Natasha's eyes locked onto the cup of As the night wore on, Lucas found himself wide awake, his mind racing with dirty thoughts. Mel's body was pressed against his, her arms wrapped around his waist, and he couldn't help but feel a surge of desire.
But he didn't want to get away from her grasp, fearing that it might wake her up. So he lay there, frozen in place, his eyes fixed on the ceiling as he tried to calm his racing thoughts.
Mel, on the other hand, was oblivious to the internal struggle Lucas was facing. She was fast asleep, unaware of the way her body was affecting him.
The next morning, Mel woke up with a start, realizing that she was in the wrong bedroom - Lucas's bedroom. She looked over to see Lucas lying beside her, his eyes fixed intently on her.
Mel's heart skipped a beat as she felt a shiver run down her spine. Lucas's eyes seemed to be scanning every inch of her body, and she felt exposed and vulnerable.
As she looked closer at Lucas, Mel noticed the dark circles under his eyes. He looked like he hadn't slept all night, and Mel wondered why.
Without thinking, Mel reached out and gently touched the circles under Lucas's eyes. Lucas was shocked by the touch, and Mel was equally shocked by her own actions.
She quickly withdrew her hand, feeling a flush rise to her cheeks. "I'm sorry," she muttered, looking away.
Lucas's voice was low and husky. "You don't have to apologize, Mel. I'm just glad you're okay."
Mel took a deep breath and looked up at Lucas. "I'm not going back to school," she said, her voice firm.
Lucas raised an eyebrow. "What? Why not?"
Mel shrugged. "My teacher told me that it's the decision of the school board to let me rest. They think I need time to recover."
Lucas's expression softened, and he nodded. "That's probably for the best, Mel. You do need time to heal."
Mel stepped into the bathroom, letting the warm water envelop her as she began to wash away the stress of the previous day. She took her time, savoring the solitude and quiet.
After her bath, she wrapped herself in a towel and stepped back into Lucas's room, expecting to find it empty. But Lucas was still there, sitting on the bed, his eyes fixed intently on her.
Mel felt a flutter in her chest as she approached him. "Can I wear one of your shirts?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Lucas nodded, his eyes never leaving hers. "Help yourself."
Mel walked over to Lucas's closet and pulled out a crisp white shirt. She slipped it on, feeling the soft fabric glide over her skin.
But as she looked down, she realized the shirt was a bit too tight, accentuating her curves in all the right places. Lucas's eyes seemed to be fixed on her, his gaze burning with intensity.
Mel felt a blush rise to her cheeks as she quickly made her way to her own room, the guards turning to stare at her as she walked by.
She slipped into her room, shutting the door behind her. She quickly changed into a pair of shorts, still wearing Lucas's shirt.
With a newfound sense of confidence, Mel headed back to Lucas's room, the shirt clinging to her curves as she walked.
Mel walked into Lucas's room, still wearing his crisp white shirt and her new shorts. She felt a sense of confidence and comfort in his space. "Lucas, is it okay if I use the kitchen?" she asked, her voice clear and assertive.
Lucas looked up from his phone, a hint of a smile on his lips. "It's yours, Mel. You don't have to ask."
Mel smiled, feeling a sense of gratitude towards Lucas. She headed to the kitchen, eager to cook a meal for him as a way of thanking him for saving her.
As she began to prepare the ingredients, Stella, one of Lucas's personal maids, approached her. "Excuse me, Miss Mel," Stella said, her voice firm but polite. "I think it's best if you stay in your place in the mansion. The kitchen is not really...your domain."
Mel turned a deaf ear to Stella's warning, choosing to ignore her. She continued to prepare the meal, her hands moving deftly as she cooked.
For the starter, she prepared a juicy beef steak, cooked to perfection. For the main course, she made an Italian pasta dish, the flavors blending together in harmony. And for dessert, she baked a creamy muffin and a rich cheesecake.
As she finished cooking, Mel felt a sense of pride and accomplishment. She couldn't wait to serve the meal to Lucas, as a small token of her appreciation for everything he had done for her.
Mel was busy setting up the food in the dining area when Natasha suddenly bumped into her, phone in hand. "Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't see you there," Natasha said, seemingly oblivious to the fact that Mel had hit the side of the table and reopened her wound, causing her to bleed.
Mel's clothes were stained with blood, but she didn't say anything, letting Natasha off the hook. Instead, she headed to Lucas's room, where she told him she had made breakfast as a thank you gift.
Lucas noticed the blood on Mel's shirt and became infuriated. "What happened?" he demanded.
Mel downplayed the incident. "I was just being careless in the kitchen."
But Lucas didn't buy it. He checked the CCTV footage and saw the whole incident unfold. "You're coming with me," he said, giving Mel another shirt and tending to her wounds.
As he finished up, Lucas ordered Damien to call Natasha to join them for breakfast. Mel was furious, but Lucas just ignored her.
After attending to Mel's wounds, Lucas headed downstairs, leaving Mel to fume. Natasha, on the other hand, was thrilled when she received the invitation to dine with Lucas, something he rarely did.
"Good morning, Lucas," Natasha said, smiling brightly as she took her seat at the table.
"Good morning, Natasha," Lucas replied, awaiting Mel arrival.
Natasha nodded. "Yes, thanks to Lucas's kind invitation."
Mel headed downstairs to the dining area, still feeling a bit shaken from the earlier incident with Natasha. She had changed into a fresh shirt and was looking forward to a peaceful breakfast.
As she entered the dining room, she noticed that Lucas hadn't started eating yet. She wondered why, but before she could ask, Lucas spoke up.
"Mel, come here," he said, his voice firm.
Mel walked over to him, expecting to take her seat beside him. But instead, Lucas ordered, "Sit on my lap."
Mel's eyes widened in surprise. "No, I'd rather sit in my own chair," she replied, trying to sound confident.
But Lucas's expression turned stern. "I won't repeat myself, Mel."
Mel hesitated, feeling a shiver run down her spine. She didn't want to disobey Lucas, but she also didn't want to sit on his lap. Reluctantly, she sat down on his lap, trying to ignore the flutter in her chest.
Lucas put his arm around her waist, holding her close and whispering a thank you in her ear. Mel felt a surge of electricity run through her body, and she couldn't help but wonder what Lucas's true intentions were.
Natasha, who was sitting across from them, looked on with a mixture of surprise and jealousy. She couldn't believe that Lucas was being so affectionate with Mel.
Damien, who was standing by the door, cleared his throat, trying to break the tension. "Sir, shall I pour the coffee for miss Natasha ?" he asked, his voice neutral.
Lucas nodded, his eyes still fixed on Mel. "Yes, Damien. Pour the coffee."
As Damien poured the coffee, Mel couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. She didn't know what Lucas was planning, but she had a feeling that it wasn't going to be good.
Lucas said to Natasha "drink it now since you know you offense"
coffee in front of her, her mind racing with the knowledge that it was poisoned. She tried to make excuses, hoping to avoid the inevitable.
"I'm not feeling well, Lucas," she said, trying to sound convincing. "I think I'll just stick to water."
But Lucas was not fooled. "Drink the coffee, Natasha," he said, his voice cold and menacing. "You know why you're here. You know what you've done."
Natasha's eyes darted around the room, searching for an escape. But she knew she was trapped. Lucas had her right where he wanted her.
"You were given to me by your father, Don Hulio," Lucas reminded her. "You were a gift, a toy to please me. But lately, you've been a nuisance. You hurt what is mine, and that's unacceptable."
Natasha's face contorted in anguish as she realized her fate. "Please, Lucas," she begged. "Don't make me do this."
But Lucas was unmoved. "You should have thought of that before you crossed me, Natasha. Now, you'll have to take your own life. I won't be executing you myself. That would be too easy. This is a token of respect to your father."
As they finished their meal, Lucas gazed into Mel's eyes and saw the fear that lingered there. He knew that she was still reeling from the events that had transpired, and he decided to take her mind off things.
"Come with me, Mel," Lucas said, standing up and offering her his hand. "I want to show you something."
Mel hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do. But Lucas's grip on her hand was firm, and he led her out of the dining room and down a long corridor.
They eventually arrived at a large, metal door that looked like it belonged in a prison. Lucas produced a key and unlocked the door, revealing a set of stairs that led down into darkness.
"Welcome to my dungeon, Mel," Lucas said, his voice dripping with excitement. "I have something special to show you."
Mel's heart was racing as she followed Lucas down the stairs. She had no idea what she was getting herself into, but she knew that she didn't like it.
At the bottom of the stairs, they entered a large, dimly lit room that was filled with all manner of strange and sinister objects. Mel saw racks and cages, chains and shackles, and all sorts of other instruments of torture.
Lucas led her through the room, pointing out various objects and explaining their uses. Mel listened in horror, her mind reeling with the thought of what Lucas was capable of.
As they walked, Mel caught sight of a figure in the corner of the room. It was a woman, dressed in a simple white robe, and she was chained to the wall.
"Ah, yes," Lucas said, following Mel's gaze. "This is a special prisoner of mine. A gift, really."
Mel's eyes widened as she realized what Lucas was implying. "What kind of sick man are you?" she thought to herself. "Killing someone and then taking me to your dungeon to show me your twisted trophies?"
Natasha's eyes filled with tears as she realized she had no choice. She slowly lifted the cup to her lips, her hand trembling with fear. Mel watched in horror, unsure of what to do.
As Natasha drank the poisoned coffee, Mel felt a wave of nausea wash over her. She couldn't believe what was happening.
At first, nothing seemed to happen. But then, Natasha's face began to contort in agony. She clutched her stomach, her eyes bulging out of her head.
And then, she coughed blood.
Mel screamed, horrified by what she was seeing. Natasha's body convulsed, her limbs thrashing wildly as she died a slow and agonizing death.
Mel was frozen in shock, unable to move or speak. She was horrified by what Lucas had done.
As Natasha's lifeless body slumped to the floor, Lucas's expression remained unchanged. He turned to Damien, who was standing by the door, and ordered, "Take care of the body. Burn it and send it to her father, Don Hulio."
Damien nodded, his face expressionless, and began to drag Natasha's body out of the room.
Mel watched in horror, still frozen in shock. She couldn't believe what she had just witnessed. Lucas had just ordered the execution of Natasha, and now he was acting like nothing had happened.
Lucas turned his attention back to Mel, a smile spreading across his face. "Now, where were we?" he asked, picking up a piece of food from the plate in front of him. "Ah yes, breakfast."
He began to feed Mel, spooning food into her mouth as if she was a child. Mel felt a wave of revulsion wash over her, but she was too scared to move. She didn't know what Lucas was capable of, and she didn't want to find out.
As Lucas continued to feed her, Mel's mind raced with thoughts of escape. She knew she had to get away from Lucas, but she didn't know how. She was trapped, and she didn't know what the future held.
Meanwhile, Damien had taken Natasha's body to the basement, where a fire was burning in the incinerator. He tossed the body into the flames, watching as it was consumed by the fire.
Once the body was reduced to ashes, Damien collected them in a box and prepared to send them to Don Hulio. He knew that this would be a message to Don Hulio, a warning that Lucas would not be crossed.
As Damien finished his task, he couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. He knew that Lucas was capable of great cruelty, and he wondered what would happen next time if someone tried to hurt Melody.
As Mel gazed at the woman chained to the wall, Lucas's eyes lit up with excitement. "This prisoner is one of my most important collections," he claimed, his voice filled with pride. "Apart from Derick, of course."
Mel's eyes widened in horror as she realized who Derick was. He was the man who had stalked and kidnapped her, the man who had caused her so much pain and suffering.
"What do you mean, one of your most important collections?" Mel asked, her voice shaking with fear.
Lucas smiled, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "I collect people, Mel," he explained. "People who are important to me, people who have value."
Mel felt a wave of revulsion wash over her. "You're sick," she spat, trying to pull away from Lucas.
But Lucas's grip on her arm was firm. "I'm just a collector, Mel," he said, his voice calm and reasonable. "I collect things that are valuable to me. And this prisoner, she's very valuable indeed."
As Mel looked at the woman chained to the wall, she felt a surge of pity and compassion. Who was this woman, and what had she done to deserve such treatment?
But Lucas just laughed, his eyes glinting with amusement. "You'll find out soon enough, Mel," he said, his voice dripping with menace. "You'll find out all about my collection, and you'll learn to appreciate its value."