Page 55 of Mercilessly Bred


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“Is there a problem?” I asked.

“Not at all. I’ll let the board know.”

We ended the call, and I got to work. After two hours of taking care of business, I was exhausted. Taking a break, I stood and stretched my arms over my head while looking out the window. I wasn’t sure what made me do it, but I crossed to the shelf and picked up the photo album.

Taking a seat, I flipped through it for the first time in years.

I had to admit that I missed my old lifestyle. Things were different then.Iwas different. But I was getting back to being that man.

As much as I enjoyed hiding away from the world in my castle, I couldn’t keep doing it. It wouldn’t be fair to Belle or the twins.

I came to a page with pictures of a glamorous ball. I smiled at the memories it brought to the surface. I called Maxwell again, telling him to have the company event coordinator call me. It had been years since I held a philanthropy ball at the castle, and it was long overdue.

I wasn’t sure if it would turn out great since I’d been in hiding for so long, but it would look good for the company, and I would get a chance to see my luscious Belle all dressed up.

Chapter28

Belle

Sebastian had spent the last three weeks planning his philanthropy ball. Apparently, it used to be an annual thing, with rich people paying a fortune for tickets and all the proceeds going to benefit a different charity every year.

He hadn’t done it since Charlotte died, and I could only think that his decision to hold it again was a sign that he was moving past what happened. He told me he loved me, and that had to mean something, right? Was I the reason he was opening up the castle again?

I didn’t know, and I had to admit that it shocked me when he told me about the ball. Now, it was the night of the big event, and I couldn’t wait to see the castle all lit up and full of people.

Sebastian warned me that the turnout might be small since he hadn’t hosted the event in a long time, but he was wrong about that. Tickets sold out quickly, despite how expensive they were.

I looked out my bedroom window and saw the bright headlights of cars and the silhouettes of people getting out, letting me know guests had started to arrive. The front entrance hummed with conversation as people filled the space. More than a hundred people would soon fill the halls of the castle. I could feel my palms sweating as I looked out at the chain of high-end cars that never seemed to end, but I knew I had nothing to fear with Sebastian standing by my side.

Even more exciting was the fact that Sebastian was going to have the chocolate tasting room open again, and he promised that I could taste some chocolate, within reason. His strictness about my diet wasn’t as bad since the twins were growing and the pregnancy was as healthy as it could be.

I looked away from the window and at the dress hanging on the back of the door. It was golden, princess cut, and a size sixteen. Between eating delicious food for the past six months and the weight of my pregnancy, I had returned to my much curvier natural state.

My captors kept me constantly hungry, and the pangs of hunger were like a dull ache in my stomach. My lack of food affected my appearance, and at one point my hair started to fall out. It frustrated them, but they gave in and gave me a bit more to eat, just enough to ward off hunger and keep my hair on my head.

I walked over to the dress and ran my fingers over the beaded embroidery on the top. As I touched the fabric, I could tell Sebastian had picked this out for me, and it was just perfect. When I saw it, I had my doubts it would fit my baby bump, but the midsection of lacey elastic was so soft and malleable that it perfectly contoured to me.

My phone suddenly vibrated in my pocket, and I knew it was from Sebastian. He let me know that the hair and makeup crew were just minutes away. I was prepared to prep myself for the party, but the night before his staff completed all the final touches, he stepped in and said he'd take care of it. Feeling the luxuriousness of being taken care of, I decided not to argue.

I’d never actually done my makeup before. Besides the old cases of aged foundation that my captors threw at me and the other girls before auctions with instructions to hide our bruises, it hadn’t been something I messed around with.

I stripped out of my satin pajamas and took a quick shower before putting on my plush robe. I felt like a princess, and the urge to pick up my phone and text Fiona about everything sent a pang of sadness through me because I couldn’t tell her. I had no idea where she was.

Even during everything good that was occurring, that one boulder still weighed me down. I was sure it always would until I found her. It was impossible to ignore the guilt I had over it. I was attending a ball instead of being out there looking for her.

My only solace was that Sebastian assured me he put Maxell on it, and that he had specialized skills for finding people, even when they tried their hardest to remain unfound.

As I was lost in my thoughts, a sudden knock on the door startled me, and I immediately opened it. To my surprise, Sebastian’s barber, whose face I recognized, greeted me. As I welcomed him in, two other women accompanied him, and one of them playfully pinched my cheek. They were carrying suitcases that piqued my curiosity. What could they possibly contain? I soon found out it was makeup.

While one woman applied makeup, another painted my nails, and the barber tended to my hair. The simultaneous grooming process was slightly daunting, but I shut my eyes and put my faith in their expertise, convinced that the outcome would be remarkable. After all, I didn’t want to disappoint Sebastian by looking anything less than spectacular.

“This is much better,” the barber said in his thick accent as he combed my hair. “I’m pleased to see that you’ve kept it clean and taken care of.”

I couldn’t respond because one woman was applying lipstick, but he didn’t seem to expect a response. He pulled my hair up, finishing with the updo just as my makeup was complete, and they turned my chair in the mirror's direction.

Looking in the mirror, I didn't recognize the person looking back. As I admired how amazing I looked, I had to take a deep breath to steady my emotions. I refused to let the tears blur my makeup. I twisted my head from side to side, the stylish updo as ringlets of curls framed my face.

The barber left, and the two women helped me into the dress. It was going great, and I was excited to see how I looked in it until we all heard a rip. Both women gasped, and I brought my hand to my belly.

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