A Dangerous Love

Chapter 17

    For the past week I had decided to occupy myself in my room for awhile. The only thing that kept me busy were my paintings. It surprised me when Akiro would leave canvases by my door every time I finished my masterpieces.
   I would wonder if he had every seen my artwork and I honestly wanted to know what he thought about it. I much preferred his caring and attentive nature over the psychopathic creep any day.
 
    As I made my way downstairs, the maids were busy preparing breakfast for Akiro and his men completely oblivious of my presence. All of the men sat at the long glass table staring coldly at the women serving them their food. When I turned the corner, Akiro's eyes landed on my form and motion for me to the table. I slowly walked forward and took a seat beside him.

"I see you have finally decided to grace us with your presence."He laughed causing the rest of them to chuckle along with him.

"Well I've been working on some of my artwork for the gala I was hoping you would let me go to tomorrow night". I said with a pleading expression.

   I decided to let my pride go for once since I really needed to do this for myself. Things have been pretty hard for these past few weeks and I just needed a break from all of this. A break from him.

    "Alright, I will let you go." He says stroking the side of my face. "But only if you promise that you will never ask to go back to college again."

"W..what" I whispered, moving his hand from cheek only to earn an angry glare.

" Well it doesn't really matter, I was going to say no anyway. I just wanted you to feel as if you had a choice."

"B..but y..you said..."

"I said I would think about it and I have. I will not lose you Mia."

   My eyes began to water, I couldn't even see. I knew better than to believe this man who took everything from me to just give me back something I cared for the most.

  " Now that that's settled, I believe you will need something to wear to this gala so Yunji will be taking you shopping." He stated as Yunji emerged through the entrance looking more angrier than ever.

His head was low as he grabbed a cup of coffee from the table and stared at us from afar.

I knew better than to ask what was wrong because he didn't seem quit approachable at the moment. He only gives me a quick glance before motioning for us to leave.
_________________________________________

San Francisco Shopping Square

"I noticed you have a new girlfriend," I told him boldly.

He turns to me with a confused look on his face, "what are you talking about!" he shouts.

"T..that woman you were with at the mall, aren't you two together." I asked nervously.

For the first time in forever I see Yunji smile at me as we walked down the street.

"Mia, that was my sister" he says shaking his head.

"But how...Akiro..h..he..said." I was wonder how Akiro didn't know that they were related.

"Akiro and I are half-brothers and we do not have the same mother. My mom got around a lot so I have quite a few siblings but Miko is my only sister and he has met her before."

"He only said those things to spite me" I thought.

As we made our way into the store we were greeted by the same woman who was at the mall with Yunji. She ran up to the both of us and grabbed us in a tight hug.

"Oh my goodness, she is just as pretty as you told me she was," she said with a bright smile. Yunji looks way as his face turned red.

"Come, we have much to do," She shrieks pulling me into the store.

We shopped for hours until we finally found the perfect dress and shoes that looked amazing. It was a black sparkling dress with spaghetti straps and a pair of black high heels to match.  Yunji seemed to be particularly fond of it himself as he kept stealing glances in the changing room.

I knew I would look absolutely stunning  tomorrow and couldn't wait
_________________________________________

Back at the Mansion...

We arrived home late and I was extremely exhausted and wanted to go to sleep. Unfortunately I was stopped in my path by one of Akiro's men.

"The boss would like to see you in his room." He informed.

"What for?" I asked.

He simply walks away and leaves me at the bottom of the stairs.

    I made my way upstairs and placed my bags in my room. I slowly walked down the hall toward his room and open the door. Right before my eyes I saw a blonde woman bent over a dresser as Akiro pounded her from behind. He lifted his head and slowly turned toward me with a sick smirk plastered across his face. He pulls out from her and begins to walk toward the door where I was standing with a tear falling down my cheek, he gives me a quick glare and slams the door in my face.
  
   As I walked down the hall back toward my room, I began to hear the sound of the woman's moans and was unable to get any sleep. The only thing that I could do to cope was paint. That night I painted like my life depended on it. All the struggle, all the heartache, all of the pain was captivated on that canvas and I knew what I was going to give them at that gala.

   I was sick of being the victim, I was sick of being weak, If this bastard thought that he was going to keep me here, he had another thing coming.
_________________________________________

The next Night...

As Miko was preparing my makeup, I had already packed my work into the car. One of his men informed me that he would not be attending the event which I was extreme happy to hear.

My hair was in a slick back bun with a diamond hair clip to compliment the dress. Miko thought I looked stunning and that everyone's eyes would be on me at the party.
  Yunji seemed pretty concerned seeing as I didn't want him to go with me. I told him that need some time to myself and that this was my career that I was pursuing.
 
He only gave me a reassuring nod.

   As I made to the downtown part of the city, I made quick work of putting my painting on display and signing my name in. As the observers and critics began to flood in I decided to take a look at the other pieces. The place was filled with beautiful sculptures and surreal artworks that I thought that I would get lost in the creativity.
   I decided to go back to my paintings to see if I had gathered a crowd, but was surely disappointed when I saw only one man gazing at my work as if he were deep in thought.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" I stated trying to spark conversation.

"To say it is beautiful is merely an understatement, what this person has done is captured an array of emotion and placed it right before my eyes, it is simply magnificent." He says still looking at the painting.

"What if this person was just being melodramatic after she had a breakup and decided to vent on that canvas."

"Sweetheart it seems as if you wouldn't know the first thing about art if it hit you in the face," he said with a thick Latin accent.

"Awww, Ms. Patterson, beautiful artwork you have for us today this will be an exquisite piece to our collection." Said the host of the gala.

The man turned his head so fast I couldn't contain my laughter. He was completely dumbfounded and totally confused.

"Y..you painted this painting?" He said with a look of embarrassment.

"Well look who finally gets it." I chuckled as he gives a shy smile.

"You are a very funny woman, what is your name?"

"Mia, Mia Patterson," I said looking at his bright smile.

"I am Mateo, Mateo Rodriguez."

_________________________________________

Alright, I'm back y'all this has has been a long month, but I'm finally on fall break so more updates will be coming soon❤.

Comment and Vote🙏🏾