"Keep using her as a shield. Hide your identity.' Don Fernandez added.
"As you wish, sir." Tristan bowed to the man and we left. The next moment we were in the car travelling back home.
As soon as I stepped in, hot water on my head welcomed me to the doorstep.
"Tavi! What are you doing!?" Screamed Tristan, punching the kettle off her hands.
"She was all over you at the party! I saw everything!" Tavi screamed, jumping off the step.
"That was nothing baby! Wait- you were spying on me!?'
"I was spying on her!"
And their arguments escalated as usual. The guards all grimaced around me. The water was scalding. I think I might have lost a patch of hair.
Containing my rage and pain, I simply walked away from the scene. While doing so, Tavi suddenly pulled me back.
"Where the fuck do you think you're going!?" She screamed.
But it was heard as mere muffles. I was losing consciousness.
"...Tavi. Wait. She's hyperthermic. Guards!" And that was the last thing my brain tried to comprehend before everything went black.
Three hours later, I woke up in an ice bath tub. Someone was splashing cold water on my forearms.
"Good morning, love."
It was Tristan.
"I'm cold." I couldn't help but say once I was in my senses. My neck felt stiff from the odd lean over the ceramic bathtub too. Couldn't he have at least given me a towel?
I'm sure he wouldn't have been so careless if it were Tavi in my place. He'd bathe her in rose petals, adorn her with jewels only his kind of men preferred - rubies, and certainly keep a towel under her head.
"You're fine. Your temperature is coming down." He said. I looked down at where his gaze followed. He was looking at my blurred naked body under the surface.
"Forget it." Saying, I tried to stand up but realized the bathtub was too slippery for me. Or I was too weak.
"I rubbed oil against the surface knowing you'd do something like this. Stay here until dawn. That's what the doctor said." Tristan spoke indifferently.
"In that case I'd be hypothermic. I'm pretty sure he said to coat me in layers of cold towels. Not dump me in ice water." I said calmly.
"It's the same thing. You're recovering. That's what we need. Anyway, I'm going back to the room. Sitting with you was always boring. You're such a waste of time." Tristan stood up.
I stared at the shower cell in front of me.
As expected, the sounds of their intimacy penetrated the air as I closed my eyes. I was so done with everything.
Tristan didn't have the decency to close the door this time. He had an intention. The act was deliberate.
I scoffed to myself. Decided to wait until their activity ended.
I opened my eyes after what seemed like an eternity. They were breathing ruggedly. I slowly crawled out of the tub with great difficulty and slumped on the carpet.
The warmth of the carpet made me appreciate life. Draping it around me - not caring if it was dirty - I walked out.
"Didn't know you kept zombies as pets, Tristan." Tavi spoke on my back as I nonchalantly walked out of their room.
"Don't forget to clean up!" Tavi yelled as I twisted the door knob. Suddenly, a cold, slimy substance was thrown on my neck as it slid against my back.
"Looks like a huge bird pooped on her!' Tavi and Tristan laughed. I was too weak to even process my anger. I walked out without protest, like usual.
In my room, as I was showering, I heard a soft ping from my room. It's been ages since I got a message from anyone.
Unknown contact: Everything is set.
I raised an eyebrow.
I looked around the tiny room. I've gotten accustomed to this lifestyle. Was I ready for this change?
Maybe I had to embrace what's best for me and not what was forced onto me as a lifestyle.
That's right. It's time for change~
But first, I needed to feed myself something so I won't die of starvation.
The next day, I woke up covered in sweat and realized I was having a fever.
Tiredly, I sat on the vanity - I wasn't sure what else to call it - and looked at the broken mirror.
My room was the rusty attic of the mansion. I could hear birds and the raindrops on the delicate roof alike. But it had become my cave. No one dared to walk in here because of the stench that greeted them each time.
But somehow, Tavi reached up and poured a glass of orange juice on my makeshift bed.
"What are you doing here, miss?" I asked, not forgetting the courtesy.
"Hmm." She gave me a smug look, jumped her shoulders and walked away covering her nose and mouth.
Well, looked like I had to throw out my juice soaked broken mattress.
I got my focus back on the mirror.
My hair...it was falling out in tufts. I hated it. I looked at my jet black hair and regretted agreeing to whatever was happening with me.
"Lord...save me.'
And I knew who exactly was my lord.
***
"She's finally down. Take her to my room and get her dressed. We're going shopping!" Tavi called gleefully.
"Why do I need to be dressed for this?" I asked out of genuine curiosity.
"Because we will need an assistant!
Tristan and I are getting married in five days! Yay!"
