Throwing that tantrum was so unlike me but had to be a result of the mayhem reigning inside my mind.
I eat the food taking small bites. It’s delicious and it makes me feel instantly stronger. I think another day of starvation might have done me in.
Once I’ve finished eating, I shower and change into a dress similar to what I wore yesterday. When I’m ready I wait for one of the guards to come and take me outside.
Just like yesterday, there are guards surrounding the place, but I don’t allow that to stop me from thinking of my escape.
I sit on the grass and scribble in the notebook while I assess the gate and the surrounding areas.
From where I am I can see a path, but I can’t see where it leads to or much more through the wrought iron rails.
The only thing I could use to pick that lock is the nib from the pen. Eric taught me how. If I manage to do it and get through the gates the rest of the plan would be a guessing game.
The gate might be old, but Aiden Romanov is no fool. He’ll have everything wired up to kill you if need be.
Maksim said the waters were shark infested. How fucking typical for Aiden to live near shark infested waters. While everybody else probably chose their homes for the scene and the beauty of living on the California coast, he most likely picked this place because of the sharks. I wasn’t even surprised when Maksim said that.
I’m a strong swimmer if I have to swim but I’ll have to be careful of any unsavory creatures. I’ve heard of the sharks in these waters, and they don’t usually bother you if there’s no reason for them to attack. That, however, doesn’t mean I want to swim with them.
I will if I have to, though.
I don’t go inside the house until it gets dark and when I do the aroma of Irina’s cooking tickles my nose and teases my stomach. The beef casserole she made for lunch was divine and reminded me of Mom’s cooking.
Instead of being led upstairs, I’m surprised when the guard takes me to the dining room where there’s a nice spread of delicious gourmet food laid out on the long mahogany table. There’s roast chicken with a crispy golden coat and several platters of vegetables and other assortments of food.
The guard leaves me and closes the door.
I look over the food and a pang of hunger grips me from the sight, but curiosity wins when I look over the room. Apart from the bedroom, bathroom and the path leading outside this is the only other part of the house I’ve been in and the beautiful décor steals my breath away. It has that less is more effect with the table and chairs around it but what I like is the actual design of the room with the nude colors on the wall and the elegant chandelier in the center.
Ahead of me is a set of glass doors and I already guess this section must lead to Aiden’s office.
Deciding the food can wait for a few minutes I walk up to the doors and open them.
What greets me is beige leather furniture with classy burgundy trimmings around the borders. Another crystal chandelier hangs from the ceiling and the glossy wooden wall unit displays antique looking plates with watercolor pictures of landscapes in Russia. I know it’s Russia because I recognize the place.
It feels like I’ve just stepped into someone else’s home. A place that
doesn’t suit Aiden. Not because he lacks the propensity to be sophisticated or classy, but more because he’s so rough around the edges and raw.
I’m sure the man must make billions. He just doesn’t act like a billionaire.
I walk over to something that catches my eye on the mantel piece. It’s a little wrought iron figurine of a fairy with a little bird in her hands.
It looks like there was paint on it, but it was burned off.
I pick it up and inspect it.
Yes, it definitely looks like it was burned.
What an odd thing to keep. Even stranger that it’s sitting there on show on the mantel and there’s nothing else around. No pictures on the wall or anything else a person would have in their homes.
I hold the figurine up and look at it under the light.
Burned…
Something sad flits through my mind. It’s a realization of something that clicks. I put two and two together and I have a feeling I can guess why it looks burned. The figurine could have been something Aiden saved from the fire that killed his wife.
He’s looking for his son.