Guardian ✓

oven

FOUR DAYS.

It had been four days since Emma had eaten or slept. Her eyes burned and stomach turned at the thought of ever eating again. Every shadow in her room seemed like it was crawling so she kept her eyes on the cottage in Hansel and Gretel. The battered storybook had kept her from going insane for the past sixteen years.

Although, this seemed different. She was not getting as much relief as she usually did from hugging or cuddling with her favorite book. Emma felt too dirty. She couldn't believe she would have let Kevin do anything to her just so she could escape that room and those things.

And what good did that do? He still--

"Emmalynn."

She flinched at her mother's tone before hastily getting up from the corner of her room. Emma felt like she was on thin ice with her mother. She didn't want to anger her as well.

"Yes, ma'am?" She asked meekly.

How long had she been standing there?

"Noah is here to get you. You have five minutes." Gabriella Canalis left before Emma could reply.

Emma didn't really know what she would have said anyway. She was not expecting her step-brother to come back for her after she'd made a complete fool of herself.

Unlike the first time, Emma couldn't bring herself to be happy. Her stiff body ached. She just wanted to leave in the white cotton dress she was wearing because it was merciful on her bruises. But it was freezing cold. If Emma's room was this cold she couldn't even imagine the outside.

Ergo, she decided on a cream jumper that one of her mother's girl friend had gotten her last winter. She was the only friend of her mother's that Emma was not scared of but for the past few years she seldom ever came to her mother's... functions.

Her legs wobbled as she left her room and went into the living room. Instead of Noah, another man in suit was sitting in his place.

"Good morning, miss. My name is Mathias--"

"Get out," Emma interrupted before the man in front of her could finish his sentence. "I am not entertaining anyone today. Get out because I'll scream and bite and scratch if you touch me--"

"Emmalynn," a voice interrupted Emma, making her whirl around to glare hatefully at her mother who was looking at her with an impassive expression. "Noah has sent a member of his personal security to escort you to him."

"I-I--"

Her mother turned to the man in suit, dismissing her.

"You can take her."

There was utter silence for a few moments as her mother left before Emma opened her mouth.

"Um, I just need to wear my shoes, sir."

The man simply nodded before she made her way over to the hallway closet and hurriedly put her boots on. She was so embarrassed.

I bet he's going to tell Noah all about how much of a brat I am, Emma thought miserably as she followed the man in suit. How could she be so stupid?

She just thought her mother had lured her into entertaining one of her business colleagues. She didn't know Noah was going to send someone else to take her. Looking at the back of the man's head, she realised he had been in the passenger seat when Noah had dropped her off.

I am so dumb.

Emma stopped the man before he could open the back door of the car in front of them.

"Um, sir?"

The man turned around, eyes covered by black sunglasses. Emma wondered if he was even looking at her.

"Yes, miss."

His voice was surprisingly soft. Emma hadn't noticed it before because she was too scared of what he was going to do. Had he even told her his name?

"I am so sorry about being rude earlier," she whispered. "I-I didn't know. I apologise, sir. Um, I thought you were someone else--"

The man smiled slightly, removing his sunglasses to reveal bright blue eyes.

"It's no problem, miss. I am sorry for the confusion, actually. My name is Mathias and I work for Mr Crawford III. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

Emma blinked in shock. No one had ever said that to her. Not even...Noah. Wow. She couldn't believe someone was actually pleased to meet her.

"T-thank you," Emma stuttered, hastily moving back as he opened the back door of the car.

Emma climbed inside, wincing when her sore bottom touched the leather seats. She didn't know how she was going to conceal her expressions when it felt like her body was about to break. Maybe she could stand?

"Warum entschuldigte sie sich?" A deep voice asked, making Emma flinch and quickly look to the other end of the car where Noah was sitting with a laptop in front of him.

[Translation: Why was she apologising?]

He was here?

Feeling her stare on him, Noah looked at her for a moment before turning his attention back to the laptop. He didn't even smile back, causing Emma's own smile to falter before she looked out of the window in embarrassment.

"Sie dachte, ich wäre jemand, den sie unterhalten musste, als sie herauskam und sagte, ich solle rausgehen, bevor ihre Mutter kam und es ihr erklärte."

[Translation: She thought I was someone she had to entertain when she came out and told me to get out before her mother came and explained it to her.]

Noah slammed the laptop shut, making her flinch and press more into the door. His expression was furious.

"Unterhalten?" He growled.

[Translation: Entertain?]

Emma looked back and forth between Noah and Mathias, brows furrowed in confusion. Did Mathias tell him about how rude Emma was? Was he angry at her?

The thought made her nauseous. She didn't want him to hurt her for something she didn't even know.

"Sie wissen alles darüber, was in diesem Haushalt passiert. Bist du wirklich überrascht?" Mathias responded with deadly calmness.

[Translation: You know everything about what's going on in this household. Are you really surprised?]

Emma winced when Noah's eyes turned towards her and pressed herself closer to the door. Except, when he didn't do anything for a few moments, she relaxed a little bit. Maybe he was just going to use words to reprimand her.

She was okay with that.

Emma looked down in her lap as he continued to look at her and bit her lower lip anxiously. Perhaps she thought too highly of herself but it's just that maybe if people in her life explained things to her, she would not cause so much disappointment. She didn't even know what was expected of her. How was she meant to then follow what people wanted her to?

If her mother had explained that Noah's bodyguard was here to get Emma, she wouldn't have panicked and said the things she did. Why couldn't people be more open and clear?

She sighed inaudibly and turned away to look out of the tinted window.

This was going to be a long day

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