Chapter Seven
Natalia leaned her head back and pressed her hand over her empty plate until her knuckles turned white, while Cedric beside her cut a piece of meat with the blade of his knife with suppressed violence, clenching his jaw so hard as if he were shredding his life's dream with those stabs.
She did not utter a word; she felt that the wedding dress awaiting her was nothing but a white shroud in which the coming spring of her youth would be folded.
After finishing dinner, everyone dispersed with heavy steps; Stuart and Jonathan made their way toward the office, while Cedric climbed the stairs with an arrogant coldness.
As for Christina and Marilyn, they gripped Natalia's arms and pulled her with them toward the suite designated for the dresses.
Natalia froze in front of the hanging white dresses, feeling a sudden constriction in her chest that made her breath tighten; like all girls, she had always dreamed of marrying someone she loved when she grew up, but a bitter lump invaded her throat as she realized that her marriage would be to someone she hated, and who hated her manifold.
Marilyn ran her palm over a long white dress with a train extending behind it and said: "I like this one." Meanwhile, Christina pulled out a massive dress encrusted with crystal stones that sparkled coldly under the light and said: "This will look more beautiful on her."
Then they both turned to Natalia, watching her pale features and waiting curiously to see which one she would choose.
Natalia slumped her shoulders weakly and said in an exhausted voice: "I feel tired; I want to rest."
Christina's eyebrows rose in surprise and she said: "What? Won't you choose your wedding dress?"
Natalia averted her gaze to the floor and replied while taking a step back: "You and Mom will choose a beautiful dress; I trust your taste."
Marilyn knitted her brows in concern and said: "Nat, this isn't right; how will we know if you like it?"
Natalia shook her head mechanically while continuing to retreat: "I don't understand wedding dresses; you two are better than me."
Then she turned toward Christina with broken features and asked: "Madam, could you please show me to my room?"
Christina frowned with annoyance and said: "Nat, I told you not to call me Madam; call me Aunt Christina."
Natalia swallowed with difficulty and said: "Fine, Aunt Christina."
Here, Christina winked at Marilyn wickedly and leaned toward Natalia, saying with provocative playfulness: "Are you sleeping in Cedric's room? It will become your room too tomorrow."
Natalia felt a sudden coldness invade her veins, and her eyes widened in terror as she cried out: "No, no!"
Christina laughed, waving her hand and saying: "I'm joking with you," then she called the maid in a commanding tone: "Show her to her room."
Natalia walked behind the maid with stumbling steps and entered the large room, which was equipped with all means of comfort, but the emptiness of the corner designated for luggage made her heart beat with tension.
She asked the maid in a trembling voice: "Excuse me, where are my bags?"
The maid answered, bowing her head: "We have placed them in Mr. Cedric's room."
Natalia's body jolted, and she shouted with suppressed anger: "What? Why? I want to change my clothes!"
The maid retreated in fear and said: "Mrs.
Christina asked us to do this."
Natalia sighed with annoyance and muttered grumpily: "What will I wear now?" Then she continued, rubbing her palms together: "Please, can you bring my bags back here?"
The maid hesitated, and pallor appeared on her face as she said: "I'm sorry, I cannot go in there when Mr. Cedric is in his room because he gets angry."
Natalia gripped strands of her hair and ran her fingers through them violently, saying: "Fine, you may go."
Natalia stood in the middle of the room, feeling fear paralyze her movement at the thought of going to him, so she went back to her mother and Christina and said in a pleading tone: "My bags are in Cedric's room and I don't have anything to wear; could you, Aunt Christina, bring me my bags?"
Christina replied coldly while adjusting her attire: "The maids have placed your clothes in the closet, Nat. Go to his room it's next to yours and take what you need."
Natalia took a step back and said in a panting voice: "I'm afraid he'll be angry; if you please, could you go yourself?"
Here, Marilyn intervened sharply, her voice echoing in the hallway: "Nat, how could he be angry with you? Tomorrow you will both sleep in the same room."
The words fell like a lightning bolt on Natalia's ears, and she felt tears of fear welling in her eyes.
She shook her head in despair and headed toward his suite.
She stood before the massive door and thought about fleeing and going back to sleep in her rough travel clothes, but she gathered her strength and whispered to herself: "Enough, Natalia. Are you going to be afraid of this arrogant snob? Don't let him succeed in scaring you."
She knocked on the door with a trembling hand and waited a few seconds that felt like hours until the door was opened forcefully.
Cedric was standing before her with his shirt completely open, revealing the details of his toned chest and carefully defined abdominal muscles.
Natalia's cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and she immediately averted her gaze toward the marble beneath her feet.
Cedric said sharply, his voice coming out like a low growl: "What do you want?"
Natalia replied while squeezing the hem of her shirt, trying to hide her tone of tension: "My clothes are in your closet; I want to take some of them."
He stepped aside coldly and gestured for her to enter. Natalia stepped inside the massive room, which was drowned in gray with heavy black curtains, and the place was filled with the scent of his strong masculine cologne.
She headed toward the closet with cautious steps and touched its handle with hesitation, only for her silence to be cut by Cedric's hoarse voice as he watched her from behind: "Your clothes are on the left side."
Natalia hurried to open the left side and grabbed a pair of pajamas, jeans, and a black shirt for tomorrow, then closed the door quickly and made to leave, but she collided with Cedric, who stood blocking the exit with his back leaning against the closed door.
Cedric narrowed his eyes as he scrutinized her terrified features and said: "I see you are very calm and accepting this marriage idea in a way that surprises me."
Natalia raised her eyes to him in shock and said: "What do you mean?"
Cedric smiled craftily and said: "I expected you to run away from the house."
Natalia's tongue was unable to respond, and she tried to push him away from the door with her trembling hands, saying: "Move away from the door; let me out."
He did not budge an inch; instead, he tilted his head and watched her confusion coldly, saying: "I thought you hated me, but seeing this calmness of yours makes me doubt."
Natalia shouted sharply, sparks flying from her gray eyes: "I do hate you!"
Cedric shook his head with deliberate slowness and said: "I don't think so." Then he approached her until she felt the heat of his breath on her face and whispered: "Admit it; you like that you're marrying me."
Natalia's features froze, and her voice came out full of disgust: "Never. I would prefer death over loving the idea of marrying you."
At that moment, the muscles of Cedric's face contracted, and he drew closer until their troubled breaths met, and he said in a mysterious and terrifying tone: "Die then."
Natalia felt a shiver run down her spine and raised her hand to push him away from her, but he pounced on her wrist with lightning speed and gripped it with a force that made her groan in pain.
He licked his lip slowly, his eyes fixed on her broken eyes, and said cruelly: "Then you won't be able to die; that is what you will get, Natalia..." Then he lowered his voice to a terrifying hiss and continued: "Pain."
Natalia recoiled backward, gasping, and said in a voice choked with terror: "Cedric, let go of my hand."
He released her hand suddenly, and she dashed out of his room with lightning speed, her heart thumping against her chest like a wild drum.
She entered her room and locked the door behind her, leaning her back against it as she tried to catch her breath; his threat echoed clearly in her ears like a hiss: he would make her feel pain, and he would turn her life into hell.
He didn't realize that the mere thought of marrying him had already done that, but he was determined to make reality much worse than she imagined.