10. AURORA ROOSEVELT
*TWO DAYS LATER*
Today he spoke nicely to me for the very first time, but what he said wasn't nice at all. To be honest I am still not sure if he was speaking nicely or just playing with me. The second option seems more plausible though.
Usually he just plays with me, says mean things in between and enjoys watching me break down even further.
That's how it has always been for the past months. He uses me, discards me at his will. That is what I am meant for - to be his personal whore.
He told me about my new duties from tomorrow onwards. I had enough debt on my head and I wasn't making much from their brothel.
Maybe I am not pleasing to their eyes - a good thing I suppose.
Anyways, I will be scrubbing the floors early in the morning. Thereafter I will join the kitchen staff to prepare food. Serve that as well. Wash utensils. Change bedsheets after these beasts have had their fun. And the brothel was still there for the evenings and night.
He said that he paid his staff but won't be paying me and would instead deduct that from the debt. If everything went well, I might be off my debt in three years or even two if I was more diligent.
And yes. The weirdest part was yet to come. I was supposed to join him for meals whenever he felt bored.
Bored?
I was unaware that eating food is supposed to keep you entertained the whole time. So I would be at his beck and call whenever he wanted to eat with me.
Surprisingly, he has always had his meals alone. He doesn't even like if people stay for a second more in the room after they have served food on his plate.
I just pray that he genuinely just eats food and this is no other way of torturing me.
*9 PM, SAME NIGHT*
I wasn't even done freshening up after that brothel when Dexter came to inform me that he wanted me at the dinner.
"Wasn't I supposed to join my new duties from tomorrow?" I asked and a slap was all the reply I could ask for.
"Do as you are told." Dexter spat out.
He hated me, I could see that in his eyes every time he visited me. He was probably the only one here who hadn't done anything to me except for some occasional beating to which nobody paid any heed.
And thus here I was, following Dexter to the dining room with only my makeup washed up, though all those slutty clothes still hugged me tight.
Dexter only opened the door and let me in, without following me inside.
To be honest this scared me even more than beatings and rape. He never knew humanity or kindness. Eating with me was in no way normal. I wasn't a fool.
"Come here my little lamb." And I knew I had already stopped breathing.
I just couldn't overcome the terror he had instilled in me. Everytime he uttered the word 'Little lamb' it felt as if a thousand needles pricked my body.
"Don't let me repeat or it will no longer be a pleasant dinner. Not for you at least." He uttered each word with his forever calm smile as if he was reciting some holy chant meant to bring peace to the world.
My legs were already doing the job before my brain could process his words and in no time I was standing beside him, though maintaining a two feet distance - my brain had finally worked.
"Sit, my little lamb. What would you like to eat?" He asked and I took a total of ten seconds, no more, to assess if he really wanted me to sit or was having fun-
"SLAM!!"
My head hit the table from that sudden force of slap that my ten second delay had cost me. I felt something dripping down the side of my head - my blood.
"Sit." He said and I followed, my fingers trembling beneath the table. Even after months into this nightmare, my body still finched at his every move.
"What would you like to eat sweetheart?" There he was - back to his innocent smile as if he wasn't the one banging my head on the table with one single slap.
I looked at the table with five to six different dishes. And my gaze fell upon the strawberry shortcake pancake. I used to love making that with Evan. Strawberries and I had a special bond since childhood-
And then I saw the creamy mushroom risotto that both mom and dad loved and made frequently even when I wasn't a big fan. Somehow the colorful pancakes dulled in front of the bland looking risotto. Or maybe you needed some life lessons the hard way to cherish such dishes.
The risotto now seemed my only way to reconnect with them, no matter how foolish it sounded.
Just as I raised my hand to point towards the risotto, he placed the honey roasted peanut crusted chicken on my plate, even pushing it gently towards me - nudging me very politely to eat it.
"This is my favourite. You should eat this." He said before resuming his eating.
But god how in the world was I supposed to eat this? How could I tell him that I was allergic to peanuts?
"Eat. And this is the last time I will repeat anything on this table. You get that, my little lamb?" He said, bringing a bit of chicken right in front of my face - as my heartbeat raced from all the emotions.
I saw his eyes and I knew one more second delay and I was gone - totally gone.
"I.. I can't eat.. eat peanuts." I managed to whisper with my eyes completely shut, as his hand was halfway in the air, almost about to land another blow.
Followed by complete silence. So silent that I could hear my own heart pumping erratically. I opened my eyes only for him to look at me with a smile.
"Why would you say so, sweety?" He asked, his other hand back on the table.
"I am.. allergic to.. to peanuts." Somehow the words found their way out of my throat.
"Oh little lamb, why didn't you tell me earlier?" He said and for the first time ever, I felt a little relieved in his presence.
Maybe, like maybe he wasn't that bad of a human-
"AAAHH!" He held my jaw tight while forcing me to open my mouth as he pushed a large piece of peanut crusted right down my throat.
"Chew slowly little lamb, you might get choked on your food." He said so calmly while pouring a glass full of water over the chicken bite stuck in my throat.
"COUGH.. COUGH.. COUGH!!" I coughed so hard that the water was all over me, though the chicken did find its way downward in my food pipe.
The moment I caught my breath, I saw him staring at me, curiously. I knew he was waiting. Waiting for the truth-
I knew it had started even before his expressions could change. The tightness in my chest, the itch on my tongue, the tingling on my skin all over - I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, couldn't think.
His face started spinning right in front of my eyes as his voice blurred in the background. I looked down, my body covered in red swollen patches.
'God.. just.. just kill me.. kill me already and.. never.. never see him again….'
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Hello my dear readers!
I had a surprise for you all lovelies. Somehow we have managed to reach 10 chapters and though it might not seem much of a huge deal to others, for me it is kinda milestone. My very first book - my very first 10 chapters. I don't know how to celebrate this but I would love to do something special about it. For now I have thought of posting our characters on my instagram handle @kara_gardner. Do check that out. Also I needed some genuine reviews on how I am writing so far - the plot, the characters, if it is engaging, any criticism, and most importantly if my first person POV is working or not. Because initially I used to think that first person POV is boring, but after going through some great stories, I have realised that they are the toughest - more than the third person POV. Writing something yourself, in your own terms and emotions while being portrayed as different characters is a real deal than just describing it as third person. Okay enough of my blabbering. So let me know your views. Also the thing you have been waiting for the most - the SURPRISE. So I have two options - either I can go for a mass release of chapters or any other thing that you all would like me to do. (P.S - don't ask for money - this poor writer is broke🥲).
Anyways you have 15 days to decide. Let me know what you all want by 30 April 2025. If you are unable to decide by then, I would go for mass release.
Okay enough talking for today. Stay healthy and happy guys. And please do vote, comment and give reviews to this book, I desperately need that;)
Love you all loads!
- Kara