Fated To Three, Betrayed By All… Until She Rose.-Chapter 253: How powerful is Darius?

Leilani.

My fingers shook with panic as I fumbled with my purse like a mad woman. And even though this matter wasn’t one worth crying for, I couldn’t help the continuous sting by the corners of my eyes or the way my heart raced with apprehension and embarrassment.

Why?

Because for some odd reason, there was no cash in there and I could swear that I’d seen some twenty and hundred dollar notes in my purse before I left the office building.

So what the fuck is happening?

How the hell did all my money suddenly disappear?

"Do you still want the pastries, Madam, or have you changed your mind?" The cashier, who was a semi-pretty blonde girl with a wide mouth and lazy hazel eyes, asked me, and at the sound of her voice, I lifted my head to meet her now slightly hostile gaze.

She lazily dragged those eyes from the sole of my feet to the crown of my head, causing me to shudder inwardly before I shook my head.

"I still want them." I said, "give me a minute!"

But then a minute turned into two minutes... then more minutes passed and I still couldn’t find my money yet. Goddess, even my cards were gone!

A blush spread across my cheeks at this realization and as my heart pounded in my chest, I couldn’t help but wonder if I’d been robbed. If this was some voodoo shit. Hell, a million and one thoughts crossed my mind as I continued to slap on the pockets of my coat.

Still nothing.

The line behind me was growing longer too with each passing second, but not just that, they were also becoming very agitated.

Their unfiltered words were beginning to get into my ears and even their scornful laughters were clawing at that dark entity inside of me which has been waiting for the perfect moment to snap.

I pinched my eyes together in embarrassment and took in a deep breath, and now, after telling myself that there were no other ways around this and that it was best I leave before I embarrassed myself even further, I returned my purse to my side and sighed.

"I am sorry I cannot get them anymore. I can’t find my money."

The girl didn’t respond to me right away, but her gaze said everything her lips couldn’t. She snorted, whispered something about how typical this whole scenario was, but just as I was about to thank her despite her coldness and leave, a familiar warmth crept in from my side and a voice I knew I wasn’t expecting to hear— especially now— said from beside me;

"I’ll pay for the damsel."

My ears perked up. My skin erupted into flames. And it wasn’t flames as in: ’oh, I’ve just been saved like a damsel in distress by a perfect dark knight!’ kind of flames. It was a ’get away from me, you psychopath!’ kind.

My eyes thinned when I turned to the person, and as soon as a familiar set of purple eyes stared back at me, I stilled. My heartbeat picked up speed.

I spat; "Darius."

He smiled, "nice to meet you, cupcake!"

But I was no cupcake. Heck, it didn’t feel nice to meet him either!

However, deciding to keep that thought to myself, I turned away and shook my head, my voice cold as I quickly said; "No need to pay for me. I was just leaving."

"And baby, I have been watching you for the past five... or is it ten minutes? I know you want those pastries so badly so stop trying to be unreasonably difficult."

His words for some reason filled me with more annoyance than gratitude so I shook my head again. "No."

"Madam, in case you haven’t noticed, there’s a long queue standing behind you, so you either agree to allow this gentleman to pay for you or you leave." The cashier hissed and this time, I swear I couldn’t help the shocked gasp that slipped past my lips.

I didn’t know why she was being this hostile to me but it was getting at me. Real bad.

When our eyes met this time, there was no hiding the anger and disdain in hers, and that made me acutely embarrassed. I hissed; "Well, you can take these pastries and shove them up your tiny bitchy ass! And while you’re at it, you can wipe off that ugly green eyeshadow that makes you look so hideous!"

She gasped.

The people behind me gasped.

And do you know what was more infuriating?

The fact that Darius only chuckled.

He pulled me carefully behind his back and leaned forward to pay for the snacks even though I’d told him not to, then he tipped the girl so much, her frown disappeared instantly and was replaced with the brightest smile I’ve seen today.

He drawled; "Let’s go."

But I’d rather eat the cashier’s obviously unwashed hair than follow him anywhere!

I folded my arms across my chest and began to walk towards the entrance but just as I tried to open the door, it wouldn’t budge. It slammed shut and held, making it impossible for me to open.

My eyes darted around just then to notice that a few people were watching, and they were looking at me like I was some dummy. Then I turned to Darius, knowing that this was all him, and hissed coldly; "I need to leave."

"And I need to talk to you." He hissed back coldly, causing the hairs at the back of my neck to stand on end.

When he spoke, I felt something like tremors run up my spine, and maybe I was hallucinating but it seemed as though his eyes glowed with each word he said to me.

I frowned. "What do you want to talk about?"

"You... me." He drawled, and with a lower voice, added; "us."

The way he said that word; ’us’ rubbed off on me the wrong way and I frowned in disgust, hating myself for even giving him audience in the first place as I spat; 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

"No."

"It’s not a request, Lani. It’s an order." He hissed quietly and with that, began to walk away.

And that should be fine, right?

I shouldn’t bother with him now that he’s going away, right? RIGHT?

So tell me why the fuck I began to follow him like a puppet? Tell me why it felt as though I was being compelled as my feet dragged one after the other behind him?

I thought I couldn’t be compelled so what the hell is he doing to me? Goddesss, what the fuck is happening to me now?

I tried to speak but it felt like my tongue was glued to the roof of my mouth and tears leaked out from the corners of my eyes when I tried to fight against this strange hold only to be met with an excruciating pain tearing at the back of my skull.

What are you doing to me? I thought to myself. And to my utmost horror, Darius turned to look at me then. He didn’t open his mouth but I could hear his voice— in my head!

He said softly; "Nothing that should hurt you... but don’t fight it. It’ll hurt when you do!"

But it was already hurting! How the hell does he not know that?