Page 9 of The Bratva's Plus-Size Bride

However, waking up anywhere other than my crummy apartment made me furious and devastated all at once.

I just wanted things to go back to normal. I wanted to wake up from this horrible nightmare and realize that it was nothing more than that.

Reluctantly sitting up, I dragged a hand down my face and tried my best to keep it together. I had to stay calm, even if it felt like my life was falling apart.

There was a chance Benedikt could change his mind. He could’ve decided overnight to let me go with a warning to not publish the article. He could’ve felt bad for me and instead of ‘making me disappear;’ he could’ve decided to do good in the world for once. Perhaps balance the karmic scales in his favor and spare an innocent life.

It didn’t take long for me to realize that thinking wouldn’t get me anywhere.

However, several black shopping bags next to the bed did catch my attention. I spotted familiar luxury brand logos, and as much as I didn’t want to give in to my curiosity so easily, I was beginning to hate the feeling of having a pencil skirt and blouse on. After sleeping in the same clothes, I was itching to get new ones on.

With a sigh, I reached over and grabbed two of the bags before hoisting them onto the bed with me. My brows immediately went up at the sheer weight of them, and upon inspection, it was easy to see why that was.

The bags were full of clothes. As in, there were at least thousands upon thousands of dollars' worth of designer clothes. Bewildered by the sight, I reached for an item and pulled it out to find the tag still on. My stomach turned at the price alone.

There was a gross amount of money sitting in front of me, but at that moment, my comfort trumped all, even if Benedikt didn’t seem to agree. Letting go of a decided breath, I sifted through the bags until I found something suitable.

Getting up from the bed, I shuffled out of my clothes, hating how they felt like a second skin by then, and reached for a pair of leggings, along with a slouchy knit sweater. While it wasn’t a fix for everything, I felt less grimy.

At the very least, the fabrics were so luxurious that they helped me forget the hellish situation I found myself in.

A knock at the door startled me from my thoughts, making me jump as I looked over in its direction. I held my breath, waiting for it again.

“Are you awake?”

Even the sound of Benedikt's voice was enough to make me furious all over again. As my blood boiled, and I let out a huff of annoyance. “Yes. What do you want?”

He chuckled. “Hurry up and meet me downstairs then. It’s not negotiable.”

I narrowed my eyes despite the door between us, already fuming. Before long, I heard the faint shuffle of him disappearing down the hallway, and it took everything in my power to not lose my mind again.

To spite him, I went into the ensuite and fixed myself up, rinsing with a fresh bottle of mouthwash to feel a little more human. All the while, I imagined every way I could bust out of the house and find my freedom again.

However, as I got lost in thought, every idea seemed to get more absurd before I concluded that none of them would work. As much as I hated the idea of giving in and letting him get away with the cruel position he forced me into, I also didn’t want to face the bleak consequences of disobeying.

While my stubbornness and refusal to cooperate still gleaned through as I began for the door, every step reluctant, I wasn’t prepared to lose my life over it.

I had the feeling Benedikt would spare me just to torture me until my last breath instead of killing me outright. I had the feeling he was petty like that.

Grumbling to myself, I made my way downstairs, physically aching as I followed his orders. I wished there was more I could do to spite him, but everything seemed so useless, and I didn’t have the energy to spend on an attempt.

As I turned the corner, emerging into the kitchen, I stopped in my tracks when I found Benedikt sitting at the long table with several papers in front of him, along with a shiny pen that made my stomach turn.

Unable to say anything, I simply stared as the crushing reality weighed down on my shoulders.

Benedikt wasn’t kidding about us getting married before the weekend was up. He never was in the first place.

He pulled a smug smile as he grabbed the stack of papers in front of him and neatly shuffled them against the table. “There you are. I told you we’d have more than enough time.”

My heart was in my throat, watching as every last vestige of freedom and choice evaporated before my very eyes.

It all had to be some cruel joke, but I wasn’t laughing.

Chapter 6 - Benedikt

After Gemma gave up her cursing the night prior, the silence gave me the chance to finally think as I mauled over everything.

Even if I didn’t feel like considering her wishes that much, I wasn’t completely heartless. Instead, I kept thinking about what she said—how the internship was all she had.

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