HURACIO.
Four days ago, we got information that Helena was back in town. Salvatore suggested that we bait her using Katalina.
I am completely against this because she is almost where I wanted her mentally. She grew scared and wary of me after the last punishment. Banking on that fear, I systematically scared her into compliance by subtly reminding her to either behave or go back to the red room for punishment.
Each time I said that she would slightly shiver and try to get away from me. To counter that, I started getting physical with her until she was comfortable in my arms. Thanks to that, she no longer throws tantrums and is quite used to my touches and kisses. Therefore, it’s about time to take the next step in her training. What if I take her out of seclusion and she gets her groove back? That would mean that all the work I have put into taming her would go to waste. I don’t want that.
After turning the city down and getting no feedback, I had no choice but to follow Salvatore’s suggestion…
I patted Katalina on the back and whispered niceties into her ear until she calmed down. I then led her to my study where I handed her phone back to her.
She was still shocked and held it tightly as if she was ready to drag it with me if I dared change my mind.
“What do you say?” I raised an eyebrow.
“Thank you.”
“Good girl.” I sank my fingers into her hair and ruffled it dotingly. “Now, there are rules we have to live by, so that I don’t get angry with you.”
The moment I said that the light in her eyes dimmed, and she looked away.
“I know. What are the rules?” She asked in a small voice.
“You can’t contact your best friend for now.”
A frown creased her brows and disappeared in an instant. If I wasn’t giving her a close watch, I wouldn’t have noticed.
“Yes,” she nodded.
“And you can never contact Kelvin again.” I lifted her chin, making her look me in the eye. “If he contacts you, you must tell me. If I find out that you are communicating with him in secret, I will kill him.”
She shivered and her gaze became clouded.
“I will never talk to him again.”
“Good.” I casually dropped her chin and went to sit down. “Now, if your mother should call, what will you do?” I asked without looking up.
“…”
“Katalina?”
“I…I-will t-tell you?” She replied with a stutter.
Looking up, I nodded. “That’s my girl. If Helena should contact you, you must call me. The earlier we find her, the sooner you will be free. Go play. I have some work to catch up on.”
“Okay.” She replied with a solemn voice and left.
–
It’s summer and schools are out. The mall are full, bustling with the virility of youth.
I led Katalina around the mall, pressing her to pick whatever she wanted. At first, she was reluctant and unsure, but after I intentionally picked some ugly items for her in a boutique, she finally started picking what she liked. After that, we went to buy accessories, and I got her some expensive items that made her eyes glitter.
“Katalina!”
Just as we were stepping out of the jewelry shop, a girl’s voice yelled her name. Katalina instantly went stiff in my arms.
I stopped and turned around to see a stylishly dressed girl with an air of self-importance, walking over to us with a disdainful smirk on her face.
“Is it really you? Wow. I thought you went into hiding. Turns out you are still in town.” She sneered as she reached us.
“And you are?” I asked her with a small, harmless smile.
“She is nobody. Let’s go, Huracio.” Katalina snorted.
“Is this the man you staked everything on?” The girl gave me a contemptuous once-over and sniggered. “Well, he ain’t bad, but come on girl, that was your mother’s man!”
Katalina’s face blanched. She started trembling slightly in my arms. I let go of her waist and patted her back, trying to calm her down.
“Have you no shame at all? How does he even compare to Kelvin?” the girl continued.
I expected Katalina to say something, but she just stood there, holding me tight and trembling.
“I am not surprised though. I have always suspected that a whore was hiding somewhere under that thick skin of yours.”
“Shouldn’t You be grateful that Kelvin is now single and free? Since you like him so much, shouldn’t you be going after him instead of slandering my wife?” I retorted sarcastically.
The girl shrunk her neck and blushed. I had hit her soft spot.
“Oh probably, he doesn’t want you? I don’t blame him. You are naturally disgusting.”
Surprised that I spoke up for her, Katalina gasped. I felt her relax a little and smiled at her.
The girl was dazed by my words for a moment, and when she got her sense back, she was livid. Her eyes suddenly turned red with rage.
“Now I see why she is with you. You ain’t that smart.” She retorted.
I twitched my nose. Some random nobody actually dissed me like this. My bodyguards were not far and all I needed to do was signal them, but I didn’t.
“If she can steal you from her mother, how long do you think your marriage will last? Hope you signed a prenup because Katalina is nothing but a gold digger. She sucked Kelvin’s blood for so long only to ditch him the moment she found a bigger fish. Are all rich men this stupid?”
It’s really been a long time since I was bashed like this. I clenched my hands and was going to reply when a security man walked over.
“Excuse me, can you take this outside? You are making other customers uncomfortable.” He said respectfully.
“Huracio, let’s go. I told you not to bother with her.” Seizing the chance, Katalina hurriedly dragged me out of the shop.
“Who is that?” I asked the moment we got back to the car.
“Nobody,” Katalina mumbled and tried to move away from me.
I instantly grabbed her hand and squeezed it, intentionally inflicting some pain. She winced and glared at me. I silently raised my brows and kept squeezing.
“Her name is Amber. She likes Kelvin, but he doesn’t like her.”
I released her hand and gently rubbed her reddened wrist.
“Why do you have to make me hurt you like this, eh?” I gently blew on the wrist, then looked at her, softening my gaze. “All you had to do was answer the question. Why did you have to be stubborn, Kitty? Now what do you say to me?”
“I am sorry.” She mumbled and looked away.
“Always look at me when I am talking to you.” I grabbed her chin and forcefully turned her head so that she was facing me. I glared at her, making her tremble.
“You have to be punished.”
“Huracio, I…”
This was the first time she would be getting a punishment in weeks, and I could see fear creeping into her eyes.