Bloom felt trapped and miserable each passing day. She didn't say much, she spent her day in her room buried under her duvet with puffy and red eyes.

Aunt Matilda brought her food to her room and sat at the corner to make sure she finished it. Her Dad gave strict orders for the chefs in the kitchen to prepare healthy foods every day and it was Aunt Matilda's duty to make sure she ate the food.

If only they knew she threw up after each meal.

Bloom knew why he was hell-bent on making sure she was eating enough. It was like history repeating itself. She wished she could find a way out before the therapy.

Stephano had tried to be friendly and start a conversation but she always treated him like he was invisible. Something about him scared her, there was a way he looked at her that gave her the creeps and made her keep her distance from him.

If she wasn't busy crying then she was drawing something to keep her mind distracted. She was starting her classes in the next two days and her therapy session was beginning in the next four days.

"It breaks my heart to see you like this," Aunt Matilda told her as she waited for her to finish her meal.

"I'm fine," she said not looking at her. It was the answer she gave everyone that asked.

"I'm sorry this is happening," Aunt Matilda broke into tears. "I really do wish I can help," she sobbed.

"None of what is happening is your fault, stop worrying about me."
Bloom said softly and gave her hand a soothing squeeze.

"I'm sorry. I promise to find a way to get you out of here, I don't care if I die in the process or lose my job." Aunt Matilda whispered into her ear.

"No, no, you can't do that. I won't allow you to put your life at risk for me."
Bloom said shaking her head in disapproval.

"I owe it to you, I have failed you as a mom and as a nanny. Your happiness is all that matters to me right now, Bloom."

"No, I will find another way out without anyone getting hurt. Please, don't do anything."

"I have made up my mind, nothing you say is gonna change it."
She said with a warm smile.

"Goodnight, sweetie." She gave her a kiss on her head and left the room.

Bloom sighed heavily and buried her face in her palms.

"Mom, I'm sorry I turned out to be a loser." She mumbled.

"Everything is working out for Dad, everything is going the way he wants it. I feel so helpless. "
She said and sniffled.

"I'm such a coward," she said and raked her hair back with her fingers.

She laid down on the bed and stared at the window before she went to sleep.

||

Stephano waited for the perfect time to open the door to her room. He made sure there was no guard around. He opened the door gently trying his best not to make any sound. He shut the door quietly and walked to her bed with light footsteps.

He stopped next to where she laid and smiled at her. She was a goddess, too beautiful to be real. He squatted close to her and stared at her face memorizing every curve on her face.

He would do anything to have her, to make her his. He brought his hand slowly to her face. He brushed her hair back and traced her face with his fingertips softly. He wanted to kiss her and pull her into his arms, but he knew he could not.

It broke his heart every time she ignored him and show her hatred for him. He took this job for her, to be close to her and to protect her.

"Soon, my love," he whispered and stood up.

He walked around the room touching her stuff and picturing her using them. He entered her large walk-in closet and sniffed her scent from her clothes. He found the drawer where she kept her underwear. He smiled as he ran his hand through the fabric, he picked her black pantie and pressed it to his nose inhaling her scent.

He moaned and imagined her wearing it. He put it in his pocket and left the room.

"Dream of us, my love," he whispered before walking out of the room.

||

"Are you sure this is not a trap?"
Nicole asked for the third time as they drove to the Antisam hideout.

"Yes, I promise. Max said Mr. Grayson told him we could come back and he is waiting for us."
Taylor told her with a smile.

"Max is not trustworthy, he could be lying," Nicole said.

"Preach," Liz said from the back.

"Relax, Zayn believed him," Taylor said and the mood in the car changed at the mention of his name.

"Will he be okay, I'm really worried. He's been distant and not speaking to anyone."
Nicole said looking back at his car that was behind them.

"You know how he gets when he is worried about her."
Taylor said with a soft sigh.

Tyra sat in silence beside Liz. She kept looking outside the window not saying a word. They arrived a few minutes later. They got a death glare from a few people when they entered the building.

"What you looking at?" Liz barked at two girls that whispered between each other.

"There they are!" Max exclaimed approaching them with his two guards behind him.

Zayn's jaw and hand clenched at his presence.

"No hate, bro. I was just doing what anyone here would have done."
Max said to him with a smirk dancing on his lips.

"Asshole!" Zayn growled moving closer to hit him but Taylor stopped him.

Max laughed.

"Mr. Grayson is waiting for you at his office."
Max informed him.

"Hey mini Zayn," he said to Tumika. "Welcome back, Santi," he added and walked away.

Zayn pushed Taylor's hand away and headed to the lodge to see the vice president.

The Vice President was on the phone when he arrived at the lodge. It took a minute before he finished his call and faced him.

"How are you doing, Zayn?"

"You told us she won't get hurt. I thought the plan was to hold her hostage and threaten the President."

"I know and I'm sorry. Max went overboard, he did it without my consent. I have spoken to him and he promised not to..."

"She almost died!" He snapped.

"I'm sorry," he said calmly. "You also betrayed the Agency. Do you know the consequences of that?" Mr. Grayson asked.

He didn't reply.

"You are all forgiven, now we all stick together and follow my orders."

"So, you're just gonna let Max get away with it?" Zayn asked.

"I know you're in love with this girl but you are starting to forget your duty to this Agency. Your loyalty comes first before any other thing."
Mr. Grayson said in a strict tone.

"You are too distracted because of her, we need you here. You need to put your head in the game and not forget the real mission here. Take a break from whatever you have with the president's daughter. When it's all over you can get back together."

"A break?"
Zayn snickered at his request.

"Yes, a break. If you want me to help you protect her, you need to focus on the mission. I have an inside man in the residence and he tells me everything, Bloom is safe but she doesn't seem to be in a good mental state. She is under strict surveillance."

"I figured," Zayn mumbled.

"If you need my help you have to promise to cooperate with the organization."

"Okay, deal. But can you find a way to get her out?"

"No, but I will ensure her safety."

"Okay," he said after giving it a thought.

The door opened and Max walked in with an iPad in his hand. He winked at Zayn and walked to the Vice President.

"We have a problem, Mr. Grayson."
Max said as he approached him.

"What is it?"

He gave him the iPad to see for himself.

"Well, this is not good."
Mr. Grayson said bringing it closer for Zayn to see.

Zayn read the headline before listening to the Anchor. His mugshot from the prison was on display. She said his full name and advised everyone to stay away from him and report to the police if they see him.

"A manhunt?" Zayn snickered.

"An eyewitness saw you at the hospital and now the whole world knows you kidnapped the President's daughter. You're a dead man."
Max said and laughed.

"There was no eyewitness, the President is behind this."
Zayn said returning the iPad to Max.

"True," the vice president agreed.

"You are not leaving this building, keep an eye on him, Max. I have to go," he said checking his wristwatch.

"Don't let me down again, we are all counting on you."
He told Zayn and walked away with some bodyguards.

"Love sucks huh?" Max said to him.

"You're still gonna pay for ordering that strike on my girl," he told him and walked away while Max laughed.

||

Bloom clenched her fists on her lap as she watched the news. They ordered a manhunt on Zayn and informed everyone he was dangerous.

She turned off the TV and stormed out of the room in a rage. She walked to her Dad's study hoping to see him there. He's been spending so much time at the residence. He wasn't around this much when she needed him but now she despised seeing his face every day, he was around and forced her to have breakfast and dinner with him every day.

"Is everything okay?" Stephano asked trailing behind her. As usual, she ignored him.

She groaned when she didn't find him. She decided to check his room, the bodyguards outside his room told her he was taking a nap and didn't want to be disturbed.

"Let me in!" She yelled.

The door opened and her Dad stared at her with a scowl. He allowed her to come inside. She glared at the bodyguard before entering the room.

"Why did you have to do that?!" She yelled crossing her arms across her chest.

He smiled and stared at her not saying anything.

"Please don't do this, Daddy. He has a little sister who needs him."

"I want to teach him a lesson. He thinks he can mess with me and go free. That little street rat?"
He said in rage.

"Everything that happened was my fault, leave him out of it."

"Go back to your room. You need to save your strength for your therapy and not waste it on that scumbag."
He said and walked to his bed.

"Daddy, please," she asked trying to hold back her tears.

"Stephano!" He called.

The door opened and he walked in.

"Take her to her room make sure she doesn't do anything stupid."

"Yes, Mr. President."

"I will escort you to your room now," he said trying to take her hand.

"Don't touch me," she warned.

She took one last glance at her Dad before leaving the room.

She spent the rest of her day drawing and just lying in bed with different thoughts storming her head. Zayn was smart, he'd be dead before he let them catch him but she was still worried.

Her Dad dropped by to tell her he was flying to New York for an urgent meeting and told her to behave while he was gone.

She threw up the food she took for dinner and took a warm shower. She dressed up in pink pajamas and a white robe. She climbed her bed and went through her old drawings.

You're someone's perfect.

She read it and smiled at the memory. She missed him, was she ever going to see him again? Feel his touch? His kisses and his playful side?

She sighed and closed the book. She stood up and left her bed to apply her face scrub.

||

Stephano took one last look around before opening the door to her room. She wasn't in her bed, he shut the door behind him quietly and walked in.

He saw her bathroom light on, he smiled and walked to her bed. He picked the drawing book and went through it. He paused when he got to the page she drew Zayn, he flipped through the rest in anger. He fumed in rage when he saw the number of drawings she had of him.

Jealousy consumed him, clawing through his skin like knives tearing him into pieces. She was his, she belonged to him. He had seen his face on TV and the President had warned him to look out for anyone that looked like him.

The door opened and Bloom walked out with her face scrub still on her face. She stopped in her track when she saw him.

"What do you think you're doing?"
She asked pulling her white robes to cover her already clothed body.

"Why did you draw him?"
He asked with a murderous stare.

"What are you doing in my room? And who told you you can touch my stuff? Give it back!"
She moved closer to collect it but he tore the pages into pieces.

"What the hell!" She stared at him in horror, watching the pieces fall to the ground like raindrops.

"Why did you do that?! Oh my God," she didn't know what to say as she stared at the pieces.

"Are you drunk? My Dad is gonna hear about this and you will be gone before tomorrow morning."
She said and searched for her phone.

"You are mine, no one else," he said approaching her like a predator.

"Stay away from me, you freak," she said stepping back.

"We belong together, you mean the world to me and I wanna show you."
He said as he walked toward her.

"If you come any closer, I'm going to scream."
She said but her threat didn't stop him. He chuckled instead and smiled.

She could hear the heavy thumping in her chest. What was he going to do to her? Too terrified to find out, she opened her mouth to scream as loud as her vocal cord could take.

He grabbed her and cover her mouth with his large palm before the sound could leave her mouth. Her self-defense instincts kicked in, she elbowed him in the gut and ran to the door screaming for help.

He grabbed her ponytail and pulled her back before she could open the door. He covered her mouth and locked the door quickly. She dug her teeth into his palm, he hissed in pain but didn't pull away. She brushed her leg against his right leg and knocked him down.

She kicked him in the crotch and punched him in the face.

"Psychopath!" She said panting.

She turned around to run to the door but he grabbed her leg and pulled her down, he quickly hovered over her and held her hands tightly above her head.

"Naughty girl," he sneered and hit her across the face with one hand.

"I was trained for this," he told her and laughed.

"Do you know how hard it was to get this job? To make sure I get this spot? I did it all for you!"
He said and dug his nails into her skin, she winced at the pain but didn't give up fighting.

She pushed her head up and hit him in the face with her forehead. He pulled away from the pain. She raised her leg to kick him in the face but he grabbed it and twisted it making her yelp in pain.

"I have been too nice," he said angrily.

He hit her in the face and used his gun to hit her on the head. She laid back unable to defend herself as a sudden weakness rushed through her.

He removed the rope on her bathrobe and tied her hands.

"I guess you're stronger than you look, my love."
He said stroking her cheek. She felt irritated at his touch and the words leaving his mouth.

How on earth did her Dad think a psychopath like him could replace Damian?

"You disgust me," she said and tried to fight but she could barely move.

"What else do you want from me? I have tried to make you like me but it's okay, my love for you is enough."
He said nodding at his own words.

"Go and die," she spat at him.

"Bloom?" They heard Aunt Matilda's voice outside the door. She tried to open the door but found it locked.

"Bloom? Are you okay?"
She asked sounding worried as she knocked on the door.

Stephano gave her an evil smile and raised his gun.

"Keep your mouth shut and behave or else your lovely Nanny dies," he whispered.

She nodded frantically at his threat.

"Bloom honey? Say something to me if you're in there, please."

"Tell her you're fine and you were sleeping. Make sure you sound convincing."
He ordered, pointing the gun at the door with one finger around the trigger.

"I'm fine, I was sleeping. Is everything okay?" Bloom said trying not to stutter.

"Yes, honey, I thought I heard you scream. Sorry for waking you up, go back to sleep."

They listened quietly to her retreating footsteps.

"Good girl," he smiled at her.

"The moment I saw you on the news, I was so drawn to you and fell for you instantly. I did everything possible to get close to you, why won't you accept me?" He asked caressing her cheeks.

"No one will ever accept a monster like you," she said glaring at him.

"Why do you keep breaking my heart?" He asked gripping her neck and choking her. She tried to fight off his grip but with her hands restrained it seemed impossible. The memories of her Dad gripping her mom's neck replayed more vividly in her head.

He pulled away when he heard someone unlocking the door from outside. He raised his gun and pointed it at the door.

"No!" Bloom yelled.

"Stop!" She cried out trying to break free from his weight that held her legs down.

"Bloom?" Aunt Matilda called opening the door. Two shots went out immediately she stepped in.

"Nooo!!!" Bloom screamed struggling to break free.

Stephano turned to look at her, a sinister smile plastered on his face.

"I love you," he said pressing the gun to her head while she stared at Aunt Matilda's body on the floor.

The tears made their way out, she didn't care about the gun pressed to her head.

"Aunt Matilda, please stay with me," she cried.

A shot went out and blood splashed on her face as Stephano's body landed on the other side.

A few bodyguards rushed in and pushed him away from her body, so she could move.

"Are you okay, Miss?"
One of the guards asked untying the rope.

She crawled quickly to Aunt Matilda's body calling her name.