I turned to her, noticing how she still kept her head bowed. Her hands were clasped tightly in her lap, and she sat stiffly as if still expecting to be scolded.
"You're safe now," I said gently. "There's no need for that anymore. No one will hit you where we're going. I will never hit you." I paused, waiting for her to process my words. "Raise your head."
Slowly, she obeyed, lifting her gaze to meet mine. Her eyes were even more beautiful up close—tired, haunted, sad.
I couldn't wait to change that.
Starting the car, I pulled out of the driveway, leaving Kaius' estate behind us.
"Thank you, Lord Langston," Samantha said softly.
"Call me Rafael," I replied, my eyes fixed on the road ahead. "We'll stop to get you some clothes."
"I'm grateful, but… why?"
I was glad to hear her talking more now. Straightening, I replied, "I didn't need to be told to see you were suffering there," I explained. "And Kaius confirmed it when he said you've been his pet for ten years."
My grip on the steering wheel tightened. "Which means you were fifteen when he… took you in," I trailed off, glancing sideways. Samantha was squirming in her seat as if trying to hide from the truth of my words, so I decided to stop pressing the issue.
That sick bastard. There was no way I'd let his proposal move forward now.
"I'm taking you to my place," I said after a pause. "You'll stay there for a while. Once you're settled and I've set you up with something good, you'll be free to go." I glanced at her again. "From what I saw back there, you seem to have some knowledge of working with wines. That's lucky for you… I can set you up with the Vlad family company."
"I… I don't know how to thank you," she whispered.
"You don't need to."
The rest of the drive passed in silence until we arrived at the mall. Samantha followed me inside quietly.
Cynthia, a familiar employee who often helped me with clothing orders, brightened up when she saw me.
"Mr. Rafael," she greeted cheerily, her eyes flicking to Samantha curiously. "Welcome."
"Thank you, Cynthia," I said with a wink.
Turning to Samantha, I added, "Pick anything you want. Cynthia will help you."
She nodded hesitantly, stepping forward as Cynthia guided her toward the aisles.
"Take your time," I called after her, sinking into a couch.
I'd have to cancel the rest of my plans for the day, but to my surprise, I didn't mind.
My gaze landed on a magazine on the table. I flipped through it briefly before discarding it and dialing Mrs. Vlad to update her about Kaius' proposal, carefully leaving out Samantha.
"Well, I'm leaving the decision to you, Raf," she said. "If you think it's worth it, then go ahead and approve it. Let me know once you've made up your mind."
"Thank you, ma'am," I replied before ending the call.
A slow, evil smile spread across my face. There was no way I'd let Kaius' idea succeed, not after learning what kind of monster he was to Samantha and likely others.
My thoughts drifted back to her. Why was I so eager to help her? Perhaps because I'd once been in a similar position of helplessness until Dragos saved me.
Running a hand through my hair, I noticed a group of teenage girls enter the shop. Their whispers caught my attention thanks to my heightened hearing.
"Oh my gosh, he's so handsome."
"How old do you think he is?"
"Can't be over 25. Should I go talk to him?"
"Yes, Nicky, you've got this. Remember, you're the hottest girl in school."
"Oh, Carla, how could I forget?"
I smirked to myself, amused by their chatter. One of the girls, presumably Nicky, straightened her shoulders and strutted towards me, her friends coming behind at a safe distance.
"Hi," she said confidently, but I could tell she was nervous.
"Hi," I replied, flashing a polite smile.
She plopped down beside me on the couch. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I just wanted to say…" She glanced back at her friends before blurting out, "Oh my gosh, you're so hot!" Her cheeks flushed as she fanned her face.
I chuckled. "Thank you. I'm flattered. What's your name?"
"Nicky," she said quickly.
"Nicky, I'm Rafael."
"Can I get your number?"
I smiled and shook my head. "Nicky, I'm way older than you. It's inappropriate."
Her face fell, but she quickly hid it with a nervous laugh. "Oh, come on. You don't look a day over twenty-five!"
"That's because I'm not, darling, I'm over five centuries old" was what I wanted to reply, but I ended up chuckling lightly and leaning back on the couch.
"Flattering, but trust me, I'm older than you think. And besides…" I glanced at her group of friends, all eagerly watching. "You deserve someone closer to your age who can appreciate your beauty."
She blushed. "You think I'm beautiful?"
I smiled in response and watched her turn redder than the first time.
"Okay, I better go," she said quickly, standing. "It was nice meeting you, Mister Rafael"
"Same here"
I watched her walk back to her friends, who immediately burst into giggles, and shook my head in amusement.
Just then, Cynthia emerged from a corner. "Samantha's ready," she said, motioning toward the back of the store.
I stood and followed her, finding Samantha holding a modest selection of clothes. She glanced at me nervously, "Is this okay?"
I nodded, "You could get more. Cynthia, please add a few more outfits, and charge it all to my account."
"Of course, Mr. Rafael," Cynthia said, already picking out a few additional dresses.
Samantha subconsciously smiled at a gown Cynthia handed to her, and that small reaction... her smile, made me happy.
It was inexplicable. I'd only met her today. How was she having this much effect on me?
I left them to it, returning to the couch where I waited.
After a few more minutes, we were back on the road, on our way to my condo.
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I taught Samantha the code to my condo, even as my instincts screamed at me.
What was I doing, giving a total stranger access to my home?
But I knew she might need it in case of an emergency, especially if I wasn't around. A part of me hesitated, worried she might try to leave when I wasn't there, but I gave her the code anyway.
When we were done, we stepped into my condo. Just because I'd been with the Vlads since Dragos turned me didn't mean I lacked wealth of my own. While I wasn't as rich as them, I'd accumulated enough over the years to live comfortably. Honestly, if someone as old as me was still poor, they were probably cursed.
I also worked for the Vlad company. As the brand ambassador, I was the face of the company when it came to gaining trust and building bridges with external parties. But after Azrael's death, Darcia had asked if I wanted to step into his role as CEO. I'd declined because it felt too personal, too much of a family thing. Even though they considered me part of the family, I didn't feel comfortable taking that place.
Samantha dropped the shopping bags and walked out to the balcony. She held onto the glass banister, staring out into the open as the wind blew against her short hair.
"It's beautiful," she whispered.
I stood behind her, hands on my waist. "Yeah, it is."
After a moment, she stepped back inside, and I followed.
"I'll make you some food," I said
"No, please. Let me. You've already done so much," she said quickly, stepping in front of me.
I smiled and headed to the kitchen. "It's fine. I enjoy cooking."
I began laying out pans and ingredients, then turned to her, a small towel slung over my shoulder. "Any allergies?"
For the first time, she giggled. It was a short, soft sound that lasted only a few seconds but it warmed my chest.
"No," she said, shaking her head. "Or at least, none that I'm aware of."
I nodded, cracking eggs into a bowl. Samantha shuffled her feet, looking shy, before speaking again. "I need to change. Where can I…"
"Oh, yeah. Sorry, you had to ask." I threw the eggshells in the bin, rinsed my hands, and walked out of the kitchen with her. Picking up her shopping bags, I led her to the guest room which was well furnished.
"This is yours," I said, showing her the space.
"Thank you," she said in gratitude, before stepping inside.
Leaving her to settle in, I returned to the kitchen to finish cooking. By the time I set the plates on the dining table, Samantha came out of the guest room, smelling strongly of strawberries.
I turned and nearly lost my balance.
She had changed into one of the new dresses— a simple off-the-shoulder piece that flared and stopped just above her knees. Small high-heeled sandals adorned her feet, and her short hair, usually falling to her chin, was brushed back and gelled perfectly.
I swallowed hard, gripping the kitchen towel tightly, and gestured for her to sit, not trusting my voice to come out steady.
Samantha sat down, taking a deep breath and smiling. "It smells amazing. Thank you."
I nodded and took my seat across from her, serving myself a small portion so she wouldn't feel awkward eating alone.
Before taking a bite, she glanced at me, her voice soft. "I… I needed to get out of those clothes," she said cautiously, making me pause my eating. "Lord Kaius made me cut my hair," she continued, her tone even quieter now. "I hate how it looks like this, so I styled it while it grows back."
I looked into her eyes, speaking gently, "I understand. If you need more clothes or anything else… anything at all, just let me know, okay?"
She blushed and dipped her head.
"Don't do that," I said.
"I'm sorry," she responded quickly, raising her head. "It's just a habit. I was always made to keep my head bowed at Lord Kaius' place."
"It's fine. I understand," I replied. "Just know you're in safe hands now. Eat."
After a while, I added, "And he isn't your Lord anymore. He's not 'Lord Kaius' here. He's just…" I paused, searching for the right words, "…a painful memory you're going to leave behind."
Samantha gave me a small, hesitant smile. "Thank you, Mr Langston," she whispered.
"Rafael," I corrected, biting into a sausage. "Call me Rafael."