Sometimes the truth can be scary but we can't just ignore it.
Lilian was escorted outside by Mrs Landon after she had tended to him, Lucas king. Lilian had a face that shows that she has had enough patience in this house. She was also worried about him and the attack earlier still spooked her.
They walked quietly downstairs. Both of them walked lightly as if a part of them could fall to the ground. Their mind was heavy and full but no one could utter any word until it was safe.
"Can you tell me what is going on in this house? What happened to him?" Lilian whispered for no reason. She didn't trust anyone yet and raising her voice might attract unnecessary attention.
"Why are you whispering?" Mrs Landon asked in a stern face. Lilian was puzzled by the way she changes her emotions every time.
"I don't know. The tension in the air is still strong and I guess it feels right." Lilian gestured with her arms in akimbo. Mrs Landon took a deep breath and exhaled sharply. She wasn't ready for her immature tantrums.
"Go get some rest. We will talk in the morning." Mrs Landon said tiredly and walked to her room, dispatching her off easily. Lilian felt riled up and threw a fist in the air out of frustration. No one was telling her anything and it is making her worked up.
Lilian thought of something to keep her calm. Her face lit up in joy and she ran to the kitchen, giggling all the way. Unknown to her, someone was watching her from the dark. Writing, observing her and collecting evidence from the shadow.
She entered the kitchen and obviously, she was alone. Her eyes glistened with excitement and her mouth watered from the varieties of delicacies sitting inside the kitchen. One secret about her that she hates to admit. Lilian loves cooking and as well likes good food.
Lilian twirled around , thinking of the right meal to prepare. Just for herself. When she stumbled upon a fine grayish powder on the table. It was so strange that it spilled carelessly and to say the fact that the kitchen was sparklingly clean.
"What could be this?" She asked herself. Leaning forward to check the substance. It didn't have the scent of herbs when she came close. Just as she was about to touch it, someone burst into the kitchen startling her which made her jumpy.
"You can't be inside … the kitchen. Mrs King." The red haired girl stammered nervously when she saw her inside the kitchen.
"Oh. I wanted to fix something .. for myself." Lilian replied plainly and she didn't care if she was caught by her. The rules didn't state that she can't be inside the kitchen so she has every right to be there. The girl was really anxious and this made Lilian curious about her. This was more than her presence in the kitchen.
"I can… fix it for you. You shouldn't be here. I could lose my job." The girl suggested and moved towards her ,urging her to leave the kitchen when her eyes stumbled on the powdery substance on the table. Her eyes grew wide and her mouth quivered from the sight.
"No. It is okay. I can do this. I want to cook by myself." Lilian protested but the girl pleaded and the man earlier that was attending to Lucas walked into the kitchen. The red haired girl whose name was Jane froze at the spot and couldn't utter a word. Her face went down and her hands trembled from the fears. Lilian noticed that and wondered what could make her be scared of him. Who is he really? Lilian thought.
"What is going on here?" He asked in a stern tone that only prickled her ego. He wasn't even the owner of this house but he has the aura of dominance.
There was no reply. His face squinted into a non smiling one to instill fear in them but Lilian had seen his type severally and she knows how to handle them.
"Jane. I asked you a question!" He barked out, making Jane startled from his tone.
"Who are you ? Like really who are you to raise your voice at her?" Lilian snapped. She couldn't bear his bullying. For what she knows, he was still a staff under this roof.
"I beg your pardon." The man said, obviously shocked by her statement.
"Yes. I am talking. What gave you the right to speak to her like that?" Lilian asked again and this time, she was damn serious. Her eyes poked out and was bloodshot, ready to give him his full of junk back. He was oddly blown away by her boldness. He glanced at the situation and backed out. Obviously saw that he was going to lose but only if they knew that it had worsened their situation. The man gave them a hard stare before walking out.
Jane breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed properly . Her hand on her chest while panting heavily. It seemed she had been holding her breath. Lilian ran to her worryingly when she saw how shaken Jane was.
"Are you okay? Do you need water?" Lilian asked immediately and the girl refused.
"Who is he? Talk to me? Why is everyone keeping me silent? I need to know some truth. Atleast." Lilian said frustratingly. Jane couldn't say anything and totally ignored her. She walked past her and took a rag to wipe the stuff away.
Lilian scoffed at her silence and grumbled out of the kitchen. Her heavy thumping on the stairs was loud indicating she was really pissed. She stormed into her room and fell flat on the bed, screaming underneath. She threw tantrums and turned to face the feeling.
Her mind went far, rummaging her head for ideas to help her in this prison. She felt very suffocated and felt like running away. Her second safe haven was her friend,Bianca but circumstances have made it impossible to reach her friend unless… that pouch, she thought aloud.
She sat upright and decided to get the pouch from the toilet. Lilian walked into the bathroom and retrieved the stuff. She opened the bag and brought out an old phone. This was the first phone she was using before she upgraded.
This time, Lilian was alerted. She checked her room for any buggings of such and locked her door before she could feel safe to use the phone. Lilian switched on the phone and stared at the blank screen until it was turned on.
Then fear gripped her. She was scared to use the phone. Her mind drew her to the contract and the rules that she had to follow. This made her skeptical and decided not to jeopardize her chances here. She switched off the phone and took it back to the bathroom.
Lilian slumped down on her bed but sleep seemed far from her. It was difficult to close her eyes in this chaos. Even though this house was unusually quiet, it was the noisiest she had witnessed. Drama, tension , lies and secrets are what molded this house from the brick to the roof. Sleep took her away before she could say Jack.
Jane resided in her room at the servant's quarters when someone gripped her and pulled her away. Jane tried to scream but his hand held her mouth. She struggled in fear and when he spoke. Jane became calm and stopped to resist him.
He let go of her mouth and urged her to speak.
"I.. i didn't say anything to you. I followed your instruction. Even when she asked, I ignored her." Jane said trembling. She couldn't face him. His cold hands caressed her body. He gripped her buttock which made her yelp in shock. She stifled the tears and her broken voice failed to scream. He continued this act and threatened to make her lose her job. Her job was something she valued more.
When he was done with her, The man ordered her to leave which she did in tears. He came out of the dark and grinned evilly as he watched her scurrying away.
Morning came as expected, Lilian was ushered to the dinning for breakfast. She seemed tired from sleeping late and yawned at every given occasion.
Mrs Landon served her that morning which wasn't right. She has never served her which made her wonder if something was missing.
"Where is Jane? I haven't seen her today?" Lilian asked keenly, glancing around if she could spot her.
"She quit this morning." She replied plainly , serving her silently.
"What?"
"She left . She is no longer a staff member here . Don't you understand?" Mrs Landon asked her dryly, irritated by her naivety.
"How? We were in the kitchen earlier this morning and she didn't mention anything about quitting. What is going on?" Lilian recalled, groaning from the inside. She was going to lose her cool if no answers were being provided to her.
"Nothing for you to worry about. She wasn't mistreated wrongly. She left on her own terms." Mrs Landon justified it but Lilian couldn't buy it. She stood up and walked out from the dinning, heading for the servant's quarter.
Mrs Landon ran after her but couldn't keep up. Lilian couldn't control herself and checked every door that was opened and found out that she wasn't there anymore.
"Don't provoke me. Stay in your path and do not cross mine. Your purpose here is to be a wife to Lucas King. That is your job. Anything aside that is not your business. So leave this place." Mrs Landon warned severally, after catching up with her. Her heavy breath made it so serious and Lilian couldn't say anything. Anger was written all over their faces and both of them were ready to lash at each other .
Timothy bumped into them and was shocked to see them humping and glaring at each other. He had to intervene quickly since he has a playful nature, he was able to disengage them and lured Lilian out.
"Mrs King, Lucas king, wants to see you." He lied, hoping she would buy it.
"Me? Why?" She asked confusingly.
"Is he awake? Why is he requesting to see her and not me?" Mrs Landon wondered hard. Lilian saw it as an opportunity to mock her.
"That is because I am his wife and like you said, I need to do my job." Lilian replied mockingly and walked away. Timothy started regretting his actions and one look from her angry face made him gulped hard the saliva in his mouth and followed Lilian away. Mrs Landon stared hard at them until they were out of sight. Her eyes went to Jane's room, making her heart sink deeply and wondering why she had to quit now. Without any reason. This was strange and suspicious.
They both walked upstairs and Lilian was still upset. Timothy used the opportunity to tell her the truth.
"What?"
"I am sorry. I had to do that. You guys wanted to fight and I can't afford to see you that way. You ought to be treated with respect. You are a wife to our boss. It is right we show you respect." He said sincerely. This made her smile warmly and he was the only one who had treated her right since she came to this house.
"They don't seem so. They treat me less and it is not like I care but you don't look down on someone that way. I am still confused and can't find a way out of this lingering feeling in my gut that tells me that something is going on in this house and it is bad." Lilian confided in him as they walked. He laughed it off and urged her to stop thinking negatively.
"That is because you are still new. You will get to know this place as time goes on. When I came here, I felt the same thing too but I realized that some things are meant to be different even though we don't want it that way . So don't trouble yourself and enjoy yourself." He advised and she nodded, still pondering on that feeling. They walked to her room and promised to meet later in the afternoon for an outdoor stroll.
Lilian smiled and entered her room. She waited by the door for him to leave. His step retreated and he was gone. She snuck out of the room and headed to his room.
She wanted to knock but since it wasn't necessary and turned the knob. Surprisingly, it was open and she entered to see him still sleeping soundly.
Even in his weak state, he slept peacefully and was breathtaking. His room was unusually warm for her liking. She strode quietly so as not to wake him up. She had been worried about him and wanted to check up on him.
She went to his side and peeped at him. He didn't stir or make any move. She giggled softly at his stillness. If she couldn't hear his soft breath, she would have mistaken him for dead.
Lilian knelt down to watch him closing , trying to figure out why he was so sick. Since little, she has a knack of figuring out things and her curiosity was worse than a cat. Once her mind is fixated on something, she doesn't give up until there is a result.
Still, observing his facial features which were pale and worn out from the stress. He opened his eyes immediately and they made contact.
Lilian froze at the spot, her eyes poked out and her mouth opened wide but words never came out. The shock made her fall on her back. He was startled by her closeness to his face. He couldn't move or say anything because he was still shocked.
She stood up and apologized nervously and he laughed hard which made him cough out.
"Do you need water?" Lilian panicked,pacing around the room but he gestured for her to stop.
"It is okay. I am fine now." He announced painfully.
"Oh.. okay. Should I call anybody?" Lilian suggested and he shook his head vigorously.
"Why?"
"I don't want this morning pep talk, pity in their eyes and I am tired of the medications. I prefer to be just like this for sometime."He said honestly, struggling to sit upright. Lilian offered to help but he declined immediately.
"Then I will leave you alone and I won't tell anyone that you are awake. I just came to check up on you. That's all." Lilian said and turned, heading for the door when he called back.
"Yes."
"You woke me up and I don't know how to kick start my day. Normally, I usually do my daily routine of checkups ,eating, taking my medications and exercise if I am strong enough and this is new to me. Can you help me start my day?" He asked randomly which made her mute and interested.
"Okay. So what do you want to do? Like do you have any hobby you would want to try." Lilian asked and sat beside him. He was pleased that he had someone to talk to rather than the torturing moment from his medications that he relieves everyday.
"Urm. I know how to play chess and I like to sky dive…" He mentioned.
"Wait…. You sky dived? Woah, that is massive. I am scared of heights and you are conquering that feat." She exclaimed in a ghetto way that he finds amusing.
"Yeah. I do but I can't anymore. I loved the outdoors maybe because I grew up feeling lonely and locked up indoors so every chance I got, I am always outside." He said, remembering those moments that made him free and happy.
"Woow. So if I may ask , what happened? You must have been so lively and free before until this.. can you tell me? Only if you are okay with it, I don't mean to pry." She admitted. He chuckled deeply and sighed.
"Well. At that point, you will have no choice but to know about my condition. I had an accident that almost took my life. A car accident actually affected my nervous system. The doctors thought I wouldn't make it but miraculously, I survived . I recovered and that is what the doctor told me. Then I returned home, a few weeks later, I had a breakdown and I was almost paralysed. The doctor confirmed that my situation had become worse. It made me devastated. My life was put on hold. I lost my family. My wife divorced me and left because she couldn't handle a vegetable husband. My family gave up on me , thinking I was going to die until I started improving. I could walk though not properly. I could do stuff that I couldn't do before and there was hope. I returned home to continue treatment . My family came and offered to produce an heir. In my condition, it wasn't advisable. They got me a wife instead without my permission. She stayed for one year and couldn't bear it and left mysteriously. I didn't hear from her or know about her whereabouts until you could replace her. Not my choice but theirs. I wanna apologize for putting you through this mess. I don't know what you were being offered to do but I respect your decision." He explained. She listened to him with keen interest.
"You are a fighter. Someone who wants to live. You are resilient and powerful. I applaud you for that. Keep fighting. I am rooting out for you." Lilian said with a fulfilled smile. He was glad that she didn't pity his situation and apologise for nothing. He knew that she was different and mysterious too.
"So enough of the past. Tell me something you really want to try out. Like we can go on a stroll. We can play video games. All of the things we can do." Lilian cheered on. Smiling excitedly that this was the best experience so far in this house.
"Video games?" He asked, skeptical about that one.
"Hell yeah." She responded proudly. She is known for breaking records at the convent. No game she couldn't decipher. She was known as the 'The Game Queen.'
"You still played games? Aren't they childish?" He asked, wondering where the fun is in that.
"Adults play games more than kids. Browse it. You will see evidence. If I had my phone, I would have shown you my highest records. Don't underestimate the power of a gamer. We see and predict the future. I could give you one or two tips." She teased with a sly smirk. He found her so amusing that he was curious to give it a try.
"I will think about it. It would be fun right?" He asked to be sure.
"Bet your money on me and I bet you will be an addict in no time!" She exclaimed loudly and this made him laugh heartily at her facial expression. She was very lively and it reminded him of himself, two years ago.
Just then, Mrs Landon entered with a big trolley containing his food and medication. The atmosphere suddenly became gloomy because of her presence.
Lilian shows a deep disdain for her and he frowns . His reality came crashing on him again. What was he thinking? He couldn't run from his predicament which is already going to the permanent side.
"Good morning, Mr Lucas." Mrs Landon said with full respect and empathy.
"Good morning to you, Mrs Landon." He replied gently with no hint of emotion. He was tired of this pathetic life. He was drowning in it.
" I see you have some company. Am I interrupting?" She asked, throwing a hard glance at her, indicating she took her leave. Lilian was ready to stay as he allowed her.
"Yes. Lilian came to check up on me and we were talking. Can you come back another time?We were in the middle of a conversation." Lucas asked ,hoping she would leave and skipped the medication this morning.
"I would love to but we can't skip this. We have already wasted a lot of time. Dean is coming to assist me." Mrs Landon countered and started prepping the injections.
Lilian was stunned by the amount of drugs and injections that was about to be administered to him. She turned to face him and saw that he was so sad and helpless. Lilan couldn't pity him because there was nothing to pity. He was already helpless to the end.
Dean walked in with the same aura that showed he was in full control. He greeted from the door and when she heard it, her ego bruised by his acrid voice. Anger grew slowly and he walked towards them.
Her hard gaze didn't stir him but was pleased by her effort. Lucas welcomed him with a faint smile.
"Good morning, Mrs King." Dean said with a hint of anger which she noticed. Lilian responded with a slight nod which made Mrs Landon look at them closely.
"Urm. I think I will need to excuse you. I will come back later." She stood up and slipped away. Lucas felt bad for making her uncomfortable. He just stood still and took every drug like a puppet.
Is life going to get better ? A question coming from a wealthy man. Ironic right?