Eavesdropping

The days flew by in a blur after Alina caught Dante making out with another woman in his study room.

The pain was shattering and it got Alina so withdrawn from Dante than she would have normally.

Never in her life, did she think Dante would stoop that low just to punish her.

Why his betrayal hurt her, she could not fanthom the reason but she could not deny the fact that she was hurt deeply disappointed at Dante's morals.

Probably, she expected too much from, a little decency perhaps for the sacred union called marraige but he crushed all her expectancy of him and proved that day that he didn't value their marraige and neither was he going to be faithful to it.

When she wasn't working for Dante and cleaning up the house, Alina spent her days in the library, feeding from the vast knowledge of ideas that seemed to surround everywhere.

And as for her nights, she spent them in despair. She would cry herself to bed every single night whenever she pondered on her married life.

This was the life Dante was going to make sure she passed through.

She was trapped with him. She could not run away neither could she file for a divorce for fear of Dante starting a blood bath with her family.

This marraige was a peace pact and she promised to make sure she kept that peace between both families.

Alina and Dante hardly spoke during these past couple of days other than the usual little errands she would run for Dante.

Asides that, she avoided him like a plague and made sure to distance herself from him.

Even with that, he still made sure to always torment her with his vain and rude insults but Alina was determined to bear it all.

She would put up a stoic mask every single day to overshadow her pain. She wouldn't give Dante the satisfaction of watching her crumble.

She would assure herself daily that one day she would be free from this torturous life Dante was putting her through. She didn't know how but she had the hope of it.

It kept her pushing every day.

Now the sun was setting, the horizontal sky becoming a plethora of orange and pink colours which was thrown over the mansion.

Alina was in the kitchen, preparing dinner when the door was pushed open mildly.

Her ears twitched to the sound of footsteps approaching her but she didn't turn back. She already knew who it was.

Dante's heavy thumping of footsteps advanced further towards her as she stood next to one of the induction stoves built into the counter.

"I'm having guests coming over Alina" he informed her, their bodies just inches away from touching.

"Hmm" Alina hummed with a nod as she stirred the meal.

Dante closed the gap between them,  his carouse and large hands now settling on Alina's shoulder.

Alina felt a cold shiver run down her spine that instant and her breathing hitched in her throat.

"What do you want Dante?" She inquired whilst trying to maintain a stoic expression on her now tensed features.

Dante pressed his lips against Alina's ear causing her to quiver on the inside. Her body instantly went cold and rigid.

"You've been avoiding me lately principessa. Why?" His husky voice resonated in her ears.

Alina sensed he already that gloaty and smug smile sketched by the corners of his lips as he spoke.

"There's nothing for us to discuss or relate about so I see no reason to follow you about like a house fly" she abruptly stated as a matter of fact.

Dante let out a deep chuckle, his hot breath caressing her skin.

"Are you sure or is there another reason?" He prod Alina further, wanting to eagerly hear her respond that she was angry because of what happened days earlier between him and the brunette.

Hungrily, his hands skimmed down, caressing Alina's arms which got Alina on her toes.

"Tell me" he whispered to her ear.

Alina felt her insides churning and various knots got themselves tied up within her stomach.

"Are you feeling jealous because of what you saw between I and the brunette lady? I can touch you like that if you want" he added, his lips greedily caressing her earlobes.

Alina had her face discontorted in rage in a flick and she immediately pivoted to face Dante.

"I don't need your fucking hands on me" she spat, pushing him away from her.

"You are so stubborn" he smirked.

"It makes me eager to break you" he brutally told her.

"Get dinner ready on time. My guests will be here soon and no mishaps" Dante ordered before turning to leave.

Alina stared at him in disgust as he left.

With a heavy sigh, she returned back to her cooking.

* * * * * * * *

ALINA

I just finished clearing up the kitchen and I was already done with the cooking.

The air in the kitchen had become a mixed odour frenzy of various delectable cuisines.

Heaving a sigh of relief, I wondered if I should go alert Dante and his guests that dinner was ready.

His visitors were Fabio, Enzo and Luca; the same men who visited him the last time.

It seems they were very close.

I weighed my chances and decided to do it. Besides, if I delayed dinner, Dante would defintely pounce on me like a hungry predator.

And the earlier they all ate, the better for me.

Swiping of beads of sweat from my forehead, I ambled outside and headed towards Dante study room.

As I neared it, I could hear yelling voices in the study room.

The more I approached it, the more it grew louder. I could vividly recognise that voice. It was Dante's.

I perched closer to the door, wondering if it was a good time to announce that dinner was ready.

"Dante don't do all these to that poor girl" that was Luca's voice.

I wanted to leave but curiosity got the better of me.

"Why shouldn't I? I'm so sure her and her damn family had an ulterior motive when requesting for this marraige alliance" Dante's sharp voice retorted back.

A gasp left my lips. They were talking about me.

Is that what Dante actually thinks of me?

That I was sent here by my father with ulterior motives?

Oh my God.  I could swear on my life that I wasn't sent as a spy or anything. This was a genuine marriage alliance and my father had no uncanny motives for sending me here.

If only father knew what I was going through.

"But you chose to marry her"

That was Enzo speaking.

"To beat her at her own game and watch her crumble" Dante scoffed.

My heart beat increased rapidly with each breath I took.

"I'll make sure I make her suffer. She is too rude and stubborn, never obedient nor submissive. I hate her so much. And I will make sure she goes through a million times, the pain I went through when her dad took away the lives of my parents! Dante frothed.

My feet trembled and tears pooled in my eyes.

I can't listen to this any more.

Hearing him speak so distastefully of me had given me such painful mixed emotions. He had the wrong assumptions of me and I know nothing I say to defend myself will be off any use to him.

I shuddered in my skin and decided to quit eavesdropping when I noticed my wristband had gotten tangled with the hinges of the door.

I tried untangling it but it became worse and I then realised the door was slightly opened and any pressure would make them realise I was eavesdropping.

I became more paranoid as I noticed the men had stopped talking. They must have sensed someone's presence.

I agitatedly tried to free myself but it only got worse. I couldn't even take off the wrist band again because it had gotten so tight on my wrist.

My breathing hitched when I heard footsteps making it's way towards the door.

In anxiety, I made one last attempt to free myself when the door flew open making me fall to the ground, and my wrist band cutting on impact.

I winced as I stood up slowly, my vision blurry.

I slowly glanced up to meet the glaring eyes of Dante tally up with my own terrified eyes as I looked at him.

"You three, leave. I want to have privacy with my maid. We will continue our meeting some other time"Dante commanded.

I watched as all three of them left, without even turning to face me.

Now I knew I was in trouble.

Dante closed the door and stood behind me.

I sobbed silently within me.

Why did I let Dante catch me eavesdropping?

He slowly came in front of me and tucked out a gun from behind his pants before pointing the gun at my head.

"I am really sorry. I truly didn't mean to interrupt your discussion. I was about coming to inform you that dinner was ready"

"Shutup"He snapped angrily at me as he backed me against the door.

He stared straight into my eyes making me more petrified. I shouldn't let him see how scared I am. I straightened up my spine and masked my fears.

"I can see you honestly want me to kill you" Dante said.

I shook my head at him.

"So why do you keep on tempting me to kill you?"He replied harshly.

I almost felt tears rush to my eyes at his utterance but I had to lock in all my emotions and put up a brave profile.

"What did you hear?"He suddenly asked.

"Nothing Dante"I said trying to sound as convincingly as I could.

"Do you think I am a fool principessa?"

"No I don't. I promise, I didn't hear any thing"I lied trying to stop the jitters spreading in my body.

Dante's lips twitched to a snigger.

"So you make promises huh? I also make promises"Dante began as he slowly trailed the gun from my head to my belly.

He went slightly downwards, tugging at the waist ot my gown.

He leaned down at my neck, lips grazing my earlobe.

"And I do well to keep to my promises , that's why I don't spare anyone that breaks their promise to me"

I immedately tried to push him off me but he encircled his arms around my waist, hauling me so close to himself with the gun now pointing at my back.

"Let go of me Dante!" I yelled, a tiny spark of genuine bravery igniting within me.

"Like I said earlier, I won't be bullied by you neither will I accept to be subjugated by you. I can be very stubborn and headstrong too. So fucking let go!" I spat, daring to raise my voice at him with his gun pointed at my back.

Dante slowly released his hold on me, a crooked smile on his lips.

"I like you principessa. You amuse me. But don't forget, I have the power to crush you into smithereens" he gravelly warned me.

I gulped down my fears and straightened my gown.

"Dinner is ready" I announced again.

"Good. Go serve it on the dining table wife" he replied coldly.

I shot him one last frigid glare before leaving.