40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40

-Alison-

The packing consumed most of the morning before I could finally get properly dressed and cleaned up. They had left some clothes for the next two days, along with essentials in the bathroom for us to use. As the morning wore on and turned into late afternoon, hunger gnawed at me, yet no food had been brought, and Jared was nowhere to be found. I contemplated leaving the safety of our hideaway, but the fear of Jared's retribution kept me rooted in place... at least, for the moment.

The mischievous voice that always led me astray urged me to venture out in search of sustenance, tempting fate. Despite my initial resolve, I found myself succumbing to its beckoning, rising from the couch where I had reluctantly resorted to reading. I approached the door, unlocked it, and peered cautiously outside. Seeing no one nearby, I slipped out, closing the door quietly behind me, and made my way down the hallway and downstairs to the kitchen, where I prepared myself a sandwich.

Seated at the kitchen island, I had barely taken a bite when someone entered the room. Our eyes met, and we both froze in place. Astrid stood in the doorway, looking slightly disheveled and pale. I couldn't determine if it was from last night's events or the fetus. I opted for the latter, though neither of us seemed inclined to break the silence.

"Can I help you?" I ventured, breaking the awkward stalemate.

"Jared informed me that you're leaving," she stated, her tone tinged with annoyance.

I nodded. "Yes, we are."

"I told him it was unwise. Vince is not a stupid man," she remarked.

"I'm aware," I murmured, acknowledging Vince's formidable power.

"He doesn't appreciate the influence you hold over his son," she continued.

"Jared is not his son," I countered.

"Blood doesn't define family," she reminded me pointedly.

"You would know," I murmured, earning a sharp glare from her.

"He wants you out of Jared's life, believing you're the root of all this chaos."

"Then he can come and get me," I retorted, sensing Astrid's surprise at my newfound assertiveness.

"Someone's found their backbone," she remarked, sounding almost impressed.

"Yes, and if Vince wants me gone, he'll have to kill me," I declared, the fire of defiance burning within me.

"He might, but after witnessing the bond between you and Jared, I think he's made a grave mistake in trying to separate you," she confessed.

"Oh?" I prompted, intrigued by her insight.

"He should have realized that removing you would only push Jared further away from the path Vince wants him to follow. If he had allowed Jared to have you, he would have felt indebted to Vince," she explained.

"But I don't belong in his world. I was a threat," I countered.

"You were, but if Vince had abducted you to give to Jared, we wouldn't be in this situation," she pointed out.

"You'd still be pregnant and his wife," I added.

"Ah, he told you," she mused.

"Yes, or rather, he let it slip," I confirmed.

"Jealous?" she teased, a hint of amusement in her voice.

I paused for a moment, refusing to let her see any weakness before meeting her gaze head-on.

"I was told that having children would be highly unlikely," I began, observing her reaction. She shrugged nonchalantly.

"Never say never," she countered.

"True, but some people never get the chance to be parents, even if they desperately want to. However, I won't deny feeling a twinge of envy. Not so much for your ability to bear a child, as you said, blood doesn't make family. It's about who the father is," I admitted.

Astrid smiled knowingly, understanding the significance.

"However," I continued, seeing her smile falter slightly, "as I've already told Jared, I wouldn't want to start a family with someone who doesn't desire it. And from what Jared tells me, he has no interest in acknowledging the child as his own. You'll be facing this journey alone, and while I respect single mothers, we can't ignore the challenges of raising a child without a committed partner or co-parent. You won't just be any single mother. You'll be leading an empire with full custody of that child. It's going to be a lonely path."

Standing up, I grabbed my food, locking eyes with her.

"In the meantime, I'll have Jared's undivided attention—a man who would gladly move mountains for me. Tell me, Astrid, how many of your slaves would do the same for you without being ordered?" I taunted, taking a bite of my food as I made my way toward the door.

"Enjoy playing house by yourself. Not even your own family members will be with you, because you've killed them," I added mockingly before slipping away, feeling rather pleased with myself.

I dozed off later in the day, and when I woke up, it was pitch black outside, leaving me disoriented as I heard hurried steps and the door slam shut. Before I could even turn to see who had entered, a dark shadow loomed over me, causing me to scream. A hand quickly covered my mouth, and I found myself staring into green eyes, realizing it was Jared who had returned.

"You scared me!" I exclaimed into his hand.

"Did you leave the room today?" he asked, his tone serious.

How did he know? Astrid , a voice reminded me. I blinked rapidly, then grasped his hand, glancing nervously at the uncovered windows.

"Why were you gone for so long?" I demanded, sidestepping his question.

"I was preparing the house. It took longer than expected. Now, tell me, did you leave the room?" he pressed.

I sighed, failing to see the issue since we were leaving anyway, but Jared didn't appreciate my nonchalance and made sure I focused on him by grabbing my jaw.

"Alison?" he prompted.

"I was hungry!" I exclaimed.

"Why didn't the staff feed you?" he inquired, and a brief silence followed as we both reached the same conclusion.

"Astrid," we cursed simultaneously, realizing she must have given a different command, perhaps as payback for Jared's announcement of departure.

Jared's anger abated slightly, but it didn't stop him from flipping me around and spanking my covered ass.

"Ouch!" I yelped, rubbing the sting.

"You shouldn't have left," he admonished.

"What about when we get to the other house? Can I still not leave the room without permission? Is there going to be a dog crate too?" I teased, trying to lighten the mood.

"Maybe not such a bad idea," he snapped.

"If you put me in a dog crate, we are never having sex again, I can promise you that," I shot back, averting my gaze, but he leaned in, his fingers tilting my chin upward.

"I think we both know who would break first," he purred. "You always end up begging me to taste your sweet pussy."

I groaned inwardly, hating that his words ignited a warm sensation within me, and he smirked as he sensed my resolve waver. Quickly, he leaned down to kiss my lips.

"You will not leave the area," he reiterated firmly.

"Where?" I inquired.

"In the other house. You're free to roam, but do not leave the area," he clarified.

I nodded, but he tightened his grip on my chin, ensuring my full attention.

"Alison, I mean it. If you leave the place without my notice or without guards, you will not be able to sit down for an entire month," he warned.

I looked up at him, a tremor of fear coursing through me. "How is that even possible?" I whispered, loathing myself for asking.

"You don't want to find out. Now, did you hear me?" he pressed.

"Y-Yes. No leaving the area," I confirmed, feeling a sense of trepidation.

"Good," he said, kissing me once more before heading to the bathroom to get ready for bed.

I breathed a sigh of relief. Sometimes his intensity was overwhelming, yet it was also something I found exhilarating. However, I couldn't help but wonder what awaited me once we were confined to the same house again, this time under new conditions.