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4. Left

I exited the room, and felt like crying. A whore, who me? I was a victim of my society, thank you very much. You 'ordered' me, as pathetic as that sounds.

There was this feeling of being lost. I was. Figuratively and literally. I had no idea where I landed in the house.

Mr. James found me. Of course he did. There was a strange feeling of comfort when he appeared. It was so intense that I just let go of my feelings. He pulled me closer to his strong body, and I wept as he caressed my hair.

I was not made for this. I was too weak. I felt imperfect, and the biggest problem was that I indeed happened to be imperfect to the core.

"I am truly sorry, Mr. James. Usually, I do not cry on first encounters, but your son pushed a button," I revealed gradually.

"He pushes a lot of buttons, Stella. Just do not let him really push you. Stephen acts on impulse and does not care about what others think of him," Mr. James told me. "You have managed to surprise me."

"How did I accomplish that, Mr. James?" I asked him, genuinely curious.

Mr. James said, "He called the other six who.res, too. You were the only one to run out crying."

I was not expecting that. It made me look like a weakling! What the hell, me, Stella Lanotte, being exposed emotionally in front of strangers.

"It shows that you are human, Stella. How many times have you done this before?" he asked me.

"It is my first time," I revealed to him.

There was a ringing tone, and it came from his watch. He checked it. "The party is officially over. How do you feel? Can you face him a second time today?"

I was surprised by his care of me, so I just nodded. We made our way back to Stephen's room and this time it was lighter.

"You made her cry," David told his son who was wearing a full set of clothes, making it easier for me to focus again.

"The who.re has feelings?" Stephen asked rhetorically.

I had a few things to say to Stephen, but I was afraid to do so in front of Mr. James. I did not want to disappoint him, how weird as that sounds.

David and Stephen must have had an internal dialogue with their eyes because they did not say a word. They stared at each other, and them Stephen said, "Let's get this over with. I am Stephen. Single. 25."

I sort of imitated him, "Stella Lanotte. Sold. 19."

"Most of the others were older," Stephen stated.

"I am unlike the others," I muttered under my breath.

Mr. James picked up what I said and demanded, "Say it loud and clear, Stella."

I repeated myself, this time louder. Stephen actually looked at me this time. He noticed that I was more than just the who.re.

"What am I supposed to do, father?" Stephen asked Mr. James in a resentful tone.

"You are going to mate her and in nine months time you will have found a wife. You will move out and become a man of your own. Your bachelor phase has expired."