The days passed slowly. I didn't get to see much of Blake during day time but at night he would never leave me alone. Sleeping into his arms is the last thing I wanted to do, but I didn't have much of a choice. Every time I tried to move and get out of his hold, he woke up. And I understood that he is a light-sleeper and that is not gonna do any good to me. I planned on sneaking out during the night time but I guess it ain't happening anytime soon.

Blake still doesn't trust me and so I'm always locked up in his room. I never got to walk out of the room for the past two weeks. The only people I have met are Blake and Martha. She had her lips shut whenever she came to deliver me the food. I tried a lot of times to ask her and to let me go but she never spoke. To kill my boredom, Blake provided me with a medium-size bookshelf that had a lot of novels of my choice. I always wanted to read but never got the time as I was always busy preparing for the entrance exam. But to my dismay, all of my studies and hard work drained just because of him. He allowed me to talk to my mother but of course threatened me to not spill the beans. Every time I talked to her, my lips quivered while lying, and my hatred for him increased.

Knock on the door brings me out of my thoughts but I don't care anymore. I know it's gonna be either Blake or Martha. So I continue looking at the darkness outside the window and my back faces the door.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you." A soft voice which I cannot recognize at all speaks. A voice that sounds caring and gentle. I quickly turn around as curiosity gets the best of me.

A beautiful woman in an elegant fancy red knee-length dress with its sleeve hanging freely down her shoulders. I stand up cautiously and straighten my long black skirt which rests just below my knee.

"You look beautiful!" She exclaimed as she eyed me from head to toe, but not like how Blake does. It feels more like how a mother adores her daughter. Her stare doesn't make me feel uncomfortable, rather it feels warm, just like my mom's. Tears brim my eyes as I remember her.

The lady rushes to me and embraces me into a soft hug. I could not stop myself from crying as her warmth engulfs me and I burst into tears. She strokes my hair gently and she never stops me from crying instead she says, "It's alright! Cry out all you want dear. I'll listen to you if that helps."

I slowly break the hug and create a small distance between us. "I'm sorry. I-I just..."

"It's okay, Melissa. I know this is hard. But it will pass and good days are waiting for you at the end."

Fresh tears prick my eyes as I hear her words. The same words which I remember so clearly. My dad. He used to tell me this every time I had a bad day. I miss my family so badly. I want to go home. I don't belong here, I never did. I'm so tired of being strong while I'm breaking day-by-day.

The lady holds my shoulders gently and sits me down on the bed. She sits beside me and holds my hand gently, "You might not like this, neither do I and like you, I don't have much of a choice." She draws soft circles with her thumb on the back of my hand.

I look at her in confusion. Is she also trapped here like me? But who exactly is she? And her next statement clears my second doubt and forces me to doubt my first doubt even more.

"I'm Megan, Blake's mother." She says making me gape. I stand up immediately and look at her in disbelief. Is this real? Are they pranking me? How can they both be so different? She is so warm and gentle, and he is so cold and ruthless.

"In this house, I think it's only me with whom you can talk freely without any fear." She tries to calm me, but can I trust her? What if this is a plan to know my thoughts. What have I become? I can't trust now. I used to talk so freely even with strangers. I didn't fear anyone in my life.

"Don't fear me, Melissa, I'm not gonna hurt you or tell anything to Blake. It is not a test and neither is some trick to play you. You can trust me, dear." She says slowly standing to her feet and I take a step back.

"I feel you, my girl. I've been through this when I was your age. I tried to escape Blake's dad but was never able to. Then in the end I gave up and now I have two beautiful sons..." she stops momentarily and takes my hand in hers before continuing, "My sons were never like this. But their dad wanted them to become like him and he succeeded. I'm not justifying my son's actions. He is wrong and I apologize on his behalf." She says kindly with pure emotion, care.

I want to trust her for some reason. She sounds genuine. But my mind doesn't allow me. I might need time to trust her for real. So, I ask her, "Can you help me escape him?" Deep inside I want her to answer a yes but I know I asked for something impossible.

"That is what I'm trying to say to you, my dear. I know my son has wronged you but I don't want you to get hurt. I don't want to give you any false hope and I'm sorry my girl, but you cannot escape this house and these people unless they let you go on their own. I'm sorry..."

A knock on the door interrupts her and we both turn our heads to the door.

"Mam, Boss is calling both of you," Martha informs, looking down at her feet.

"Tell him, we are coming in five minutes," Megan replies and I look at her perplexed.
Martha replies, "Okay." before closing the door and leaving.

"Now listen carefully, Melissa. We don't have much time. I don't know when I'll be able to see you again but my girl please strive through this. I know you can, you are a strong young woman. And I believe you. Don't let them break you. Blake won't hurt you badly, he still has some human left in him. I'm not asking you to cope up with him, I'm just telling you to stay strong the way you are...." She keeps telling and I can't control myself so I cut her off and hug her tightly. She embraces me into her warmth for a brief moment before creating some distance between us.

"We don't have time, Melissa. We gotta leave. Blake's father is waiting for us. Don't misbehave, please. If you do then it will only get worse for you. Keep quiet if possible and don't talk back otherwise he might hurt you which I don't want to see at all. You look ready for dinner already." She says the last statement before glancing at my attire. My clothes are of Blake's choice and he likes to keep me dressed always as if I'm a doll. I look at my dress which is not that bad. A white full sleeves round neck top with a knee-length skirt. Thankfully, I don't need to argue much over clothes because Blake's choice is not that bad. At least he doesn't make me wear those revealing dresses which I don't like.

We hurry towards the door but then I stop and turn to her to ask something. "How should I address you, Mam?" I ask with politeness and desperation.

"You can call me Miss Megan for now as they won't like you to call me by name directly and once you feel comfortable I hope to hear you call me Mom. And I'm not telling you to call me Mom because of your forced relation with Blake but because I wanted a daughter like you. Strong and beautiful."

Not understanding how to reply I just nod and stop myself from crying. She sure feels like a mother. I miss my mom so much. As I'm on the verge of crying she reminds me of dinner.

I turn to her one more time at the staircase and ask in anticipation, "My friend Ella. She also needs to eat. Can we invite her to dine?"

"Sorry dear, I'm in no position to decide, but I promise that she gets the food in her room." She gives me an assuring look and we both enter the dining room. Everyone stops talking and looks at us, I mean me, making me shift uncomfortably. Miss Megan holds my hand and assures me by blinking and smiling softly as she turns to me.

I gulp the lump formed in my throat as my gaze lands on Andrew, then make eye contact with light blue ones, Blake. And finally his father. His father looks like a real boss, like those cruel bosses we read about in books. His hair perfectly straightened backward. His hair color is the same as his suit, light grey. He wipes his lips with a tissue and clears his throat as his eyes lock with mine.

"So, she is the girl! What was her name?" He asks the question more to himself and I see Blake's posture shifting and his lips ready to answer, but me is me. I can never really shut up so I speak for myself, "Melissa, Melissa Anderson."

Blake dramatically turns his head towards me and shoots me a glare. He never likes when I stop him from saying something. From the peripheral vision, I see Andrew's lips curl up slightly as he looks at the pissed-off Blake.

"Yeah right, Melissa. I don't need to give my introduction, right?" He winks and for some reason, I feel a bit relaxed. Maybe because I didn't expect his father to sound so calm.

Blake stands up from his chair and walks towards me. And as I plan to take a step back he comes right in front of me and prevents me from doing so by placing his hand on my back.

************************************

A/N:

Okay, so what do you guys think happens next?
Is Blake's father this chill or is it silence before storm?
I think it's the latter ;)

Stay tuned coz a lot of things are gonna happen which will give you chills for sure.

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