THE BALDWIN'S POSSESION

NO , I DON'T

Eve let out a small sigh. Her hand went to her head, brushing away the painful tingles that still lingered there. Slowly, she lay down on the bed again, curling her body as her eyes fixated on the curtains that fluttered with every soft blow of air.

EVE'S POV

The morning arrived quietly, yet it carried a certain unease with it. Small knocks echoed softly on my door. Pulling myself out of bed, I adjusted my dress and walked toward the door, my voice calm but firm as I called out,

"You can come in."

Aunty gently pushed the door open, stepping inside with a warm smile lighting her face. Her soft, kind tone greeted me with affection, "Good morning, Eve."

"Good morning, Abela Aunty," I replied, nodding slightly as a polite smile curved my lips.

"Do you feel like taking a walk in the garden? Eris has been asking for you," she offered. Her eyes held a hint of curiosity as I stared at her for a moment, my gaze filled with unspoken questions. Understanding me without needing words, she clarified,

"They're all going out today."

"Where?" I asked, a slight frown creasing my brows. Mrs. Win rarely left the house, so this news caught me by surprise.

"Azar, Ray, and Mr. Win are heading to the office. Mrs. Win, on the other hand, has plans to attend a tea party with the minister's wife," Aunty explained gently.

I hummed in acknowledgment, letting her words sink in, before allowing a wide smile to brighten my face.

"Come outside soon. Mrs. Win asked me to wake you up since breakfast is going to be served a little earlier today. Get ready quickly, okay?"

Nodding in agreement, I grabbed my clothes from the wardrobe and made my way to the washroom.

Within a few minutes, I emerged from the washroom, fully dressed, with my hair still damp from the shower. Deciding to leave it as it was, I stepped out of my room and descended the stairs. Mr. and Mrs. Win were already seated at the dining table, their usual composed expressions greeting me as I approached.

Lowering my head slightly, I greeted them politely, "Good morning, Mom. Dad."

"Good morning, Eve," Dad replied with a curt nod, his tone as neutral as ever.

"Good morning, baby," Mom said warmly, her smile soft yet welcoming.

I took my seat at the table, my hands resting on my lap as I waited for the food to be served. My thoughts wandered, but they were soon interrupted as my gaze landed on Ray and Azar entering the dining room.

I looked at Ray briefly before shifting my focus to Azar. His expression was unreadable, as usual, but something about his presence always drew my attention. My eyes lingered on his face for a moment longer than they should have.

As they both approached the table, Azar moved to sit beside me, but Silas cleared his throat pointedly, prompting Azar to pause. He nodded subtly and took the seat next to Ray instead. Now, Ray sat between us, creating a space that felt unusually distant.

It felt strange—Azar being further away from me than usual was unsettling in a way I couldn't quite explain.

The food was being served, the soft clinking of plates filling the air as Dad and Azar engaged in conversation. I was just about to pick up my spoon when I felt it—a hand landing on my thigh under the table.

I froze.

My breath hitched as I realized it was Ray. His hand moved with deliberate slowness, caressing my thigh, sending a wave of fear and disgust coursing through me. My eyes darted toward his hand, then up to his face. He smirked, his dark eyes meeting my trembling gaze, a silent challenge in them.

His hand continued its path, fingers pressing firmly against my thigh before giving it a harsh squeeze that made my muscles twitch involuntarily. My heart raced as I noticed the thin fabric of my wide-legged pajamas offering no protection against his intrusive touch.

Desperate for help, my gaze flicked toward Azar, who remained engrossed in his conversation with Dad. I turned to Ray, whose smirk deepened, and then back to Azar, silently willing him to notice. But he didn't.

Meanwhile, Ray's hand grew bolder, his nails digging into my skin with enough force to make me bite down on my lip to suppress a gasp of pain.

"Eve, eat your food quickly," Mrs. Win said, her voice breaking the tense silence. Azar glanced at me briefly, his eyes narrowing, but Ray's hand had already retreated by then.

I picked up my spoon with trembling fingers, forcing myself to take a bite of food, even as my appetite vanished entirely. But Ray wasn't done. His hand returned, this time sliding further up my thigh, testing my boundaries. I clenched my legs tightly together, hoping to block his path, but he was relentless.

His fingers found their way to the sensitive skin of my inner thighs, and just as he was about to go further, I placed my hand over his, stopping him.

Ray's smirk faltered for a brief moment, but he quickly recovered. Turning his palm upward, he entwined his fingers with mine, caging my hand tightly. His grip was firm, almost bruising, as he leaned closer and whispered in a low, dangerous tone,

"Don't let him touch you ever again, Eve, or I will kill him."

His words sent a shiver down my spine, and my eyes widened in realization—he had seen what happened yesterday.

Unable to struggle against him any longer, I lowered my head, a wave of shame washing over me. Ray, however, continued eating his food as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.

Once breakfast was over, I stood up abruptly, unable to stomach the rest of the meal. Azar's gaze followed me briefly before he turned away , his attention elsewhere and he left. Mr. and Mrs. Win left the dining room soon after, but Ray lingered, his presence suffocating.

"Why are you standing here, Dove? Go to your room," he said, his voice dripping with mockery.

Frustration bubbled within me, and I shot him a glare. His smirk only widened as him and i looked down at our intertwined hands beneath the table together and then again our eyes met with each other mine glaring in anger and his with a glint of mischief in it .

Leaning closer, he brushed a stray strand of wet hair away from my face, his dark gaze locking onto mine.

"You look more beautiful when you're angry, Eve," he said in a husky voice, and my face automatically scrunched in disgust.

"You smell..." I said suddenly, without thinking, completely forgetting all the fear.

"OH, I DON'T! HOW DARE YOU? I BRUSHED TODAY!" he shouted in disbelief. I nodded my head multiple times, and his eyes widened. Letting go of my hand, he quickly brought his hand near his mouth and exhaled, trying to smell his own breath.

I seized the opportunity and bolted towards the stairs.

He was still busy sniffing himself, but when he realized what was happening, he turned towards me and started running after me.

"YOU LITTLE SPARROW! COME HERE! LET ME KISS YOU AND SHOW YOU HOW GOOD I SMELL!" he shouted, and I ran even faster.

Rushing into my room, I slammed the door shut, and everything fell silent.

"What the hell did I just do?" I asked myself, bewildered.

Where did my fear go?

What just happened?

How...?

Pressing my back against the door, I glanced at the window. Through it, I could see his car pulling away, letting me know he was gone.

My mind went blank. Shaking off my thoughts, I grabbed my brush and began working on my next painting project.

Now whom do you like more cuties.... ?