CHAPTER 06: CAPTIVITY

ELIZA

“Didn’t you hear me?”

“It’s nothing. I’m trying to pack as you can see” I scoffed.

“No you’re not. You’re just standing there staring blankly.” He sneered.

I realized he was right, and sighed.

“Hurry up, will you?” Lincoln beckoned me and walked out of the room, leaving me to get dressed.

The crushing silence in the car was awkward and unsettling. I glanced at him briefly, his eyes was fixated on the road and his hands firmly on the wheel. I knew I was supposed to hate him but it coiled my guts that I wasn’t.

“What’s with the stare?” He suddenly said, his eyes still on the road.

“Uh… nothing” My voice cracked, which was unusual. I close my eyes and try to distract myself, resting my head against the car seat. I couldn’t even understand my own emotions they were all over the place.

“ Do you care to have anything for dinner? I can call my housekeeper to make it available before we arrive” he said to me eyes still on the road.

“I’ll have anything. I don’t really mind” I remained in the same position my head resting against the seat and eyes closed. My mind was going places. I felt his eyes on me a few times but I shrugged it off. It’s not like he cared anyways. I could be anybody.

We got to his house, which I’m not getting into for the first time since I’m his secretary but this time it felt different because I would be living here now. His housekeeper maggi welcomed us at the door, utterly confused when she saw my bags. She gave me a ‘What is going on’ look which I replied with an ‘ask your boss’ look. The eyes conversation pretty short.

“Welcome sir Lincoln” she smiled widely

“Yeah, hey maggi please have the guestroom ready, Eliza would be staying with us” he said to her and immediately turned to me “ meet her if you need anything…..and maggi call me when dinner is ready. I have a lot to do and do not want to be disturbed”

That was his command for the night and he disappeared through the doors.

Maggi immediately pulled me to the guestroom and I stumbled a few times trying to catch up with my bags on my trail. She immediately banged the door close.

“What does he mean?” She asked

I sighed and dragged my bag close to the bed.

“Just what you heard him say?”

“What did you do?”

I glared at her, she understood the eye conversation ‘Mind your business, will you?’

“Call me when you need anything. Dinner will be served in a few minutes.” Maggie said and walked out of he room.

Once I saw she was out, I threw myself on the bed, it bounced as I did and I loved that. I sighed for the umpteenth time, I can’t believe he dragged me down here. I doubt he realized that my privacy mattered a lot of me. Of course he didn’t, he never cared about anybody anyway.

I started feeling a little light headed and nauseous. I felt like I was going to throw up, I got up the bed and immediately I did, that feeling disappeared immediately.

What the hell!

I sat again trying to understand the drama I almost displayed. Are these the pregnancy signs?

There is definitely no way of hiding it now, if I keep living here someone was going to find out I am pregnant. If Lincoln doesn’t, Maggi would; she’s a woman after all.

I looked around the room, that was when I noticed the beautiful interior decorations the room had. It was large, the queen sized bed not making it look any smaller. The entire room setting spoke luxury.

I suddenly wondered what the master bedroom looked like. I have been here in few occasions, but I barely stayed long enough to visit any of the bedrooms or other rooms.

The only thing I need at this point was a shower. I walked to the bathroom and gagged, it was magnificent.

I settled in and took a cold shower, I felt relieved once I stepped out of the bathroom.

I was done dressing up in my night wear when I heard a soft knock at the door.

“Come in, it’s open”

The door opened carefully and revealed Maggi.

“Dinner is set, Mr. Lincoln doesn’t like his food cold so I suggest you come down now”

“Yeah sure”

She turned to walk out and I followed her.

Walking down the stairs I saw Lincoln already settled at the dinning. He looked angry, or maybe that was what I thought.

He waited for a moment for me to walk around the table and sat down, before looking up to me.

“You sure took your time princess” I heard him say.

“Sorry, I didn’t realize” I mumbled.

Anytime he called me princess, I was always confused if he actually meant to call me that or he was been sarcastic as usual.

“I’ll call you when I need anything Maggi, you can leave now” Lincoln said, turning to look at Maggi.

All the while I didn’t realize Maggi was there standing and staring at us, she was obviously shocked to hear him call me princess. She should probably get ready to hear more.

“Uh..yes sir”

She glanced at me one more time and walked straight to the kitchen. She looked dazed.

I felt super hungry before coming down but starring at the food before me I had lost all appetite. It felt like my sense of smell had increased rapidly, I could perceive Lincoln’s deodorant all the way from the other end of the table.

“What’s wrong?” Lincoln asked. I looked up at him, he had stopped eating.

“Nothing” I mumbled again.

“Nothing? And you haven’t lifted a spoon, neither have you tasted the food”

I groaned in discomfort, “No it’s nothing”

I pick up the spoon and paused still staring at the food

“Liza!” He yelled, but it wasn’t angrily surprisingly, it sounded like he was worried.

“I don’t know but I feel irritated”

“Why? It tastes really good, trust me.”

“I know, it just smells kind if different” I tell him.

“Different? It’s mashed potatoes, you used to like them so much. And I don’t smell anything different here” Now he looked concerned.

“I’m sorry I can’t eat this” I push the food before me a little forward. If I stayed a little longer, I might puke on the table and I’m sure he wouldn’t want to witness that. I don’t want to imagine myself doing that either.

“I’ll just have bread and go to bed”

“You’re sure you’re okay?” He asks again.

“Yeah I am, it’s just my appetite”

I walk out of the dining and make my way to climbing the stairs.

“Eliza” I heard him call out, I paused.

“I’ll have Maggi bring you some concoction soup later”

“Okay thank you”

Getting to the guest room, I plopped on the bed and stare at the white ceilings. I delt bloated though I had nothing for dinner yet.

The pregnancy signs.

Whenever the thought of me carrying a child comes up, I hate myself for how stupid I was. Lincoln’s child.

I rolled over on the bed, and didn’t realize when I slowly drifted to sleep.

I woke up to the unfamiliar scent of air freshener. I opened my eyes and looked up at the ceiling. I don’t remember my room ceiling being this far up.

It finally dawned on me, I wasn’t in my room.

I yawned and groaned, turning to my side.

I glanced at the table clock beside the bed.

Right! I had work to get to and the least thing I needed was Lincoln getting mad at me again.

I sat up and a soft knock came from the door. The door opened, Maggi walked in dauntless. This was what I meant by not having my privacy as long as I lived here.

“Good morning miss”

“Morning Maggi” I yawned again and got up the bed.

“Mr. Lincoln asks about your health”

“I’m fine”

“Oh good, anything specific for breakfast?”

“I’ll have anything you’re preparing”

“He asked to be specific” she added, still looking at me.

I pondered briefly, I wasn’t craving anything in particular.

“Ramen will be fine” I finally said.

“What?” She seemed shocked or rather confused.

“Yes”

“Uhm.. okay”

I wondered if I said anything wrong. I watched turn to leave. Once she left, I hurriedly made my way to the bathroom.

Thankfully I made it to the dinning table before Lincoln and had almost finished eating before he walked in.

“Good morning” I muttered.

“Instant noodles?” He asked, perplexed. He didn’t even return my greeting.

“Maggi!” He called out at once.

What is wrong with eating instant noodles? I paused eating and dropped my fork.

“I’m here sir”

“Why is she eating noodles?”

“She asked for it”

“And you gave her?”

“What is wrong with eating noodles?” I finally voiced out.

“I hate it” He turned to me.

Oh.

“I’m sorry I had no idea, she asked me to be specific so I…”

“It’s fine, Maggi should have known better”

Now I felt bad for Maggi, I had unconsciously put her in trouble just when I had been avoiding trouble.

I looked at Maggi, she was expressionless. I gave her an ‘I’m sorry’ look. She was still expressionless, standing there. She didn’t say anything or leave till Lincoln asked her to.

I sat down and continued picking on my food silently. It was now awkward.