Her Endless Misery

18. Eat or ..?

The days passed in the grand mansion, each one feeling longer and more suffocating than the last for Emilia. Confined to her room, she found solace only in the fleeting moments of peace she stole by the window, gazing out at the garden beyond.

The Lorenzos, ever watchful, maintained their facade of concern, ensuring that Emilia's meals were delivered promptly to her room.
They filled her tray with an array of dishes, hoping to tempt her appetite and lull her into a false sense of security.

They kept telling themselves they wanted her healthy to catch her in the act, or so they tried to believe.
They ordered the maid to keep her tray until the next meal, even placing a small fridge full of food in her guest room.

Despite the aroma of the food that filled her room, Emilia couldn't bring herself to eat more than a few bites.
The exhaustion weighed heavily on her, her body growing weaker with each passing day.

One day, Nathan found the tray of food coming from her room almost untouched.
Storming into her room unannounced, his sudden appearance startled her out of her reverie.
Fear clenched at her heart as she braced herself for another onslaught of his anger.

"Why is this food untouched?" Nathan demanded, his voice cutting through the silence like a knife.

Emilia flinched, her gaze dropping to the floor as she struggled to find the words to answer.
"I am sorry, I am not hungry. I don't want to eat," she whispered, her voice barely audible above the pounding of her own heart.

Nathan's eyes narrowed, his anger barely contained.
"Do you think I give a damn about what you want?" he thundered, sending a shiver down Emilia's spine.
She flinched involuntarily, her body tensing in anticipation of a blow that never came.
Trembling with fear, she shrunk away from him.
She didn't understand why he cared now when he had previously deprived her of food for days.

Before she could say more, Nathan barked, "Maria! Bring the food here. Now!" His voice echoed through the room.
Emilia watched in silence as the maid hurried to obey Nathan's command, her hands trembling as she tried to steady herself.

"Come here, eat!" Nathan commanded, his voice icy.

"I... I can't. I'm not hungry," Emilia stammered, her stomach churning with anxiety.

"EAT!" Nathan roared, making her jump.
Hesitantly, Emilia picked up the fork and took a small bite, forcing herself to chew and swallow despite the nausea that threatened to overwhelm her.

"I'm full," she whispered after a few bites, her voice quivering.

"Eat by yourself, Emilia, if you don't want me to shove the food down your throat," Nathan hissed, his tone laced with menace.

Emilia obeyed, her movements mechanical as she choked down the food, tears mingling with the bitterness in her mouth.
She ate until she could eat no more, her stomach heaving with the effort, her heart heavy with despair.

"Why are you crying now?" Nathan demanded, his voice devoid of sympathy.

"Because I'm full," Emilia whispered, her voice trembling with exhaustion and fear.
"And if I eat one more bite, I will throw up."

Nathan paused, watching her closely. She wasn't acting; she was genuinely in turmoil and shaking with fear.
How the hell is she a spy or a traitor! Could she be really this smart! That pro! He was so engrossed in his thoughts when he heard her muffled cries.
A flicker of uncertainty crossed his features before he turned and left the room without another word.
He called Maria to come pick up the tray.

He didn't visit her again at her room, but he knows that she will eat properly from now on to avoid his visits.

Later that evening, the brothers gathered in the study, the tension palpable.

"I can't believe she’s refusing to eat," Nathan muttered, pacing the room. "Does she want to starve herself?"

"Maybe she's genuinely scared, Nathan," Ian replied, leaning back in his chair thinking. "The way you barged into her room, anyone would be terrified." He chuckled.

"We need to rethink our approach," Josh interjected. "This isn't working. We need her healthy if we're ever going to get any answers."

Adam, who had been silently observing, finally spoke up. "She's scared, and she’s alone. Maybe if we showed a little more compassion, we might get through to her."

Nathan scoffed. "Compassion? After everything she’s put us through?"

"She's a kid, Nathan," Adam said softly. "Maybe we’ve been too harsh."

Nathan's expression hardened. "Remember Morgan?" he said quietly, the name lingering in the air like a dark cloud. "She looked young and innocent too. We trusted her, and she turned out to be Matthew's pawn. She betrayed us Adam, almost cost us everything. I'm not letting that happen again."

The brothers sighed, the memory of Morgan's betrayal weighing heavily on them all.
"I know, but what if we're wrong about Emilia? What if she's not like Morgan?"

Adam nodded slowly. "We can't afford to be wrong"

Nathan's expression softened slightly, the weight of guilt and doubt evident in his eyes.
"I just... I don't know what to do anymore."

Over the next few days, Emilia forced herself to eat the meals that were brought to her room, knowing that any sign of defiance would only invite more punishment.
Each bite felt like a betrayal of her own dignity, but she pushed aside her feelings of shame and desperation, focusing instead on survival.

Alone as always, Emilia collapsed onto the bed, her body wracked with sobs as she struggled to make sense of the cruelty that surrounded her.
She knew she would do anything to survive in this hostile environment, but she couldn't help but wonder will she ever be able to live normally.