i had initially wrote this chapter with Virtus finally knowing abt Uri's gender

but then

i was at work

and i thought

no

so i rewrote the entire thing last night at 3am

p.s. this has some very adult content in it. no porn, but it is for the most part non-consensual. u have been warned ily tho

Chapter Twenty-three

Today was the big day. Not just a big day for Virtus and his fiancé, Chelsea. But a big day for me, because there is no doubt my life is going to be ruined from here on out.

Virtus is yet again wearing the immaculate outfit that had been prepared for him, and I, admiring myself in the mirror, wore something not nearly as show-stopping, but fancy nonetheless. I had a suit, as black as night. Around the cuffs were diamonds, almost like bracelets, strung in a intricate design. My tie was also black, and pinned to it, was a golden rose, one very similar to the gold roses dotted up Virtus's sleeves.

I was given a diamond necklace to match the diamonds around my cuffs, and a gold pocket watch, the chain to it wrapped around my waist like a belt.

I've never felt more important, and yet, I could hardly appreciate it, due to my impending doom.

I step out of the dressing room. Virtus hasn't said a word to me all morning, but when he sees me, his body grows still, and its as if we are the only two people in the room.

God, I can't stop imagining last night. I play it over and over in my head and it's never enough. I want more of him. I want it all over again. I want it to never stop.

I force myself to be the one to look away first.

Virtus wasn't the only one troubling my heart. I knew the second a camera is on Virtus, I'll be in the picture. My family is no doubt watching the televisions today, and they will see me. They will recognize me. They will know everything that I have been up to.

The ceremony was to be held inside, but the celebration was all outdoors. I had spotted several cameras already being set up, reporters ready to catch the best shots.

There is no hiding from them.

"We're live in fifteen, people!" Someone shouts as everyone gets more frantic behind the stage. I could hear the live audience from outside the curtains, all quickly getting to their seats, ready to watch one of the most important events in the life of  Bone Cutter, except, this wasn't important. Virtus has already been married several times before. This has already happened several times before. Why did people think this was different?

Could it be, because this wasn't just some normal girl. It was a Scott?

I noticed Chelsea Scott from across the back stage. She didn't look beautiful, she looked lethal. On her, was the Harvester's gown. A deep crimson dress, one matching in color to Virtus's suit. Around her waist was the Harvester's belt. The belt of bone, each bone from a former Bone Cutter.

Her hair was tied with lace and pearls. She was divine.

Virtus glanced at her, but looked as if he didn't care at all.

He really does not like her.

My eyes made sudden contact with the eyes of Chelsea's father through the crowd of people rushing about, and I quickly turned away. The man made me indescribably uncomfortable.

I notice Virtus moving away and quickly attempt to follow him when a hand clamps around my shoulder. For a moment, I thought it was Mr. Scott, but that wouldn't make sense, he couldn't make it across the room that quickly.

I look up to see Alan Rockwell, and my heart plummets even more.

"Still following Virtus I see." He says it so calmly, I begin to fear his motive. 

"I'm only doing what I'm told."

He leans down, his mouth inches from mine, "I know what you are." 

Only moments ago, I was certain today couldn't get any worse. 

It just got a lot worse.

I force his hand off my shoulder, and try to sound as bold as I wasn't, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, little girl. My wife told me, and my son is too much of a fucking idiot to realize it."

I've never wanted to be away from someone more in my life. 

I glanced around, wonder where exactly his son was anyway. Was he that angry at me, that he decided he wanted me to stand on my own against his father? Or was he so angry, that he didn't care where I was at all?

"I-"

He leans down again, and low enough for only the two of us to hear, he says, "If you don't want him finding out about your fucking secret, you're going to do something for me."

My palms begin to sweat, and I wipe them hastily on pants. Everything about this situation was placing my body in a chaotic panic. 

"When he's on stage, you're going to come back to the dressing rooms with me for a little," He paused for a moment, "A little chat. Do you understand?"

I definitely understood. Before I could say anything, he looks around, making sure nobody overheard, and walks off.

My legs begin to wobble, and I can't control my shaking hands. I fall to the floor, sweat dripping from my forehead. 

There's no way I can go into the dressing rooms alone and 'chat' with Mr. Rockwell.

And yet, I can't have Virtus finding out about what I really am. 

My stomach twists, and I try not to cry. There are too many people around. I need to stand up.

Another hand clamps onto my arm, and helps me stand. I turn over, thinking it was yet again Alan Rockwell, but to my astonishment, it was Chelsea.

Her gentle touch was foreign to me, especially since last time I spoke to her she sent me to jail.

"You look like you've just eaten some bad seafood. That's ugly, and I don't appreciate that on my wedding day."

"S-Sorry." I stammer, quickly running my shaking hands down my suit to smooth out the wrinkles. 

She no doubt notices my shaking hands, and I see a flicker of sympathy in her eyes, before it vanishes just as quickly as it appears. "What did he say to you?"

"Excuse me?"

She nods her head to the direction Alan had walked off, "What'd he say to make you so frightened?"

"Nothing." I finalize the conversation, "Nothing at all."

Her blue eyes narrowed, and I know she doesn't believe me, but she didn't push it. Especially when a third hand grabbed my arm, but I knew this hand, I knew it better than any other. I was spun around to see Virtus, definitely irritated, "What the fuck are you doing?"

"He was only complimenting me." Chelsea said, which she definitely had no idea just how much fuel she had put on his already flaming fire.

He looks from me to her, then back to me, and our conversation last night resurfaced in my mind.

He doesn't still think I like her, does he? I kissed him back last night.

Was that not enough?

I stick my shaking hands into my suit pockets, and try to act indifferent. "I wasn't complimenting anyone." I said a bit too loud, and lowered my voice. "I fell, she helped me up. That's it."

Chelsea stared at me, as if trying to read me. I would not let her, the woman who put me in a cell just for her own amusement, get the best of me.

Nobody needs to know what Alan had said to me, or what he will do.

"Three minutes everyone!" A crew member yelled, and Chelsea looked away, her mask of contentment back on her face.

She didn't want to marry Virtus just as much as he didn't want to marry her.

This was all a political stunt. 

I see Alan Rockwell straightening his tie as he prepares to head on stage. Someone hands him a lit cigarette, and he takes one puff, before handing it back to the intern, and proceeds to welcome the massive crowd of people.

The audience cheers as he steps up to the microphone, and welcomes them to the official wedding ceremony of Virtus Lux, and Chelsea Scott.

My own nerves begin to rattle as I think about what it is exactly I'd have to do for Alan to keep quiet. Would he even keep quiet at all? Whether I 'chat' with him or not, would he keep his word?

But if I didn't take the risk, he would certainly tell Virtus everything.

Unless I tell him first.

"Virtus, wait." My voice shook though I didn't mean to sound so fucking scared. I grab onto his sleeve without thinking about it, but he pulls his arm away from me like my touch disgusted him. 

I stare at him, wide-eyed. 

He looks down at me, like he truly believes I'm below him. It's all an act, I know that, and yet, all I see is a look of pure hatred. He has resorted back to the Bone Cutter that I feared, not the Virtus I loved.

"Don't fucking touch me, intern."

Intern. Right. I'm his intern. We are back at square one.

I shut my mouth, and watch him enter onto the stage. I've never heard such an applause before. The cheers rang off the walls, and yet my own fear drowned it all out. 

Chelsea stepped on stage from the other direction of the curtain. 

They exchanged no words, even though typically the Bone Cutter would give a small speech. Virtus has done this enough times to apparently not care anymore. 

He pulled out a dazzling jeweled dagger, and sliced his palm. Blood dripped down his fingers and onto the stage floor. He didn't even wince.

Chelsea held up her own palm, already knowing what to do. Virtus took her small hand into his, and sliced her palm as well. Together they pressed both bloody hands together, symbolizing a blood oath. Complete unity -until she dies, and this all has to happen over again with another unfortunate woman.

I look away when they kiss. The burden of jealousy gnaws at my heart, and in the moment, I hate everyone and everything.

Alan was waiting for me. 

I gathered my hatred, and turned it into fuel. Whatever needed to happen, will happen. I'll do whatever it takes to keep my place in Virtus's world if only for a few more days. 

I don't just want to know what happened to Cindy, I want to stop it from happening to Chelsea, and any other poor girl who simply crosses paths with the Bone Cutter.

I slick my hair back with my hand, tighten my tie, and proceed to the dressing room.

All I have to do it pretend it's not happening. Whatever it is he'll have me do, it won't kill me. I won't die, that's all the confirmation I need.

I miss my parents. I miss my mother. My father would kill any man who touched me. My mother would make them suffer first.

My brother, Yoel, he'd help me heal.

I miss my family.

I wipe a stray tear that ran down my cheek, as the realization hit my harder than anything else. I hate this world. I hate what Virtus lives in. I hate celebrities. I hate those in power.

I open the door to the dressing room. It's dark, the only lamps on were the bulbs around the mirrors to the vanities. 

I immediately spot Alan, he's sitting in one of the chairs to the vanities, his legs resting on a few boxes of attire. In his hand was another lit cigarette. 

"So," He says, his breath nothing but smoke as he exhales. "You're smarter than you look."

"What do you want from me." I glower at him. Everything about him, from his head to his feet, repulsed me.

"We don't have much time." He states the obvious, "You're man is almost done out there, marrying another woman."

I grit my teeth, "Is that what you think this is about? Because I like your son?"

"How should I fucking know what goes on in your head? I don't give a flying shit why you're dressed that way. It means nothing to me." He leans back in his seat, clearly enjoying himself as he stares me up and down, "Though I can't say I haven't wondered what you'd look like underneath."

I close my eyes, trying to find any bit of courage I had left. 

"Take the jacket off."

I didn't want to, but I did. I let the black suit jacket fall to the ground. I wore a white button-up shirt underneath. He didn't say to take it off, so I didn't.

"Come here." He commands, and I do. When I'm inches away from him he says, "Kneel."

I take a steadying breath, and kneel. 

His hand caresses the side of my face, and my chin, and then, his hand is in my hair, and he grabs several locks and pulls, forcing my head down as his other hand fists my tie, choking me as he pulls me half onto his lap. "Much better." He grins. "Yes, maybe I do like it when a woman wears a tie. Much easier to handle."

"You're a fucking pig." I mutter at him. He doesn't like that. With his hand still clenched in my hair, he tilts my head to look up at him. 

"Say that again, bitch."

I'm smarter than that, so instead, I spit on him.

He kicks me. It happens so quickly I don't see it coming. One moment his hand is stuck in my hair the next I'm on the ground and he's towering over me with his boot on my neck.

"You'll behave or I'll tell the whole world your fucking secret. You think I'll just tell Virtus? I'll have everyone know who you are, and I'll make sure they'll have your head for it."

I try not to cry. I try to tell myself it'll be over soon, but soon wasn't coming fast enough.

He lifts his boot, "Sit up."

I sit up.

"Now take your top off."

I can't control my shaking hands. I sloppily undid my tie, allowing it to fall down my back to the floor. The buttons of my shirt weren't undoing, and the more I panicked, the harder it was to use my hands at all.

Eventually, the final button popped open, and I slid my shirt off. 

It wasn't as bad as it could be. My binder covered more than a conventional bra. Still, having anyone see me wear a binder made me feel even more exposed than if I had nothing on at all.

Alan grinned, "So there's the culprit." He said, referring to the binder, hiding my certainty of gender.  He took his lit cigarette, and stuck the burning end on the thin fabric of my binder. "I wonder how long this will take to burn before it begins to hurt.

I try to back away from him, I crawl backwards on the floor scooting away as quickly as I could until my back hit the wall. I was defenseless, and he was much stronger than he looked.

He knelt down, and kissed my neck. Having his lips on my skin made me feel sick, and I wanted to scream. I wanted to kick him, and run. I wanted to go home. I wanted my long hair back. I wanted to wear my own fitted clothing. I no longer wanted jewels and gold and fancy mansions.

I cried. Tears cascaded down my cheeks as the door to the dressing room opened, and everything stopped.

Alan stood up so fast and my heart stilled. In walked Chelsea, and I've never been so relieved to see a Scott in my life.

Her eyes were stuck on me, and I watched as the realization sunk in. Her surprise was immediately washed away with a look of feigned amusement. Her head turned towards Alan, "Naughty boy." She shakes her head like a mother would to her child, "You're not supposed to touch Virtus's things like that." She stalked over to him like he were mere prey, "And now that he's my husband, his things are my things." Their bodies were almost inches apart, "I don't like gross old men touching my toys and undressing my dollies."

"She's a woman, pretending to be a man." Alan fights, as if that would sway her opinion. 

Chelsea wasn't playing his game. "She's a special toy, for special boys." Her eyes narrow, "You're not special."

"She's a fucking-"

"Get out." Her voice falls flat, like she's become immediately bored.

"What?"

"Get. Out."

I can't stop my mouth from widening a bit as he actually obeys. Like a dog with his tail between his legs, he leaves, but before he exits out the door, he gives me one final look, and I know he wasn't done with me.

When the door falls closed, Chelsea's attention is back on me. "Poor little puppy." She coos, "I wonder what Virtus is going to say when he realizes his support dog is actually a bitch."

I let the insult go, still relieved that Alan was gone. "He can't know." I tell her, as I wipe my face. My hands were still shaking, and my legs wobbled as I tried to stand.

God, my heart is pounding.

"Hmm." She ponders it, as she takes a seat on the top of one of the vanities. I can feel her eyes on my back as I try to put my shirt back on. Her silence feels strange in the tiny room, so I glance over my shoulder, and our eyes meet. 

She's really pretty. I look pathetic right now.

"It's pretty incredible you managed to go this long without him knowing. I know what he makes you do."

I scoff, "What do you know?"

"I know he keeps you around every moment of the day. I know he's searching for you right as we speak." She gives a little shrug, "I may have told him you were outside already."

Yikes. "I need to go find him." I pull on my jacket, and attempt to tie my tie, but I didn't want her to know I didn't know how to tie it.

I'm about to exit the room when she says, "Do you even know why he forces you to do what you do?"

This stops me. I glance back at her.  

No. I didn't know why.

She blinks at me. "You really don't know why he has to have a human teddy bear by his side at every moment?"

She was mocking him, but, still, my curiosity was starving, "You know?"

She rolls her eyes, "What kind of desperate fool would risk getting sexually assaulted by Alan Rockwell just to keep her position working with a man who won't tell her shit? What's your motive?"

"Are you going to tell me or what?" I snap, "If you know him so well, you know I'm going to get hell from him if I'm not out there by his side within minutes."

"Relax, you're fine. I meant it when I said everything that's his is now mine. You belong to me too."

"Fine? Have you forgotten the last time we spoke you sent me to jail?"

"It was only for a few hours, dummy. Do be so fucking dramatic."

I frown, "We're done." I begin to walk out again, annoyed that I even stayed this long. My eyes still burned from crying, and my face felt hot. This was definitely up there as one of the worst days of my life.

"It's monophobia."

My body stills. Monophobia? "What's that?"

"A severe fear of being alone."

That makes no sense. Virtus was one of the scariest people on earth. Everyone feared him. "Before you ask, I don't fucking know why he has it. I'm no doctor. It has something to do with a traumatic childhood, or maybe childhood neglect, or maybe his childhood was perfectly fine, and he's just dramatic. Or he likes having men follow him around wherever he goes. Makes his feel powerful."

I shove my hands in my pockets, "Why do you guys hate each other so much?"

The question seems to put her off guard. She gazes at me for a long moment, before resurfacing her coldness, "Don't be such a child. This marriage is for unity, it's not for love. I love no one, and neither does he." She leans back, "Besides, I find him weak."

For the first time all day, my sympathy towards her is resurrected. She is just as much of a liar as Virtus is. 

What is it with powerful rich people afraid to display their real feelings? 

I say nothing more on the subject, "Thank you for stopping Alan." The words fall out of my mouth awkwardly, "Please keep this between us." I leave the room.