At Black Estates 11:45 a.m. Evelyn's P.O.V. I quickly rushed inside the washroom and locked the door. I checked myself in the mirror. Oh No! My neck was painted with hickies and bite marks. My lips were swollen and lipstick was totally smudged. I started panicking as I don't have a concealer to hide these marks. I don't have a phone even. My phone, money, credit card and all my stuffs were confiscated by Dylan. He never even paid me a single penny although I worked for him. I still remember the black day when I came to know how brutal and heartless, he is. ~Flashback 3 months ago I was in the library completing the presentation for Black Estates' new project which was for a brand-new luxury showroom of exotic cars. Dylan had still not given me my salary. But it is my right as an employee. I am not working for free. I am not his robot. I have to ask him to pay me today. I made up my mind when all of a sudden, I saw Dylan entering the room. I got up from my seat and went near him with his Mac book in my hand. Dylan took it from my hand and plopped down on the couch while taking a look of the presentation I made. He was watching it carefully and smirked a little. “Good Job, my wife”, he spoke in a mocking tone while checking all the slides. I cleared my throat a little to grab his attention. He looked at me. “I want to talk to you about something.” Dylan kept the MacBook on the table and slouched on the couch as he looked at me with a smug smirk. “Yeah, go on. I am on the line”, he taunted. “I need my salary,” I spoke sternly. He scoffed at my words. He chuckled, “For what?” I looked at him in disbelief. “What do you mean by what? I am working for you,” I raised my voice a little. Dylan furrowed his brows at my fierce tone, “Isn't it enough that I am providing your poor ass food and shelter?” I clenched my fists tightly at his offending remark. “HOW DARE YOU? It's the right of an employee to get his/her income. I am not working for free. I need money.” Dylan immediately stood up from the couch. He then marched towards me and gripped my arms tightly. “Don't yell at me you filthy BEGGAR!!!” I snatched my arms and gave a tight slap on his face. “SHUT UP!! DON'T YOU DARE INSULT ME! I WOULD KILL​ YOU IF YOU SAY A WORD AGAINST ME OR MY FAMILY!” I yelled furiously. Dylan then turned his face and looked at me. Chills ran down my spine as the look he was giving me was so scary and deadly. I backed away a little unconsciously while looking in his blood-red eyes. But he pulled me towards himself and threw me on the floor. My hands got a deep cut as I landed on a flower vase kept on the table. “Ahh!!!” I winced in pain as blood started oozing out. I looked at him with tears streaming down my face. “THAT'S WHAT YOU GET IF YOU MESS WITH DYLAN BLACK!” He growled ferociously glaring at me balefully. But I didn't back down either. I got up while wiping off my tears. He was watching me all the time. But then... “NO!!!” I took his MacBook and threw it out of the window. The library was at the third floor so obviously his opulent MacBook must have been ravaged severely. Dylan immediately ran outside while I went to my room. ~Time skips Mom had gone out for buying groceries from the market so I was all alone. I took out the first kid from the drawer to treat my wounds. I was about to sit on my bed when I saw Dylan at the entrance with a murderous look on his face. His jaw was clenched, fists tightened, face flaring with rage and his veins were popping out of his neck. I became petrified with fear. He marched towards me and grabbed my bloody hand. He then back handed me harshly. I fell on the ground. “HOW DARE YOU BITCH!!! GUARDS!!” Some men dressed up in black tuxedos entered inside my room and started shoving down my clothes and my stuffs. They took away my phone, makeup kit, my purse in which I had my credit card and some money. “STOP!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” I tried to stop them but Dylan held me by my waist gripping it tightly. “TAKE AWAY ALL HER THINGS!!!!” He growled fiercely. I kept screaming and crying but they took away all my stuffs forcefully.  Dylan forcibly confiscated all my expensive and fancy dresses and spared the simple ones. He then threw me in the floor harshly. I kept sobbing while looking down. “This was just a trailer. Next time I will do worse than this.” He blared and stormed off my room while I kept crying holding my wounded arm. End of Flashback~ Tears welled in my eyes as I remember that awful day. I had even lost the count of his barbarous acts that he had done with me. But right now, I was in a state of turmoil as I can't go out like this. What will everyone think if they see these hickies and love bites? I am doomed. Moreover, they would think of me as a slut, a whore. What if Dylan accuses me that I seduced him? What if Sophia again demeans me and that too in front of Brandon and Xander? I started hyperventilating as I was getting too much anxious. My energy started draining off slowly and I couldn't stand steady. I held the vanity for support as my vision was getting blurred due to tears. I wasn't able to see anything nor able to breathe properly. Oh no! I was having a panic attack. I slid down on the floor while holding the wall for support with my trembling hands. “H-Help!” My eyes started rolling backwards as I was losing consciousness. Suddenly the door burst open. "OH MY GOD!!! EVELYN" I looked up only to find ...... "Rose" “EVELYN!!!” She rushed towards me and held me. I looked at her with half-opened eyelids. She hugged me tightly and started running circles at my back calming me down. “Breathe Evelyn...1,2,3, breathe...1,2,3” Her voice slowly soothed me down as I followed her instructions and kept inhaling and exhaling slowly. After a few minutes, I calmed down. She broke the hug and looked at me, “Feeling better?” I nodded while looking down. She wiped my tears and got up. I was sitting on the floor as I was still in a daze. Rose then knelt down beside me and started putting something on my neck. I regained my senses and immediately tried to remove her hands. “DON'T” She scolded me harshly making me flinched. I quickly removed my hands. I looked down and saw a Concealer? I looked at her in shock but she ignored me. She opened a few buttons of my shirt and continued applying the concealer on my neck and collarbone without paying any attention to the shocking glances I was giving it to her. After a few minutes, she made me stand and turned the tap on. She washed my face with the cold water and wiped it with her handkerchief. She then took out a lipstick, an eyeliner and a face powder and started doing my makeup. I kept staring her completely dumbfounded. After five minutes, she smiled and made me look in the mirror. I was shocked to see myself as she has covered all the disgusting marks that bastard had left on me so properly. I looked at her. “Thank you.” But she was staring at me sadly. “Why didn't you told me?” My eyes widened. She sighed and hugged me. “Why didn't you told anyone about your harassment and torture that you've been going through? Why did you kept bearing all the pain alone not telling anyone about your misery? Why Evelyn?” Tears welled up in my eyes as my lips started quivering. She then patted my head softly, “Let it out, Evelyn. Don't hold back your pain anymore. Let it out today. I am here for you.” I couldn't control anymore and burst into tears and started crying loudly. I hugged her tightly while crying my heart out in her embrace. She kept patting my head softly while I let out all my frustration, anger, sadness, helplessness and fear in the form of tears. The day Dylan proposed me, the day I got to see his true colours, the day I was abused and humiliated by dragging me in this forced marriage, the day he brutally implanted a tracker in my body, the day his mother put me down by throwing hurtful comments and the day he confessed his feelings by forcing himself on me. I let it all out. I can't bear it anymore. I can't tolerate this anymore. After around 30 minutes, I calmed down. Rose broke the hug and looked at me. I wiped my tears and smiled. “Thank you.” She nodded and patted my head, “I am always there for you and I am really very sorry for insulting you that day. I should have fir-“ I immediately cut her off and held her hands gently. “It's okay. It wasn't your fault.” She averted her gaze down guiltily, “I am very sorry Evelyn.” "OPEN THE DAMN DOOR" We both look at each other in shock as we heard Sophia's growling from outside the washroom. “You go inside. I'll handle her” ,she said quickly as to not make her suspicious. I nodded and quickly went inside the toilet and locked myself. End of Evelyn's P.O.V. Rose then flipped her hair and opened the door. Sophia glared at her. “WHAT THE HELL YOU WERE DOING INSIDE?”, she yelled making her flinched. “I was talking to my boyfriend. It was urgent.” Sophia smirked and rolled her eyes in annoyance, “What was so important that you had to lock the door?” Rose clenched her fists tightly suppressing her anger at her sarcastic comments. “Something very important. You must be knowing that as you too had a boyfriend,” she mocked her and glared fiercely after she came to know that she was hooking up with a married man. Sophia scoffed at her reply, “I don't need to lock myself for something like that. Dylan and I can even fuck in public and we don't need anyone's permission for that.” She spat shamelessly making Rose boil in anger. This bitch! Rose was about to throw a fist on her but she saw Evelyn's pleading eyes through the slit of the door begging her to not to do something which will only end her in trouble. She then heaved a sigh and calmed herself down. “What now? Leave”, Sophia spoke arrogantly while pointing towards the door. But she frowned as Rose smiled and patted her shoulders. “Maybe one day you'll realise your mistakes.” She mumbled softly and left the room leaving Sophia dumbfounded. ~Time skips 01:00 p.m. At Hotel, Sicily Brandon was discussing about their new project with his new client, CEO and General Manager of Clarke Enterprises. Mr. and Mrs. Clarke In short, Evelyn's parents. The directors and Senior Manager, Mr. Wills of Black Estates were also present in the meeting room. “So, do you agree to work with us, Mr. Clarke?”, Brandon asked politely to him to which he nodded weakly. “We would love to do it, Mr. Tate. It will be an honour to work with Black Estates,” Mrs. Clarke said cheerfully to which Brandon smiled. But his gaze landed on her husband who was sitting with his head hung low while sitting gloomily. He frowned but didn't react. “Alright then, we'll see you soon in America.” Mr. Clarke instantly shot his eyes and looked up him in shock, “America?” He almost yelled making Brandon looked at him confusingly. Her wife immediately placed her hand on his hand and squeezed it a little which didn't go unnoticed by Brandon. “Yes honey, why are you so shocked?” Mrs. Clarke glared at him to which he averted his gaze down. Brandon cleared his throat a little as he sensed something's fishy going on between the couple. “Is something wrong?”, he spoke while ogling at Mr. Clarke. “No, not at all. So, see you soon,” she chirped. Brandon nodded but his gaze was fixed on Mr. Clarke who was sitting idly. “Sir, we should leave now.” Mr. Wills said to Brandon. Brandon stared at the couple with cold eyes for a minute but then he gave Wills a curt nod and soon they all left.  Mrs. Clarke scoffed at her husband and stormed off the room. Mr. Clarke sighed. He then buried his head in his palms while tears slowly rolled down his cheeks. "I am so sorry, my child" ~Meanwhile 02:30 p.m. At Black Estates, America Evelyn was busy completing the report. She felt peace after Rose alleviated her pain and offered her a hand for help. She was feeling happy and contented as finally she was able to tell her misery to someone completely. “Evie” Evelyn turned around and looked at Ian who was staring at her with a sad look on his face, “Yes?” Ian sighed. He then swivelled his chair towards her and held her hands gently making her surprised. “I am sorry, Evie. Please forgive me.” He looked at her with guilty eyes. She frowned but soon her eyes widened. 'Did Rose tell him?' Evelyn started panicking as this was the thing which she feared the most. But suddenly her suspicion disappeared into thin air hearing his next words. “I extremely regret insulting you that day. I shouldn't had said those mean words to you. Everyone makes some mistakes. I am very sorry. Please forgive me.” Evelyn sighed in relief. So, he was just guilty for insulting me that day. Nothing else. She smiled and put her palms on his cheeks making him startled, “I forgive you.” Ian looked at her in shock. She smiled. He excitedly hugged her making her startled. “Thank you, Evie.” Evelyn chuckled and patted his back. “It's okay,” she spoke while smiling happily. ~Time skips 9:30 p.m. At Black's Palace Evelyn's P.O.V. The whole day I chatted with Ian and Lily. She also apologized to me for her misbehaviour. I forgave both of them as I always avoided fight. It was all the fault of the situation but if you want to live happily you must let it go. We both cackled and gossiped just like the old days. I really missed them a lot. But we promised each other to keep our friendship a secret to hide it from Sophia's eagle eyes. I came back home by myself. I haven't heard about Xander or Brandon since morning which made me a little upset. I straightaway went to my room. I freshen up and wore a simple dress. I laid down as I was too tired. Soon my eyes felt heavy and I drifted off to sleep. 12:30 a.m. I woke up in the middle of the night as I felt thirsty. I slowly got up and headed outside. I close the door gently not to wake up Mom. I went inside the kitchen. I opened the fridge and took out the water bottle. I was about to open the cupboard to take the glass when suddenly my eyes landed on something shining off from a distance. I walked towards it and saw something placed on the dining table. The lights were dim as it was past midnight which made that glittery item flash profusely. I squinted my eyes to adjust to that shimmer when... I saw a beautiful diamond heart pendant necklace My eyes sparkled as I admired the jazzy glossy pendant blithely. All of a sudden two veiny arms encircled around my waist making me jolt up. "Did you like it, Sweetheart?" I became stiff hearing a familiar a deep raspy voice near my ears. 'And I very well knew who he was' “Let go.” I immediately yanked away his arms off my waist but Dylan spinned me around quickly. “You didn't answer my question?”, he spoke while smirking at me. “No, I didn't like. Now fuck off.” I pushed him back but instead I got pushed on the table as he caged me between his muscular arms trapping me. “Don't lie. I saw you admiring it.” There was a hint of anger in his tone but I didn't back away. I spoke with gritted teeth, "Get off me or I'll scream.” But Dylan smirked evilly which ran chills down my spine. "Then do it." *****