“What are you even talking about?
“I’m talking about the note.”
“And what has all of this drama got to do with that note?”
“Everything!”
“Look Ryan, I had a long day courtesy to you and I need my rest, I don’t know what farm or field I’ll work in by dawn in my condition, so if there is something, now is the right time to talk about it.”
“You still don’t have any idea of what I’m talking about, do you?”
I only narrowed her eyes.
“The note Clara, the note.”
“The note where you stated that you had something very special for me and I ended up in the piggery? Is it that note that you are all wrapped up about? I don’t get it.”
“I invited you to dinner Clara and you blatantly turned down my invitation. I felt kind of bad for the way I treated you, especially after discovering that you were with your child even though I was still very furious at what your parents did to me. I wanted to make amends even before I got to know that I am into you. You have a strong heart and that’s what attracts me to you. Whenever I try to resist you, I just can’t help it. At least you could have just honoured it even if you do not feel the same way.”
“What invitation are you talking about?”
“You have no idea do you?” He said.
“I sincerely don’t.”
“Wait, so you didn’t get the invitation?
“The only note I got from you was the…”
“Yeah… Yeah, I have heard you say that a million times.”
“Who did you send this supposed invitation note through?”
“Lady Ana.”
“Well, I don’t know why she might have kept the letter from me but that doesn’t change anything. You practically sent me to the worst places to work, I work from dusk to dawn with those stern-looking men watching me. I work on an empty stomach. And in my condition it only got worse.”
And before I could say the next word, he fervently pressed his lips against mine, engaging in a passionate kiss.
On realising this, I immediately pulled away from him.
“What did you do that for?” He persisted in his approach towards me, but I retreated.
“Stop! This should not be happening,” I exclaimed.
He implored, “Clara, look into my eyes and tell me that you do not feel the way I do. Tell me that your heart does not skip a beat whenever we meet because that is how I feel every time I am with you. My emotions overwhelm me to the point where words fail to express them.”
“I…”
“Look into my eyes!” he demanded as his voice shook and tears welled up in his eyes.
“It’s hard; you do not know me,” I asserted, keeping her distance.
“Then let me get to know you. Every being in me wants you. I have seen and been with so many but none have made me feel the way that you have done even from a distance. You can come stay in this mansion with me. I don’t want you staying in that cabin anymore.”
“Ryan have you gone mad? I am carrying another man’s child.”
“And I don’t care about that.”
“And besides you have a woman in your life.”
“Who? Patricia?” he chuckle and continued
“She is Lady Ana’s daughter. Lady Ana had taken care of me when I was much younger and so Patricia and I grew up together. Yes I love her but just as one would love his sister. Nothing more will ever happen between us.”
“What?” We turned to find Patricia standing beside us, she had heard everything as tears fell down her cheeks. It was clear that she had more in store for Ryan than he did for her. Another complicated love drama that I was not ready to be part of. As soon as she walked out, I walked out too.