40 Bargain

"I'm not going to continue unless you agree to my request." She pouted and Alexander narrowed his eyes. "Why are you so against it? Is it because you suck at games? Don't worry, I'll teach you," she added, as she started urging him and coaxing him. She even encouraged him like she suddenly became a department store's sales clerk.

"I promise, it'll be fun. And… as a reward, you will get a fine massage from me. This is like a buy one take one sale. You're getting a bargain!"

Alexander was bewildered. He couldn't believe she was already acting like this. Not even a day had passed yet and she was already treating him this way. She was already being this persistent, even treating him without a tiny bit of fear at all. All the girls he had met had never acted this way around him. They all knew he was dangerous; a man they couldn't afford to mess with or joke with or even dare to disobey. All of those girls beforehand had always acted like they were around a king but this girl, this little lamb… why was acting she like this?

He was sure that she knew it and felt it. Everyone who got close to him always felt it - the immense coldness and utter darkness that acted like an invisible shield around his body. He knew she could feel it, just like everyone else, and yet, she still acted like this; like a child who kept trying to touch a dangerous wolf without any care about the dirt and disease that pulsated within its body, as if she didn't care if she ended up being beaten to death.

Because of Alexander's silence, Abi tilted her head down to look at his face when suddenly, Charles walked into the room.

"Excuse me, Miss Abi," the butler said and Abi stepped aside as the man whispered in Alex's ear.

The air around Alexander immediately became heavy, causing Abi to deduce that whatever the butler said wasn't good news to him.

He looked at Abigail with a pretty serious gaze.

"Abigail, go back to your room first. Don't come out until I say so." His twisted smile had long left his lips.

"Huh? But you still didn't –"

At that moment, a merciless chill was suddenly emitted from those intense eyes, intimidating and locking her down on the spot.

The look only lasted a second, but it chilled her so much that the hairs on her arms stood up. Abi flinched and just froze there.

Alexander stood majestically before her as he cupped her face. "We'll play after this. Now go," he said.

Abi wanted to celebrate but she didn't, not when he agreed to her request looking this emotionless. She wondered, 'why was he so cold?' Would those glaciers in his eyes really never melt?

Abigail looked down as soon as his eyes released her and she obediently nodded at him. "Okay."

Inside her room, Abigail couldn't stop herself from thinking hard. She didn't want to become gloomy. He had agreed so she should be delighted, right? But so many questions ran through her head. Why did he ask her to stay in her room? Was he trying to hide her from someone? Or was he hiding something from her?

These questions continued revolving around her head, relentlessly like the solar system, for a long time. She tried to distract herself by preparing everything they were going to need for when they played. When that was done, she fixed her bed, browsed through a few books that she found interesting, re-read the items on her list and listened to some music.

Before she knew it, three hours had passed. It was already dark outside but Alexander still hadn't come. She wondered what was going on and curiosity got the better of her. Abi went to her window which overlooked the vast front yard. She saw four black cars, which were obviously very expensive looking and she figured whoever his visitors were, they were loaded. She could see that these cars were those types of cars that the country's president would use during a parade.

She stood there for a long time until she saw a few people start to come out. The men in black, who were standing by the cars, finally moved.