It was Grace who came with the food. Ansell gave it her way and she came inside with the food.
Her gaze flicked at me, her eyes moving down my body as if making sure that I was alive.
I am sure that she is aware of the personality of her employer, that’s why she is surprised that I am still alive. I surely would have been dead if he had kept me there anymore.
I saw a wave of relief wash over her as she saw me fine.
“Is there anything else you need, sir?” Her voice held a respectful tone as she addressed Ansell, bowing slightly in defence.
She has been working here for the last 29 years, so she has practically raised Ansell. She still gives her so much respect, and he only treats her as a servant.
“I will call you if needed ” Ansell replied in a tone that was both curt and final.
She nodded before taking her leave. When we were alone I thought that now Ansell would ask me to come on the bed to have food but to my surprise, he also left the room, returning after a short while with a folding table and a chair in tow.
He unfolded the table in front of me and placed the food over it. His focus was on his work while my eyes were following his every movement. When he was done decorating the table with the food he placed the chair in front of me to sit on it.
Don’t tell me that he did all this so that I do not need to move from my place because the things he has done to me in the past seem over.
He then took a plate and put a little bit of everything on it before pushing it to my side.
“Have it”
My eyes flicked between him and the plate full of blood. Why show so much generosity all of a sudden?
I ignored it for the time being because I was starving and I need food. Picking up the fork I took the first bite of the meal. The food as usual was tasty and it became even more delicious when I was starving to death.
I was halfway finishing my plate when my gaze shifted to Ansell who was having his food. He was staring at me all the time and I was so busy with the food that I didn’t even realise it.
The speed of chewing slowed down as I became conscious all of a sudden. I have practically taken a bath in front of him but having food with eyes on me felt kind of embarrassing.
“Why are you staring at me like that?” I was unable to keep it to myself.
“I could stare at you for my whole day” he told me, crossing his arms to his chest and leaning back on the chair.
Cliche.
My nose scrunched up in response. I was still hungry and wanted to have more so I decided to ignore his presence and finish my food first.
A few minutes later, my plate was empty, and I was looking around for a tissue to clean my lips. But, before I could find one, Ansell’s thumb came into view, gently wiping away a smudge of food from the corner of my mouth.
I pulled my hand back when I realised where all this could lead, and the least I wanted was that.
I stood up and went back to the bathroom to wash my hands and when I came out, I found Grace taking the dishes back into the trolley while Ansell folded the table and chair.
Leaving him on his own with my feet took me toward that window, the sunlight filtering into the room and drawing me in. It had been days since I had seen daylight, and the warmth of the sun’s rays on my skin felt oddly comforting.
My eyes caught sight of the garden, which was looking so green and fresh, contrary to the darkness I had just gone through. I was missing the fresh air; the place had suffocated me.
“You want to go there?” Ansell’s soft voice reached my ears from behind.
I turned around to face him, my eyes moving between him and the garden.
“Come” he offered his hand for me to hold on to.
Is he seriously taking me out?
Or was there something more complex at play, something hidden beneath the surface?
Despite all these questions, the allure of fresh air open space was to resist.
Being in the dark dungeon for so many days was suffocating and I needed fresh air to clean my head. The food has filled my body with the required energy an now I can walk on my own.
He walked ahead and without saying anything, I followed him. I was taking small and slow steps and he also stayed patient with me, walking at my speed instead of dragging me along with him the way he usually does.
The change in his demeanor was quite surprising to me.
I found Desy having her breakfast in the hall. Our eyes met, and she saw me with knowing look, followed by a small, sympathetic smile. I returned the smile. Ansell’s attention shifted to his sister briefly, his eyes holding a certain intensity, and it seemed clear that he had instructed her to keep her distance from me. She immediately moved her gaze away from me and go busy with her food.
He wrapped his arm around my waist and we walked ahead. The guard didn’t stop us and I felt alive when the chirping of the bird reached my ear along with the fresh air from the plants. It seemed like a weight had been lifted off, as I could breathe freely.
The garden welcomed us with an array of vibrant flowers, each one more captivating than the last. I can’t tell which one is the most attractive of all.
I didn’t know when a small made its way to my lips.
“They are beautiful, aren’t they?” The voice of Ansell caught my attention.
I nodded in agreement, my gaze still fixed on the vibrant blooms. My fondness for greenery and flowers was something that had remained constant. The sight of them always managed to brighten my mood, if only for a little while.
“But do you know which one is the most beautiful flower in the garden?” His question made me look at him.
I searched for answer in his eyes but when I didn’t get anything except adoration, I shook my head.
“You” he said with a soft smile on his lips.
I froze and forget to blink for a second.
Me?
In my current state, ravaged by the horrors I had endured, I hardly resembled anything close to beauty. The notion seemed absurd, and yet his gaze held adoration, which was hard to ignore.
My heart pounded in my chest as he stared at me intently.
“I am sure these flowers must be feeling envious of your beauty” he added further.
“Uhhh”I wasn’t getting how to react.
I didn’t want any compliments from him nor was it going to make any soft spot in my heart but I cannot deny the fact that the way his eyes were shining and in these moments, I could see my old Ansell in him.
He is not completely dead.
He was just like this: cheesy and overprotective and that was the way I liked him.
I blinked and mentally slapped myself to bring myself back to reality. I couldn’t allow myself to be swayed by these fleeting moments of kindness, not when the gravity of my situation remained unchanged. He is a murderer, a mafia gang leader, a criminal, a kidnapper, a tormentor, a blackmail, and whatnot.
To divert my attention from him, I decided to take a stroll around the garden because I was not sure when I was going to get this opportunity again.
Instead of thinking him for the compliment, I slipped off my slippers, feeling the coldness of the grass beneath my feet. The sensation of the grass beneath my feet. The sensation brought back memories of simpler times when I would relish walking barefoot in nature. The grass tickled my skin as I took each step, and the familiarity of it all was comforting.
I was walking normally when my eyes caught sight of a beautiful butterfly. It’s vibrant colours stood out against the petals, and I couldn’t help but be drawn to its beauty. I couldn’t stop myself from running to it and admiring it’s beauty.
My fingers reached out it instinctively and I held it for a second before opening my fingers and letting it go. It danced effortlessly in the air before finally fluttering away, leaving me with a sense of wonder.
I couldn’t help but wonder how easy it is for them to fly away and roam whenever they want, without any chains or obligations.
“You were fond of catching butterflies. Weren’t you?” Ansell came from behind and I noticed that he had also removed his toes. “What happened? Why didn’t you catch it?”
“Because now I understand the pain when someone clips your wings” I replied, my words laced with bitterness. The pain was audible in my voice.
“But I don’t think there is any harm in keeping those things us that we adore, especially when we have rights over them. We could cherish and protect them from the evils of the world ” he said, tilting his head, believing what he was saying was right.
“In doing so, we often fail to realize that we become the very evil we seek to protect them from” I scoffed.
“Then that’s their mistake. They can’t see the boundless love we hold for them, and all we want is for them to stay with us and accept us as we are” his gaze remained fixed on me.
I huffed and moved my gaze away from him. There is no point in arguing with him. He has own twisted notions, which he is not going to change.
Suddenly, he plucked a flower and tucked it behind my ear, taking me by surprise.
“It was blooming so beautifully. Why did you pluck it?” I asked.
“Take it as the luckiest flower in this garden because it has got the chance to be on you. It’s beauty has doubled ” he said with pure admiration in his eyes.
I decided to ignore it but before I could move forward and enjoy the moment, his phone rang. I was glad that now I would get some privacy at least for a few minutes but the colour of my face drained when I saw the name flashing on his phone’s screen.
The call was from my mother.
Why is she calling him?
I just hope everything is fine with my parents.