Chapter 24
CRYSTAL
That tiny ray of hope in a bleak situation can prove to be very fortunate. Watching your world crumble before your very eyes and sacrificing everything including your freedom to see your loved ones happy is probably one of the most painful decisions you can make.
Hope they say is a fire in our hearts.
It’s an anchor that holds us firm. It’s a light that shines like the sun if you keep it alive in your heart with the firm belief of a better future ahead.
I feel my hope of leaving this mansion renewed and rejuvenate following the talk I had with Leonardo yesterday night and also seeing his now calmer and tranquil side.
He was able to tell me a tip of the iceberg concerning his childhood which probably meant he was beginning to feel open with me.
Maya did tell me that Leonardo was a very secretive person. One could hardly guess what was going on in that malicious mind of his and he hardly talked about his childhood and parent but yesterday he gave me a glimpse of it.
That was progress. If he continued to open up to me and let down his impenetrable walls of feeling human emotions then probably one day, he might let me go.
Thinking of that brought beaming smiles to my face as I stepped out from the shower.
Maya told me Leonardo would want me to eat in the dinning table with him.
Truth be told, over this past few days of my illness, I had become less scared of him. Before I would get a fright on hearing he wanted to eat with me but now I felt nothing of that sort. Well at least it had reduced to a great extent.
I quickly put on a floral gown accompanied with some pink flat shoes. I squirted a vanilla scented perfume over myself before smearing a cherry lip gloss on my lips.
Yes I was still ill but atleast I could look healthy and filled with life.
I let down my hair gracefully when a knock on my door was heard.
“Come in” I replied to whoever it was.
Was it Maya?
Locking his eyes with mine, Leonardo’s tall frame entered my room.
He was dressed in a blue rip jean and a grey sweater.
His long hair was let to cascade down. He looked pretty handsome come to think of it.
“You like what you see?”Leonardo asked teasingly noticing I was gawking at him.
I gulped and blinked severally. My face went red and it felt flush of its colours. I tried hiding my embarrassment and bit my bottom lip. “Don’t flatter yourself” I heard myself speak out in my defence.
Leonardo chuckled and took predatorial steps towards me. He gazed down at me whilst I adverted my eyes from his tempting stare.
He placed a finger underneath my chin and raised it to face his. Once again I felt the colours of my cheek drained as we locked gaze with each other.
“You look good”he whispered, his voice caressing me.
“Thank you” I replied to what seemed like the only compliment I had gotten so far throught out my stay here with Leonardo.
“Shall we go get breakfast?”He requested with a hiked brow.
I nodded and attempted to walk out but in an instant, Leonardo scooped me up bridal style to my utmost surprise.
My face turned beetroot red on impact. He scooped me up like I was a leaf.
“W-what are y-you doing?”I asked stuttering.
I had various emotions racing through me currently.
Leonardo began walking out the door with me in his hands.
“I am carrying you can’t you see that?”He replied cheekily.
“Of course I can. Why are you doing that?”I retorted back, my hands placed on his broad chest.
He gave a shrug of his shoulders. “You are still ill. Now keep quiet”he demanded authoritatively.
Even in his calm state, he spoke with the authority that one wouldn’t dare go against.
I surrendered to his demand and allowed him carry me downstairs, not like I even had a choice to refuse him from carrying me.
My eyes roved around, scrutinizing every corner of the house as we approached the dinning table.
A banquet of breakfast had been prepared already. Different delicacies were spread across the dinning table creating a wonderful odour frenzy of the aroma various dishes syncing together and infusing in the atmosphere.
Leonardo gently placed me on one of the black leather chairs of the dinning table and sat next to me.
Wow. It felt like forever since I last stepped my feets downstairs. My illness had me staying upstairs all through. The air downstairs felt warm, soothing my pale skin.
The living room was bustling with life and activities with various workers attending to their different duties.
“Open up”Leonardo ordered bringing a spoon filled with salad to my mouth.
I hearken to his request and allowed him feed me.
It had became the normal tradition between both of us ever since I got ill.
Our dinner was observed in silence but it wasn’t the unsettling and grave type of silence.
It was peaceful and comforting.
Leonardo kept on feeding me till I was absolutely full to the brim.
“Eat just this last spoon” he requested.
I shook my head with a frown.
I felt like I might explode if I tasted another grain of food.
“Eat it Crystal”he sharply demanded.
I flinched and in a flash, I complied with his directive.
“Good kitten”he smirked watching me chew the food.
“Um sir. The doctors are here”a maid announced nervously coming over to I and Leonardo.
I breathed a sigh of relief. Atleast now I know Leonardo would not force me to eat more again.
Leonardo dismissed her with a wave of his hand. I watched her scurry away.
Leonardo assisted me, bringing me to my rickety feet.
Once again, he carried me up bridal style.
“Leonardo I can walk. Drop me down”I chided.
“Not a chance” he huffed.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.
What was this new side of Leonardo I was witnessing?
He took me to a sofa and gently placed me on it.
As if on cue, the doctors came in.
“Great. Now you two do your job”Leonardo commanded at once.
Wow. He was still very much dominating.
They need not to be told neither did they spare a second earlier.
My intravenous injections were pulled out and they both stared at my facial expression, making sure I didn’t wince.
A smile wore on their faces after that had inspected my state.
“She’s recovering very fast. Keeping her in your home for treatment was a good idea after all”
Leonardo had his arm folded across his chest.
“Of course I was right”Leonardo cockily replied.
“Just make sure you avoid taking cold showers please and do take your drugs”another doctor advised.
“She will. I’ll make sure of that” Leonardo replied, giving me cursory glances.
I watched the doctors go. I felt happy knowing that I was recovering and it seemed Leonardo played a very big role in making sure of that.
Could he be really sincere when he told me he cared about me?
Leonardo picked me up once more.
Guess I had to get use to this.
He walked out the door with me in his arms leaving me confused.
Where we going?
“Leonardo where are we going?”
“You will see”came his abrupt reply as we approached one of the numerous parked cars littered around his mansion.
* * * * * *
Crystal watched the waves bang across the rocks causing a vociferous thud. The salty air slapped across his cheeks and the wind whipped her hair in various directions.
Crystal tucked her hair by the side of her ear and focused on the enthralling beauty of the beach.
Everything felt so serene and surreal to her. Leonardo literally brought her to the beach.
She couldn’t remember the last time she came to the beach.
She hardly had time for recreational activities.
“Walk with me shall you?”Leonardo requested which seemed more like a command as he already stood up from the sandy shores.
He stretched forward his hand towards Crystal and she grasped on to it, coming to her feet.
The ground felt warm and cold altogether underneath Crystal feet as she walked hand in hand with Leonardo.
“Did your goons have to follow us?”Crystal asked, whipping her face back and catching sight of Leonardo’s men walking behind them.
“For protection Crystal”he replied.
“Why are you being nice to me?”Crystal dared to ask.
She clearly needed to know the reason once again. The last time she asked, he didn’t give her a clear reason and the atmosphere felt very tensed.
Now was probably the best time to ask.
“Tell me why?”Crystal persisted further.
Leonardo tilted his head to her side. “Tell me. why do you think I am being nice to you?”
“Um I don’t know. You feel guilty or something”Crystal replied with sunken shoulders.
Leonardo chortled. “For beating up chase and making you fall sick? Well chase is like a brother to me so I do feel bad about that but I wouldn’t hesitate to do away with anybody that tries to take you away from me”he gravelly replied.
Crystal gasped immedately.
“Why would you do that?”she queried at once, halting in her steps.
Leonardo stopped walking too and faced her. “Because you are mine Crystal”
“I don’t understand who gave you the right to claim me to be honest”Crystal snapped back.
Leonardo laughed. “Try as much as you can to run away from it but that’s the truth. You will always be mine. You will learn to accept it”
Leonardo began walking ahead of Crystal who stood dazed.
“And what if I don’t accept it huh?”Crystal asked making him stop once more in his tracks.
“You will kitten. You will”Leonardo replied confidently without turning his back to face her.
“You are a freak Leonardo”Crystal scoffed, quickening her feet to catch up to his strides.
“Are you just knowing that?”Leonardo cockily replied with a satisfied smirk.
His answer still got her fazed and stuperfied. He sounded so confident of himself.
Well only time would tell if she would accept to be his or not.