“Why are you so s.e.x.u.a.l for other men and so cold for me?” Waylen asks her aggressively.
Leilani has nothing to say. She doesn’t know how to answer his question.
“I can’t tell him how badly I want him. I can’t ever admit that!” she thinks, “My body cooperated with him last night. Some part of my subconscious knew it was him, and my body responded with desire.”
She looks at his perfect lips, and feels the heat radiating off his body. She starts to feel desire flooding her veins again, but she shakes her head determinedly.
“You refuse me, but you seem to forget how to say no to other men,” Waylen growls, “Will you let anyone f.u.c.k you?”
Waylen slowly lowers his body to hers, and she can feel his weight pressing into her. She can feel his arousal and desire.
“No, I wouldn’t,” she whispers.
“So, what about earlier in the night?” he asks.
“I wanted to get the key to unlock the handcuffs,” she says huffily, “You always interpret things the wrong way.”
“You’re an idiot,” Waylen says, imagining another man taking advantage of her the way he did.
“Yes, I am,” Leilani says bitterly, pushing him away, “Leave me alone.”
“Where were you trying to go?” he asks.
He remains hovering above her. He stares into her face and examines her perfect features. His expression becomes pained.
“Away,” Leilani answers vaguely.
“Why do you want to get away from me so badly?”
Leilani sees that Waylen is frowning, and she presses her lips together. She refuses to explain herself to him.
“Do you still want to divorce me?” he asks gravely.
Leilani wants to roll her eyes.
“I’ve just tried to run away from him and the man asks if I still want a divorce,” she thinks, “How dense can he be?”
“Speak,” Waylen says, shifting his weight to one hand so he can grab her chin.
Leilani hesitates, but she isn’t sure why. A part of her is scared of hurting his feelings.
“Don’t be stupid,” she tells herself, “I can’t care about his feelings. I’m just scared to irritate him again after what happened before. I have to remember that he doesn’t give a damn about me. He just wants me to pop out a baby so he can be reunited with Diana.”
“Yes, you’re right,” she says coldly.
Waylen Bamford’s expression becomes darker and he holds her chin harder.
“I tried to charm her—I gave her gifts, I took her side, I was gentle—and still she wants to get away from me,” he thinks sadly.
She regards him with a cold, unfeeling stare, and he suddenly understands how she must have suffered during the first three and a half years of their marriage. He has no idea how she could bear to be near him as he scorned her love day after day. He knows he’s not strong enough to do that.
“Leilani, you won,” he whispers.
He releases his grip on her chin and rolls away from her. Leilani turns over and lies next to him.
Waylen reaches for a cigarette and lights it, deeply inhaling the smoke into his lungs. His expression seems thoughtful. Suddenly, he stubs out the cigarette with a violent twist of his wrist.
“You can leave in six months,” he says quietly, feeling a wrenching pain in his chest.
Leilani slowly struggles to her feet, trying to assess Waylen’s words.
“Is he serious?” she wonders, “Or is he playing with me again?”
She wants to ask him why he’s finally agreeing to the divorce. She wants to ask why he’s willing to give up his chance to free Diana, but she knows it’s pointless. Even if she wanted to, she can’t help him rescue Diana. A pregnancy will probably kill her, and she’s not going to sacrifice her life for the unknown woman.
“You’ll stay with me for the next six months and then you’re free to go,” Waylen says flatly.
Leilani says nothing. She knows she should be happy, but she feels deflated. She looks at the debris on the floor: her torn clothes, ropes, handcuffs and blindfold and she tries to pick it all up. Her hands tremble as she gathers the torn fabric.
“Get a suit for Mrs. Bamford,” Waylen calls to Robert, “And prepare a divorce agreement.”
Though he feels dazed, Robert rushes to give the orders and Waylen leaves the room. Within half an hour, Leilani is dressed and the divorce agreement sits on the credenza. Leilani looks at the papers and sees that Waylen has already signed them.
“Mrs. Bamford, as soon as you sign the agreement, you can go downstairs,” Roberts says, “Mr. Bamford is waiting for you in the plane to take you back to the Bamford manor.”
Leilani lifts the pen—the heavy metal is still warm from Waylen’s grip. She recalls all she’s been through to get to this point, but she doesn’t feel happy or relieved.
“What’s wrong with me?” she thinks, “This has been my dream for a long time. He’s a cruel man and he doesn’t care for me—only Diana. I need to move on.”
She opens the pen cover and signs her name.
“That’s it. In six months the agreement will take effect,” she thinks, “In six months we can be strangers.”
Robert Tinder cautiously takes the divorce agreement. He’s perplexed by the situation. For years he watched Leilani pine after Waylen, but now it seems that the tables have turned. Waylen suffers terribly and Leilani, oblivious or indifferent to the pain she causes, ignores and rejects him. Robert watches as Leilani walks from the room and he sighs heavily.
“Why has Mrs. Bamford changed so much in such a short period?” Robert wonders, “And what will Mr. Francis Bamford do if he finds out?”
Leilani exits the villa and sees a small jet waiting on the front lawn. The thorn flower on the fuselage makes it clear that the jet belongs to the Bamfords’ fleet. With a casual glance, she looks back at the villa and sees the same thorn flower embedded in the wall. She frowns and wonders who kidnapped her. She was convinced it was Leonie, but now she’s not so sure.
“Leonie wouldn’t dare to take me to the Bamford villa on her own—or would she?” Leilani wonders, “Did she have help from Mrs. Florence Bamford? Or is she just that bold? Whatever happened, I have to deal with Leonie for another six months. I need to be on my guard.”
Leilani walks fast. There are two rows of bodyguards standing under the plane. Leilani climbs into the large cabin. It looks like the presidential suite of a first-class hotel—luxurious but tasteful.
Waylen Bamford sits gracefully in a shell shaped chair, reading the news on his iPad. He doesn’t even look up as Leilani enters the cabin. She sits in a chair across the aisle from him and fastens her seatbelt. She wants to take out her phone, but she recalls that she’s unable to send messages to Charles. Right now, he’s the only person she wants to talk to.
She glances across the aisle at Waylen and sees that he’s still looking at his iPad, but his eyes are unfocused. Robert appears at his elbow, carrying a tray.
“Mr. Bamford, please take the vitamins,” Robert says.
“Take it away,” Waylen growls.
“Doctor Walters says you need to take them,” Robert says patiently, “He says you’re at risk for pneumonia. Moreover, he wanted me to remind you that you have to be especially careful as arrhythmia runs in your family.”
“Go away,” Waylen says.
Robert hesitates. He doesn’t want to anger his boss, but he also knows he can’t afford to risk his health.
“Mrs. Bamford,” Robert says, turning to Leilani with a meaningful look.
He knows that Leilani is gifted at persuading Waylen to do things. Leilani looks at him, and takes the tray.
“Has Mr. Bamford had breakfast yet?” she asks.
“No, he hasn’t,” Robert admits.
Robert tried to bring his boss a bowl of porridge, but Waylen refused to touch it. Robert suspects that the divorce agreement has spoiled Waylen’s appetite.
“Well how can you expect him to take anything when he hasn’t even had breakfast,” Leilani says, passing the tray back to Robert, “Is there anything to eat on this plane?”
A bodyguard checks the kitchen and reports that it’s mostly desserts and wine. Leilani sighs and walks to the kitchen. She asks Robert to order the pilot to avoid turbulence and keep the altitude even so she can safely cook.
She finds half a loaf of bread and puts two slices into the toaster. Then she finds a hot plate and a pan and begins to heat the oil so she can fry an egg. As she cooks, she wonders and worries about Charles and her nanny.
“Did Waylen catch them? Are they okay?” she frets.
She looks at Waylen sitting calmly in the shell chair. Once upon a time, he would have come up behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and nibbled her earlobe. Now, he sits quietly.
She knows him, and she knows that silence signifies anger. The longer he remains quiet, the angrier he is. She assumes he’s angry about the divorce, and she hopes that the breakfast will console and comfort him. She hopes they can peacefully coexist for the next six months, but she knows it’s unlikely he’ll let go of his rage.
The breakfast sandwich is almost done so she heats some milk in a pot. She puts the plate and a cup on a tray and carries it to Waylen. He stares at her coldly, as if warning her not to approach. Leilani ignores the ice in his eyes and places the tray in front of him.
“You scorn me and then you comfort me?” he asks coldly, “Since we’re divorcing, my health is no longer any of your business.”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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