Until Death

10.

A noise woke her from her sleep and she turned to ask Anton to check on where the noise was coming from then remembered he wasn't coming back home.

She sat up and placed her foot quietly on the floor, and stood up to investigate. At first, she thought it was just Jane, rummaging through for some late night snack. But she considered the possibility of it being a robber—burglar. If Jane was down with the person, she couldn't stay and do nothing.

When she got down and went to the living room. Her eyes widened as she saw Anton holding Jane, who tried to back away from him causing more precious ornaments to meet their demise on the cold floor.

Her eyes saw red as she witnessed such acts and rushed to them. With a force she didn't know, she possessed, ripped her husband's hands of the nineteen year old girl.

"Enough! What are you doing, Anton?" she could smell the liquor on him.

He tried to get at the girl but he would have to past her first. She didn't know when but she was protective against her only true companion in the house.

"She's twenty-one, Lyn." he gritted his teeth, frustrated by her actions.

He was right, Jane was twenty-one. But the girl, who cowered behind her, didn't show any sign of being interested.

"You have no shame!? She is a child. At least, give her a choice." she searched his dark green eyes for something that was once her husband.

"Goddammit, she came to me."

Her face lost color as she heard that but she didn't waste a second to snap back. "I don't care. Leave her alone." she pushed him back.

And he staggered.

She picked up a piece of a white porcelain vase and raised it at him. "Leave, Anton. Leave." she warned before she didn't something he didn't like.

"Where do you want me to go!? Outside?"

"Go to our room then but leave before I commit murder." she told him, even with her hands shaking like a leaf.

He huffed. "Whatever." And he turned to the direction of the stairs and went up.

She didn't let her guard down for a minute, knowing what he was capable of. When there was no trace or sound of him, she rushed to the young girl's side.

"What happened?" she asked her after looking for any sign of injury. But only found her cheek red and a hand imprinted on both of them.

The poor girl shook her head. "I'm fine, madame."

Jacklyn snatched the girl's wrists in the air and Jane winced at the pain.

"Tell me what happened. I can help you." she knew she wasn't reliable but she protected the child from the evil she married.

"I asked him for an advance to pay for my studies." The girl summoned the courage to speak.

"Fuck." Jacklyn cursed. "Why didn't you come to me? I would have given you even more than that. You are family, I will give you the money tomorrow. But you have to do me a small favor. You hear?"

The housekeeper had calmed down significantly. She nodded her head. "Yes."

"Don't let any of this get out. You know what I mean." she asked.

The girl answered. "I'm very well aware."

"Good. Now, I want you to go to your room and lock the door. I want you to leave the key in. Don't pull it out of the door, do you understand?"

Jane nodded, again.

"Now, go."

Jacklyn watched the girl leave to her quarters before she went back upstairs into their room, where Anton grabbed her hands and sent her body to the hard wall.