PRINCESS

VII

He's dead.

It seemed surreal, but I couldn't stop the little surge of happiness that went through me at the thought of it.

Did that make me a bad person?

"H-how did he die?" I asked,

"His throat was slit, and what I find to be an amazing coincidence is that he was not the only one to die that way."

I remained silent. I didn't know where this was going, but I didn't want to steer it in the wrong direction.

"All the men your father sent to correct you yesterday - Carlo inclusive - were found dead."

He stopped suddenly and looked at me squarely, "Did you get a hitman, Annie? Is this a fucking prank? Did you want revenge so much that you decided to jeopardize the workers?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," I responded,

"Oh, sure you do. And I will find out. Your father doesn't think that you are smart enough to pull this off, but I know that you're a sneaky little brat and he's underestimating you."

Wow. It was so good to find out that my father thought I was dumb.

"I would be lying if I told you I knew what went on today."

He didn't reply me till we got to my room and I wasn't about to appear guilty for something I knew nothing about.

As a matter of fact, I didn't really care. Good riddance.

Dinner came and I was really surprised to see my father at the dining hall, I thought he would be taking care of business by now.

"Roxanne." He muttered, "Enzo tells me that you were behind everything today."

I clamped my mouth shut and fought the urge to glare at my uncle. I was already thinking up a reply when I heard his hoarse laughter,

"He thinks you could have pulled this off."

"I know she could have," Enzo argued,

"Did you, Roxanne? Did you pull this off?" He continued laughing,

"No, sir."

"See?" He gestured,

"She deserves at least some form of-"

"Don't tell me how to run my empire." My father suddenly snapped, the atmosphere turned thick at once,

My uncle grabbed the edges of the table so hard that his knuckles turned white.

"My apologies." He simply replied,

"I need the reports." With that, my father was gone, I released a sigh I didn't know I was holding and dug into my food.

"Well done," Enzo said out of nowhere, I didn't acknowledge him. The events of the day left me too stressed out and I just needed breathing space.

After I finished eating, I went to my room only to find a dark figure sitting on my bed. I stood at the entrance, holding the door knob tightly.

"You are not supposed to be here," I said tightly,

"I don't remember asking you for what I should and should not do." His calm voice responded,

"I don't want you here. They are on the lookout, Enzo is already suspicious, they would have MY head on a platter and not yours. So just leave!" I heaved slightly and recovered,

He just sat there, watching with a sly smirk on his lips.

"They are on the lookout? And why is that?" He feigned innocence,

"Oh, really. You don't know?"

"Enlighten me." He stood up to his full height and caged me against the wall,

I inhaled so many times at once,

"You really can't be here," I said in a shaky voice,

"I cut him. Deeply. He's art now." He smiled,

"You-" I mouthed,

"You are even worse than they are." I choked,

"I never said otherwise." His cologne filled my nostrils and I struggled not to take a big whiff of it,

"You are ruining my life!" I cried out,

"More like helping it. You were ruined even before I saw you, you were broken and helpless. I am making you into something you never were and I would enjoy shattering you again. I am your god, Roxanne, the air I breathe is a privilege. YOUR privilege."

My pupils dilate as his words sunk in, "Get. Out."

Something flashed through his face briefly and then I'm pressed tighter against the wall. His hands come up to my throat and encircle around it.

"I could snap this pretty neck of yours right off if I wanted to. I decide if you should live or die, your existence is solely my choice to make."

His fingers press harder against my bone and I fight the urge to panic. His eyes glinted with hatred and raw fear clouded my vision,

He was going to do it. He would kill me right now. My fingers claw at his wrist as he curls his hands tighter.

"I am the only one that should be able to make you cry. Those men did it, so they deserved to die. Let it flow, princess, you are making this harder than it needs to be."

I stopped fighting back the tears and one dropped on his hand. His face was fading in with the black dots and I couldn't see the expression he had on right now. Slowly, his fingers released my neck and I crumpled on the floor.

A cough escaped my throat and it became full-blown from then on. I couldn't control myself. The sobs racked through me in full force and I just didn't stop.

I rested my head on the cold floor, my eyes looking directly at his black boots. I felt his gloved fingers run through my locks tenderly as I struggled to calm down.

I used the last of my strength to move slightly away from him, but if he noticed, he didn't utter a word, he just continued stroking my hair whilst I cried into the floor.

"What did I do to you?" My voice came out strangled and it hurt when I spoke,

He didn't reply still.

Suddenly, he spoke up, "That was a lesson I am sure you learned from."

"I didn't ask for one." I said with a small voice,

He clucked his tongue and let out a small chuckle, "You just make everything harder, princess."

A/N:

So ML is a dick. Sigh.
He has to be for character development though, so just bear with me, it'll get better.
Merci.