Belonged to Him

Cassius Hall

When Asteria arrived at the Luciani's house, the rain came pouring down like tears from the heavens. She quietly exited the car and went to her room. The maids unpacked her belongings, and her wardrobe's inappropriate clothes magically disappeared. Her feet were sore due to the walk. She opened her iPad and sighed when she saw almost 400 messages from her two friends.

She texted, "Beth and Kenz, I'll talk to you after the exam. Now, please don't spam my inbox, and keep studying. Luv you."

Henry walked into the room, and Asteria tensed. Her breath was erratic, and her heart was thumping like a maniac. He gave her a tab. The page was a decor's website. She looked at him with confusion. He ran his hand over his wavy hair.

"Mom chose the room interior. I have no say in it. Add what you need, and they'll come and fix it to your liking." Henry hesitated a bit. He stared at her intensely, making her blush.

"Uh...., I just need a table and chair." She said. Henry gave a tiny, understanding nod, realizing it would be best not to push her further.

"Alright. It will be done. Do you need anything else?"  Asteria shook her head, but a gnawing feeling lingered inside her. The knowledge that the dungeon was right beneath their house and that very room tormented her and made her suffocate. Summoning all her strength, she called out to him just as he was about to leave the room.

"Henry."

Henry immediately stopped and turned back. She was looking everywhere but his face. As he moved further, she asked,

"Do you have any other house?" She fidgeted and looked down.

"Yes," Henry replied.

"Can we move to another house?" She was still fidgeting and looking down. But Henry understood. This house gave her nightmares, and there was no point living here if she was not comfortable. He took out his phone and dialed to Will.

"We will be moving to the lakehouse." Asteria looked up, meeting his gaze. Will, on the other hand, was completely puzzled.

"What? Are you sure?" he asked Henry.

"Yes. I am certain." Henry replied.

"Alright. Give me some time, and I'll send Ben." Henry ended the call.

"I am sorry for causing you this trouble," Asteria said meekly.

"Asteria, you are my wife. You can ask anything, and it is my responsibility to get it done. I know we started on the wrong foot. I am sorry for everything I made you go through. You have no idea how it was eating me alive. I only ask you one thing." Henry closed the gap between them and said,

"If you want anything, be it anything, just ask me. Please." Asteria nodded with a tear striding down her cheek. Henry left the room, longing to hug and kiss her madly, but he restrained himself. He had done sinister things to her, and he knew it.

After a while, they drove in Henry's car to the lakehouse. The house was beautiful and ethereal. The huge black gate was embodied with a prominent 'L' at the top. The grey house stood taller than trees, like watching a 19th-century painting. It was old, elegant, and patched up with modern equipment. The mansion sat in the center of a large garden, with a gorgeous tree-lined road leading to the lake. Half of the house is covered majestically in Wisteria. It looked like a dream. The garden was adorned with delicate pink Hyacinths and graceful blue Irises, creating a mesmerizing canvas of enchanting blue and pink tones. It was enchanting.

"Wow!" the word escaped Asteria's mouth. Henry smiled at her, and she blushed.

"I know you will love it. " He murmured into her ear. Her eyes widened, and her heart pounded hard.

"Come." He ushered her inside, and the butlers and maids greeted them. The interior was even more splendid. A grand V-shaped double staircase was opened to two wings at the central point. An enormous chandelier was hung from the high ceiling. They walked to the left wing and opened the door of a bedroom. Asteria's jaw practically hit the floor. It was a Victorian-style bedroom with a four-poster bed draped in sage blue muslin cloth. There was a brown writing desk and chair. To her amazement, there was an inkpot and quill on the desk. The balcony opened to the tranquil view of the lake. It was equipped with a cozy coffee table with two comfy chairs.

"This is the best room in the house, and I want you to be in it. Is this okay?" He inquired, uncertainty tingeing his voice as he wondered whether Asteria liked this. However, Asteria's face lit up with a smile as she eagerly responded,

"This is the best bedroom I have ever been." He grinned at her. She could feel the heat rising in the room as they stood there alone. Henry must have felt it too, as he quickly excused himself and left the room. Asteria slopped on the mattress. The house felt surprisingly cozy despite its size, which amazed her.

When her stomach let out a loud grumble, she paused, unsure whether to stay put or to head downstairs. She gulped and slowly got down. She had no idea where the kitchen was. She looked around and noticed a maid meticulously dusting the living room.

"Umm,  could you show me the way to the kitchen?" The maid immediately left the duster and asked,

"Ma'am, do you need something?"

"Yes, but you don't have to work it up. Just show me the way. " Asteria replied. The maid led her to the bustling kitchen, where the other maids had gathered with attentive expressions. She started preparing hot chocolate but was uncomfortable as she could feel the eyes on her. She turned around them with a bewildered expression, and then an old maid spoke,

"Forgive us, Ma'am, but you are the first woman from the family to work in the kitchen." Asteria let out a hoot of laughter.

"I was just making hot chocolate. It is simple." Asteria said softly.

"Still, Ma'am, if you need anything, please let us know. Sir would not be pleased if he discovered you working in the kitchen." The old maid explained. As Asteria poured the steaming hot chocolate into a cup, a gentle smile played on her lips. The elderly maid added a few marshmallows, making the cozy drink delightful. Asteria smiled at her and asked,

"Thanks! What's your name?"

"Agatha, Ma'am. " The elderly maid replied, but Asteria interjected immediately,

"Please, Agatha, call me Ria." They exchanged smiles before Asteria left for her room.  She sat in the cushy chair and placed her mug on the sage blue coffee table. The view is enthralling. Surely, who built this house had a great taste, she thought. She savored her steaming hot chocolate and took in the breathtaking view, oblivious that a pair of eyes were fixated on her from a distance.

Later that night, after dinner, Agatha brought her freshly baked cookies when she was studying. She was immediately lost in the amazing taste and wolfed them all. She was dressed in a white nightgown. As the night grew late, her eyes began to droop, leading her to rise and switch off the light. When she was about to close the drapes of the balcony door, she noticed a point of light on the other side of the lake. A  shudder ran down her spine when she felt a pair of eyes on her. The light vanished quickly, but she continued to stare at the place for some time. What was that? she wondered. Someone might be camping, her inner voice said, and she conceded to it.

She closed the curtains and double-checked if the doors were locked.
She fell asleep instantly as soon as she hit the pillow, unaware that, later that night, he crept in, and the floor creaked beneath his feet as he leaned in to kiss her gently on the forehead. He sat on the upholstered settee with Ria's iPad and went through her inbox.

Sleep seemed to be eluding him completely.

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Holaaaaaaaaa my potatoessss!!!! I am extremely sorry for the delay!!!! Hope you liked this chapter. I am happy with all those votes and comments. So, please vote and add your comments. It will encourage me. And for the pictures I used, the credit goes to the original owner!!

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