"I asked her, not you, Zachary," the guy spits back with the same intensity, not backing down. So they know each other. My eyes move from Zach to the new guy. The new guy stands up to intimidate Zach but he isn't able to because Zach easily towers over him.

Zach chuckles coldly.

"She's mute. She can't fucking speak."

My heart stops. He didn't, he didn't just say it. He realizes his mistake as soon as the words leave his mouth but the damage is already done. Zach looks at me and I see guilt spreading there, in his eyes.

The new guy looks taken aback. He turns to look at him and for a minute, I think he is going to walk away. A mute girl isn't worth a fight, yeah?

No.

He looks back at Zach and laughs mockingly.

"So?"

Now it's Zach's turn to look at him with wide eyes. I'm sure my eyes are wide too.

The new guy turns around and holds his hand out.

"I'm sure miss Sallow won't mind joining me for a drink." The event is about to start. I feel Zach's eyes burning holes in the side of my head when I slip my hand in his and stand up.

I don't meet Zach's gaze at all. Instead, we walk to the fancy bar at the corner. I feel his eyes all the way. I desperately hope that I won't regret it.

Once we're seated on the barstool, I point the fruit juice and the bartender gets what I want. The new guy orders for himself too.

"I am Paul," the new guy introduces himself before running his hands through his blonde hair. I pass him a polite smile. As attractive as he is, I don't feel anything like I do with Zach.

To be honest, I never felt any attraction towards any males other than Zach or well, the celebrities.

"I wish I knew your name too," he mumbles before sipping on his drink. I do the same. My eyes find the green ones in a distance and I see Scarlet on Zach's arms.

"You can write your name, right?"

I nod my head and pass Paul a small smile again. He asks the bartender for a napkin and takes out a fancy looking pen with diamonds and I look at it in shock.

How wealthy is this guy?

I scribble down my name and he reads it aloud.

"Well, I run a graphic design company, Finian Inc.," he introduces himself and I find myself getting interested. I always wanted to be a designer myself.

I think he notices my curiosity. However, I groan internally when people start to settle down. The event is about to start.

"Zachary seems like an ass, you can come work in my company," Paul says genuinely and I find myself smiling. Maybe it'll be easy to move on if I stop working for him and well, living with him.

Zach isn't 'an ass' though. He's the sweetest guy I know.

Paul slips his card in my hand before waving and walking away. I walk back and sit next to Zach, not meeting his eyes.

Let the boredom begin.

After an hour of hearing incredible digits, I feel out of place. Every once in a while, I sense his eyes on me but I don't look at him. What he said earlier is still on my mind.

I excuse myself and walk to the bathroom. However, on my way, I bump into someone causing me to almost fall down.

My chest feels heavy and my brain stops when I see who it is. Air is knocked out of my lungs.

"Babygirl, is it really you?" Robert asks with wide eyes. Wide demonic eyes. His wrinkled face scrunches and he looks at me with narrow eyes.

"Ellen."

I don't answer. Instead, I run for my life. Forgetting the fact that heels aren't meant for running. I topple over my own foot and fall down on the grass. Sadly, everyone is inside and it's only us.

"Running away from daddy?" I shiver in disgust and his leather shoes come into my vision.

"I broke you well, huh? You still don't speak," he states. I raise my head and send a powerful glare. The bald demon laughs at my face and his black eyes look mischievous. He squats down to look at me. I remain on the ground, the expensive dress is now completely ruined.

"I can speak."

I surprise both of us. My brain shuts off and my head aches painfully. My voice comes croaky as I haven't spoken for a really long time and my throat burns. So do my eyes.

"I hate your voice," he spits before pulling me up by my hair. I whimper and push him off me only to feel the stinging pain on my cheek. Robert slapped me.

"That is no way to treat your father," he sneers.

"How did you come here anyway?" Robert's eyes shine and I pull away from him once again, causing him to slap me again.

"I don't like repeating myself, babygirl."

I breathe heavily and ignore the stinging pain. I won't answer him, no matter what. I can't keep Zach in danger. Robert is a dangerous man.

I protected Zach once and I would do it again, even if it meant that I would go through hell again.

However, I cry when his hand snatches the phone from my hand. I put on a fight again, of course, but he being the stronger one easily wins.

"Zachary Kane," Robert laughs coldly.

I don't speak anything. My heart is about to jump from my chest and my head hurts so much. This feels like a nightmare, never in my life did I think I would meet Robert again.

"I quit," he says as he types. "Send!" He says happily before slipping my phone in his pocket and grabs my wrist painfully.

"Listen whore, if you put on a fight, I will whip you a hundred times once we reach home. Clear?"

I keep quiet.

"Clear?" he yells.

"Clear," I mumble. That results him to backhand me twice.

"Did you forget the rule already? No talking at all!"

That's what caused me to go mute.

Feeling the stupid tears slide down my cheeks, I let him drag me to his car. His painful grip cuts off my circulation and my right hand becomes numb.

"Well, looks like lover boy will be of some help after all," Robert says under his breath and laughs wickedly. I know he is talking about Zach but how can Zach be of help to Robert?

Releasing a shaky breath, I lean against my seat and look outside the window, trying my best to not think about what was going to happen once we reached 'home'.

I lost you again, Zach. Didn't I?

Exhaustion hits me and I fall asleep next to Robert, despite trying hard not to.

I wake up in a bed, chained. The chains on my wrist and ankles dig into my flesh when I try to move, I wince at the soreness. I blink the tears away and look around me. We're in Robert's house already, I realize.

Apart from the white ceiling, I don't see anything else. But I've spent most of my life in this same position, I know this is Robert's room.

My throat feels dry, I struggle to swallow. My hair hurts and I can't help but wonder if he did something to me while I was asleep. I feel the sore down there and it hurts to move.

Tears stream down my eyes and I feel violated. All those months, living in the streets had been difficult but this, this was more than difficult. I felt myself breaking from the inside.

I still when I hear jiggling of keys. The door creaks open and footsteps near.

"Look who's awake," Robert croaks out.

I clench my eyes shut.

I swallow a sob when I feel his hand over my collarbone, I realize that I am naked. An uncontrollable sob breaks out from my chest. Robert chuckles before running his hand down, all the way from my neck to my stomach.

I scream when he slaps my hip hard. I sigh in relief when I hear his footsteps fading. However, a minute later, he comes back. He unchains my wrist and legs and makes me stand up.

"I fucking told you to not make any sound and you dare scream?"

My eyes widen at the sight of a leather belt in his hand.

"Don't scream," Robert warns before he starts to rain my body with lashes after lashes. My skin burns and I feel cold blood sliding down my back but I don't dare to make a sound. Silent tears roll down my cheeks and my chest heaves up and down.

A few lashes later, unconsciousness prevails.

I am awoken after a few hours, in my room. My eyes fall on the note kept next to my pillow. I struggle to sit down. I unfold the paper.

Get ready asap

A few hours later, I find myself standing in front of Zach's office, next to my so-called father who has a brown file in his hand.

"Come in," Zach's voice calls out.

Robert enters and I follow him and sit on the leather couch, wincing at the contact. My whole body is bruised.

I meet Zach's curious green eyes.

unedited.

Btw Ella finds Zach 'sweet' because she's been treated like shit all her life and he treats her better than what she's used to. Stop saying mean things to her, yeah?