Haven And Chaos

23) The one who survived

***********************
GALE'S POV
***********************

I could feel her wavering gaze on me now and then. But I ignored it and her presence altogether and continued with my work, reading and signing some documents. As much as I wanted to laze around and poke her endurance, running the state was just as important. I couldn't afford to fall behind on my duties and disappoint the imperial family. They had far greater expectations of me than any other archduke. Why?
Because I controlled a first-class faction of Dark Shadows, the Dark Knights.

As the minutes faded away, the anger that had been spreading from my chest started thinning and I unconsciously lost myself in the words I was reading.

"Gale?" Her voice slipped into my professional world and drew me out. She seemed calm as well. Her skin looked more like that of the living after the meal she had eaten, and her eyes now held a vibrant color green color that would have been pleasing to stare at...if only she wasn't the person I hated the most in the world.

"What is it?" I asked dismissively, bothering not to hide my dislike for her.

"I...I..." She began stammering, piquing my curiosity. There were so many sides of her that it felt as if I was facing a different person every time. So what side was this? The shy one? I was yet to see that.
"I'd like my phone back!" Maya blurted and her fingers immediately interlocked in a nervous gesture.

I let my eyes stab right through hers, wondering if she was enjoying messing with me or if she was just plainly stupid. After the intense exchange we just had not too long ago regarding that damned device, now she was asking for it!

"Maya..." I started calmly to keep my temper in check. "Are you full?"

"Huh?!" Her eyes hopped from my desk to my face.

"Do you need more food?"

She shook her head, her red ponytail swaying behind her head. "N-no! I'm full. I'm asking if I can get my pho-"

"Then go home and study if you have nothing else to do. I expect good results by the end of the semester."

She just stared at me through those widening green eyes. One could easily see her emotions which ranged from shock to anger. I was surprised how safely she tucked them away without giving in to them like I'd have done.
"But Gale! I need it to study and call my family! I haven't spoken to them in three weeks. I have-"

"No phone for you," I informed her and casually picked up a file. My eyes left her stiffened body and fell on the white sheet of paper with words printed in black. The information couldn't get past my vision for my attention was still on Maya without showing it.

"What...what do I have to do to get it back?" Her tone had softened yet darkened. It beckoned me to gaze at her face once more to take in the determined expression veiling it. "I'll do your laundry. Or do you want me to clean your room every morning?"

Images quickly surfaced from the depths of my mind of Maya doing exactly what she was saying and...it didn't look that bad. To push her to her limits, I had to explore different methods. I set the file down and entwined my fingers under my chin, elbows glued on the shiny desk. "That is such a great idea. You've been eating for free so far. Working for your food and shelter will help you understand life a bit better."

Her eyebrows scrunched and the air around her went cold.

"So d-do I get my phone?"

"Hmmm... Lemme think about it." I let a long pause follow just to aggravate her.
The look that reigned in her eyes made me feel as if I'd be shrunk any second now if I went on with this mental torture. But it also carried with it an air of 'I know your secret', as if threatening me if I didn't comply. How absurd.
Or did she have something on me?
I had let my guard down around her a lot in the few days she had lived with me. The only assurance I had was that she was under surveillance all day and night(if I counted). That meant she had no contact with the outside world.

Even if she did try to use the servants in the house, nothing would make it past the gates.

Maybe giving her a phone would help me clear any lingering doubts about her. After all, I'd just have it screened like every other phone in my house. Or maybe I was curious why she wanted it all of a sudden.

"So you're saying that you'll do whatever it takes to have your phone back?"

Maya nodded, her face shifting to an innocent expression that pierced my human heart. She looked so childish that the urge to punch myself for what I was doing to her nearly overwhelmed me. 'She's a killer. She killed Cindy. She deserves nothing but the worst punishment on earth,' a voice reminded harshly, instantly putting out the flicker of warmth that had almost formed in my heart.

"Write me a two thousand essay on Cindy."

"Hm?" Her right brow lifted as the weight of my order sank in her.

"I believe I speak the same language you do, so don't make me repeat myself. Drop it in my room before I go to bed."
With that, I swung the swivel chair to the side and got up. Like a zombie, Maya remained grounded in front of the desk even as I leisurely left the office.

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

I stared outside through the glass wall. The city was lit as if night was just a word that didn't exist here. It felt brighter than the day and even more radiant.
The 'vampires' were awake and running businesses to pay their taxes and make the imperial family happy.
Redville City, one that now served as the largest city in Alabama because it is where our office was. The population had spiked over the last two decades. But with so many people living here, my work only doubled, especially with these mindless mafia groups that still lingered after so long.

I had been tasked with getting rid of any opposition in all of the states. This only made the other archdukes and dukes feel uneasy around me. I posed a great threat to their shady businesses. Which was why I couldn't afford to portray any weaknesses or have any dirt on my name lest I lose credibility before the imperial family.

As it is, I had already lost the easiest way to have their trust deepen, which was through the promised marriage between Cindy and Prince Abel from when they were kids. Now that she was no longer around and I was without any other daughter, or child, they just settled the arrangement by offering me compensation.

Dammit!
My fists clenched hard till my nails bruised my palm.
I had ceased thinking about the missed opportunity to be directly related to the imperial family just to lessen the hurt. But now that it had crossed my mind, my anger felt like it had tripled.

All of this because of that damned little girl who was now trying to okay victim.

"Argh! Maybe I should visit that place?! I haven't been there in a while."
I sighed, letting go of the tension that had engulfed my body from all those thoughts. Spending the night away from the devil's in my house would calm me down.
Not like they would kill each other in my absence.

***Join my Patreon today and read over 25 advanced chapters of this book❤️❤️❤️***