A Woman's Empire

XXIV

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

Audrielle's heart hammered against her rib cage and it was the only thing she could hear as she walked down the narrow walkway. It was dark - too dark and Audrielle was starting to second guess everything and thought of just turning around and heading back to her room, but it wasn't until she heard Christian say something that made her realise why she really followed him.

What happens if what she believes she saw was true? Did Christian really kill someone? And if he did, how would she tell the police?

"Where the fuck is that little rat?!" Christian spat loudly as Audrielle quietly leaned against the cold, concrete wall, hiding in the shadows so she couldn't be seen.

"Over there sir, he's unconscious though." Someone else said and Audrielle couldn't help but pop her head out to see who it was.

The room was large and cold. There were two metal tables and right in the middle of the tables was a not so comfy looking surgical bed. But on the bed was a man, who looked to be in his early thirties, strapped down and that's what scared Audrielle.

"Wake up, fucker." Christian boomed and the man flinched, waking up. Audrielle couldn't help but see the look of terror in the man's eyes when he realised who was standing in front of him. He had cuts and bruises all over his face and what seemed to be a piece of dirty cloth in his mouth, keeping him quiet.

Christian removed the cloth and the guy started mumbling away, begging for mercy.

"Boss, I-I'm s-so sorry... I h-have family in Mexico t-that n-need the m-money... I-" the guy rambled but suddenly stopped talking when Christian punched him in the jaw, almost knocking him out again.

"No, cut this family bullshit. I consider you family, Ross, fucking family and you decide to sell some information to the Russians because you needed money to send back home?!" Christian yelled, his vein on his neck popping out, showing just how angry he was.

The man started sobbing and Christian held up two fingers. Christian's little assistant quickly picked up something from the table and handed it to him. Audrielle couldn't see what it was until the light shone onto the sharp blade.

"You betrayed me, Ross. You know nothing about omertà. Family isn't just by blood, it's by trust. And since you've broken the trust, I have to get rid of you from the family, for good." Christian chuckled darkly as he moved the knife closer to Ross' face.

"You ever wanted a face tattoo Ross?" He joked and Ross shook his head in disagreement. "Well looks like you're getting one."

"N-n-no.." Audrielle watched from afar. She felt sick as Ross tried to wriggle away from the blade but then Christian said something and the assistant shoved the cloth back in his mouth.

She closed her eyes when she suddenly saw Christian carve the letter 'O' into the man's forehead. The muffled screams made her stomach unsettled and she was now wishing she had just minded her own business and grabbed that cup of jasmine tea that she wanted.

Ross started crying and Christian had enough of it. He dropped the knife on the floor and it hit the concrete with a loud clunking noise. Audrielle watched closely as he turned around and grabbed something else from off of the table.

A mallet.

Ross wiggled furiously as he shook his head, sobbing when he saw what was in Christian'a hand.

"Shut the fuck up!" Christian spat and suddenly slammed the mallet down onto Ross' knee. The sound of the bones cracking echoed around the room and Audrielle gagged. She flinched away when suddenly she saw Christian lift his arm up again from the corner of her eye. She had seen enough, but just when she looked back at it all, ready to run up the hallway, she locked eyes with the assistant.

He smirked at Audrielle, never taking his eyes off of her. "Sir, I think we have company."

Christian suddenly turned around and saw Audrielle standing at the doorway shaking like a leaf. Her face was drainedE from all color and her knees buckled, barely holding her up.

"You just couldn't mind your own fucking business aye?" Christian asked calmly and doing what was the only thing on her mind, Audrielle sprinted up the hallway.

As she ran through the dark, she heard loud footsteps following right behind her. Her heart was beating heavily and when she got to the door, she shoved it open, and carelessly ran through the manor. However, Christian's little assistant was quick on her tail as he followed her into the living room.

"Get back here!" He shouted at her, but she didn't stop. Adrenaline pumped through her veins as she sprinted through the kitchen and towards the dining room. Just as she turned around when she entered the atrium, she smiled victoriously, thinking she had lost him but was suddenly met with a sharp punch to the jaw.

Looking at the man with a face full of shock and fear, Audrielle started to see black dots and it didn't take long for her to pass out.

————

Audrielle's eyes slowly opened and she was faced with none other than the devil himself, Christian. He chuckled quietly to himself as he watched Audrielle struggle to move. Her small arms were strapped behind a wooden chair and rope was harshly wrapped around her ankles and the legs of the chair.

She wanted to scream for help, she silently begged for Leo to come back and prayed that he'd come rescue her and see how cruel his father was. But there was nothing she could do. Leo was on the other side of the world and no one was going to come and rescue her anytime soon. She had done this to herself, now she had to get herself out.

Just when she was about to scream as loud as she possibly could, Christian roughly grabbed her mouth causing her to make fish lips. His fingers dug into her soft skin and she almost started crying from how strong he was.

"Uh uh. I wouldn't think about doing that. You've already pissed me off. You wouldn't want to add fuel to the raging fire, no?" Audrielle shook her head. Christian was already scary.

Christian nodded his head and slowly walked away. Audrielle thought he was trying to cool himself down but she was oh so wrong. He swiftly turned around and slapped Audrielle across the face so hard that the noise echoed around the cold room and her head went flying to the left.

The aching sting caused Audrielle to break out in a sob. She choked on her own tears and she wasn't able to stop crying. She had finally broken down. Christian stood back and sadistically watched the helpless girl cry. He found amusement in it and smiled when Audrielle pleaded silently with him.

He had no mercy for anyone. He was a cold hearted serial killer who just happened to own a couple billion dollar businesses and he was cloning his sons to become just like him.

"You don't get it, do you Audrielle? This is not your place. You think that you'll find love in this pathetic little marriage? You're wrong. Leo will use and abuse you and quite frankly, you can't do anything about it because, well, you're ours now. Your parents gave you up to us before you were even born. Sad. And you think that you're special. That your going to make my son fall in love with you and have a little family." Christian started explaining as tears streamed down Audrielle's stinging cheek.

"You'll get none of that. The contract was strictly for business purposes. You'll become pregnant with Leo's child, give birth to it, and then it will be completed. We might only own forty percent of your family's business now, but just you wait. It will quickly become the Amour's. You'll then move into a different room where your job will be to look after the baby full time. In the mean time, Leo will get a mistress and there's nothing you can do about it. He may be married to you, but give him a year or two and he'll go back to his bachelor ways." Christian smiled evilly. He knew what he was doing. He was making Audrielle feel less about herself and to do that, he had to explain his master plan.

Audrielle's eyes were red and puffy but you could see the hurt that was laced inside her brown orbs. She couldn't do anything. Her whole life, everyone had a say in it and she didn't get to do anything she wanted.

"And since you thought that you could do your own thing, like follow me in here, you'll have a consequence, and not a very nice one."

"I hope you're a fast, long distance runner Audrielle. Because I'm a great shooter." He grinned and Audrielle couldn't help but start crying again.