Chapter 7

Soon the flight arrived, even though me and Alessandra weren't from Italy. I was born in Egypt, she was from America. My Mother, Isis, was from Egypt, she named me. Father brought her to our place one day, claiming she was sold in an auction so he got her as a gift for me. So I could socialize and have a friend and ever since then. "Zari?" There was no one but her for me but later we shifted to Venice and had been stuck there since then. "Zariah?" How things changed in a matter of snap were quite troubling, having no sibling truly brought me a disadvantage and now I had become what he said- A puppet bound to obligations. But things were fun once. Me, Alessandra, De Villiers, Nathaniel. All of us grew up together. "Zariah!" "Huh?" "Where are you lost, Zari?" Nathaniel snapped his finger before me, I blinked, coming back to reality from my fazed state. "Have they arrived yet?" I asked, tentatively after noticing Nathaniel's frown. "Zariah." My heart skipped a beat due to his words echoing in my mind as I turned and saw Father standing behind me with a pissed expression. "Father." I breathed out, acting all cool while burning from inside. "How was your flight?" I asked, tone turning cold turning to Alessandra. Having those arresting blonde hairs and light blue eyes; a perfect blond beauty, everything about her spells perfection and grace. "Zariah, how are you?" She greeted me sweetly, giving me a side hug. "Great, you, Al?" I asked, curling my lips upward but not in a smile. Nathaniel smirked, kissing the back of her palm. "Pensavo di non sorridere oggi poi ho visto te." (I didn't think I was going to smile today but then I saw you) I cannot believe he used this pickup line on my best friend. I stared at his face, indulging in the rage collecting between my eyes. "Un semplice ciao andrebbe bene." (A simple Hi would be fine.) Alessandra retorted, pulling her hand back as they smirked at each other. Nathaniel chuckled, putting his one hand in his pocket and the other around my shoulder, hitching my breath. "No, seriously, you truly ruined my whole mood." His tone suddenly turned dominant with his jaw clenching, reflecting the detest he holds in his eyes. "Nath-" Father tried to say something but I cut him off. "Aren't you guys tired? Why don't we go home first?" I offered, smiling. "Yeah, we bothered to pick you two since you didn't bother to attend the marriage." Nathaniel mocked him with a chuckle, trailing his hand down to my back, pressing me closer to him. "See you at home, Come, Zari." He smiled lovingly at me but I knew it was anything but affectionate. Dragging back to his car, amplifying my impulses by his keen actions inclining my breaths to his strings. "Nathaniel." I called him, the distress elicited on my face. "What?" He asked coldly, opening my door, motioning me to sit. "Will you stop it?" I asked, almost irritated. "It doesn't matter, doll. We are leaving already." He smirked and the sinister glimmer in his eyes alarmed me about his intentions which are going to fasten fetters to imprison me in his world. "That doesn't mean you will insult my Father like this." I argued. "Oh really? I think I can." He scoffed, leaning back, grabbing my wrist, pulling me closer to him to feel the seethe blazing in his eyes. "You think you can control me?" He mocked, grip turning rigid on my wrist, I pressed my teeth together, glaring at him. "Leave my hand." I said sternly. "Ah, this fake courage." He chuckled darkly, leaving me, getting back to his seat. Rolling my eyes off from him, I rubbed my wrist, muttering curses under my breath as we drove off to Ezekiel Mansion without exchanging further words. At this point, I didn't even want to talk to him, it would simply ruin my whole mood and smear my frontage. "We are here." He said. I didn't reply and got out and was about to stand beside Father but he held my hand in his with an arduous grip. Holding up his growl which made my heart race, bracing myself for the upcoming tribulation awaiting me. "Welcome home, dear." Mum came, greeting us. We all sat for lunch as Father asked, "How's everything?" "Better than it ever was." Nathaniel returned him a mocking smile, frowning at this statement, Father cleared his throat. "I hope you will take care of my daughter." I didn't know how to react, did he truly mean what he said or it must be a pretense as I had never heard Father saying it before. "You don't have to tell me this." Nathaniel muttered. I smiled nervously, unsure of how to react. "When is your flight?" Alessandra asked, trying to change the topic. "Tomorrow." I replied. "You are leaving that early?" She whined in disappointment. "It wouldn't sound early if you could have been here." Nathaniel didn't even miss his single chance to taunt Father. "Are you done, Zariah?" Nathaniel asked, finishing his food. "Yeah." I hummed, looking up at him. "Good, show me our room. I shall stay with you." He said sternly. Looking dead in the eye, simply enhancing his rage by his demeanor and being on a higher status, he knew he had us wrapped around him. "You have been here many times." Father said from behind. "Yeah, but I want my wife near me, is that a problem?" He hissed. Turning his predatory gaze to me which bolted up my body to not induce more rage in him. What was with him? But then again, he was always rude with him. "Let's go." I said, taking his arm, my heart skipped a beat when I touched him. Taking him to my room, praying in my heart for his aversion to loosening up a little but to no avail.