14. First Dinner
“I want to see you dance and dance you must!”
“What?” Skylar’s eyes widened. She coughed and put forth her hand to call out to him. Her voice sounded hoarse.
Louis didn’t stop. He walked lackadaisically out of the room. He was expecting a good show.
Skylar slowly got up from the ground. She cleaned her body of dirt. She immediately wiped her face.
The tears were rolling uncontrollably. Why is he so cruel to her?
Though she has heard how cruel Louis was in the outside world but experiencing it firsthand was overwhelming.
“Madam, the boss has called for you,” Helen announced from the door. She opened the door and stepped in.
She was stunned to see Skylar. Her eyes were puffy and her face had stains of dried tears. She knew what must have happened, After all, Skylar took the fall for them.
“Are you okay, ma’am?” Helen’s voice had a trace of regret.
She shouldn’t have agreed to let Skylar take the blame for them.
She felt bad for Skylar.
Skylar could tell what she was thinking from the change in her expression.
“I’m fine,” She smiled.
“You don’t look fine.” Helen disagreed.
Skylar didn’t respond anymore, she just walked past Helen. She went straight to the bathroom. She stopped before the big Venice mirror sitting elegantly on the bathroom wall.
She shook her head and wept bitterly as she looked at her reflection.
This wasn’t her.
How could she look so miserable in just a few days?
She sat on the floor and hugged her knees as she cried. She covered her mouth to muffle her cries as she wept bitterly.
What has she done to deserve this pain?
“Madam?” Helen called out to her. She placed her ear on the door to check for sound.
The madam had gone inside for a while and she didn’t hear the sound of water running in the background.
“Madam?” Helen knocked on the door.
Skylar stood up and placed her back against the wall.
She couldn’t allow anyone to see her so miserable.
“Madam?” Helen called a little louder, worry evident in her tone.
“I’m coming.” Skylar sniffed back to tears.
She made sure to lock the door before moving toward the bathroom. She wiped her tears and washed her face with cold water.
She splattered water on her face to help get rid of the tear stain and her puffy eyes. She filled the tub and buried her head in it, to get enough water into her eyes. Maybe that would stop the tears.
She stayed underwater for a while but tears still didn’t stop raining down her eyes. She consoled herself in every way she could and managed to draw strength from her determination.
She will bear it all strongly. She refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing her break.
“Are you okay, ma’am?” Helen was pacing the room restlessly.
They were running late and she knew how much the boss hated lateness. Besides, she was also worried about Skylar.
What if something has happened to her in there?
Did she probably harm herself?
Helen’s eyes widened at the thought and she rushed towards the door to knock again but she bumped into Skylar.
“Ouch! Helen hissed in pain.
“Are you okay, madam? She asked as she e rubbed her forehead where she had bumped her head against Skylar.
“I’m fine,” Skylar patted Helen’s cheek as she walked past her.
Helen was stunned to see the sudden change in Skylar.
She was looking different from how she was before going into the bathroom. Her red eyes were clear. The puffs were gone.
Her scattered hair was neatly tied into a ponytail. She already got a change of clothes and she looked refreshed.
Unlike earlier when she looked like her soul had left her.
“Aren’t we running late?” Skylar asked, cutting Helen’s train of thought.
“Oh, sorry ma’am.”
Helen opened the door for Skylar and she followed behind her as they both descended the stairs.
Louis was looking straight but as soon he noticed Skylar coming, his gaze darted in her direction.
He gaped, seeing her transformation.
He was happy earlier, seeing how to look helpless but she was different now. He was surprised to see how fast she can recover.
However, his eyes returned to being frosty. He raised his wrist to check the time and he grunted.
“I apologize for keeping you waiting,” Skylar said as she took her seat.
She was having dinner in the house as the madam for the first time so she needed to look good; which is why she decided to dress well for the occasion.
“You what?” Louis frowned.
If she thinks she can escape being punished just because she apologized then it was a lie.
“I’m sorry for arriving late,” Skylar repeated.
“You think an apology is enough? Louis raised his brow dangerously.
His eyes hold an expression that couldn’t be explained. No one could tell what was going on in his devilish mind.
“I already apologized, you monster what else do you want!” Skylar wanted to say but she immediately bit her lips to stop the words from rolling out.
“Huh?” Louis scoffed. He raised his hand to check the time again and he nodded.
“Forty minutes,” he said as he looked at her.
Skylar knew he was referring to the amount of time she took. She didn’t know she took that long but could she be blamed?
He had made her lose track of everything, even time.
Skylar looked down at her feet and pursed her lips.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.
“I don’t know what else to do,” She whispered.
“I’ll tell you,” Louis smirked and picked up his cutlery.
The maids knew that this was a cue for them to serve the food. Without further delay, the food was served and Louis started eating.
Skylar waited to hear him say it but Louis quietly ate his food.
“He was saying something to her, wasn’t he? She wondered as she watched him.
Skylar sighed inwardly as she picked up her cutlery. Said a silent prayer and she also started eating.
The dinner went on in perfect silence.
Skylar ate as much as she could because she knew that Louis would deal with her for being late and who knows she might pass out this time and wake up after one week. So she stuffed her stomach with more food.
Though Skylar was calm on the outside; she was restless on the inside.
She was praying silently that whatever punishment he’d mete out to her should be light because she couldn’t bear to have scars all around her body.
Besides, her head still hasn’t healed. She had only just woken up from her two days unconscious state.
Skylar’s heart almost shot out of her ass when she heard him clear his throat. She knew he was about to give the verdict for her lateness.
She rejoiced internally when Louis stood up and went towards the Living room. However, she had forgotten how evil Louis can be. She was about to thank her star when she suddenly heard him snap his finger.
“Music!”