THE DARKNESS WITHIN

Part six: Expunging his demons

Mr Buttercup looked distressed at the sight of his indiscretions. His heart started racing in his chest, and he could feel the skin on his forehead underneath the bandage itch.

How does he play this? Should he call his abuser's bluff? He sneaked a look towards Stephan through his upper lid. Stephan was a picture of perfect calmness. He looked like he had nothing to fear. He is a man with power and knows it.

His formidable and arrogant appearance aroused envy and anger inside the poor Mr. Buttercup. He wants the man sitting like a king in his jungle to pay for what he did to him, but is his desperation for revenge worth losing his fifteen-year marriage?

The pictures scattered on his chest are evidence of a lapse in judgment. For a moment, he felt trapped in his marriage. He realized he had made a mistake and had been trying to make up for it. If his wife gets this, she will divorce him, and he will lose his children.

Really, there is no choice. No matter how much it hurts his pride to bow down to the pompous peacock, it is better than losing the love of his life.

"I will drop the lawsuit," Mr. Buttercup dully, his tone revealing his displeasure and reluctance at his action.

Even though patience isn't one of his virtues, Stephan has patiently waited for him to decide and, at Mr Buttercup's response, turned to him with a smile as bright as the sun. "Mr Buttercup, I knew you were an intelligent man."

Mr Buttercup flinched at Stephan's cold, condescending tone, but Stephan wasn't done with him. He doesn't dish out half-measures when he decides to teach someone a lesson. He makes sure to teach you a lesson you never forget. A lesson that keeps you off his path, a lesson that makes you tremble when you hear the name Hollingsworth or Stephan.

Putting fear in those who dare to oppose him is something Stephan relishes, and now he is about to show poor Mr. Buttercup that a beating is a light sentence from him for daring to lay a hand on the most precious thing in his life. A jewel he does not joke with and doesn't share unless it pleases him.

If there were something Mr Buttercup wished desperately for at this second in his miserable existence, it would be for Stephan to disappear from his room. That would be too short if he never sees him again till the end of his life.

"One more thing," Stephan began casually like he was having a conversation about the weather, his expression neutral, not giving away the following words about to exit his mouth. Still, his words were enough to snap Mr Buttercup out of his mind to Stephan's gorgeous face.

What does the demon want now? Mr Buttercup wondered anxiously as he waited with his breath hanging in his throat for the axe to land. Still, Stephan was enjoying his power over him and was in no rush to end the psychological power he had over his victim. This is where the fun is most.

"What?" Mr. Buttercup demanded impatiently, even boldly attempting to show his irritation at Stephan toying with him.

Stephan lost the neutral expression; his blue eyes became so icy that it caused Mr Buttercup to swallow heavily.

Now, this is the devil he knows, and he feared whatever proceeds from Stephan's mouth he would not like, but he dared to hope that it was a permanent goodbye, never to see again words that came from his mouth, which Mr. Buttercup will gladly obey.

"I am going to show you how I deal with a pest. You have a week to transfer half a million dollars into my account."

Mr Buttercup's jaw hit his chest even with the restrictions of the bandage on his face. His grey eyes stared widely at Stephan as he had just grown another head.