Chapter 6 Resistance

Bryan only needed to take one look at Blake to growl menacingly, "Don't make the servants laugh at you. Go back to your room."

He then proceeded upstairs without sparing a single glance to Madeline.

Blake took her hand and followed suit. Their wedding room was on the third floor, while Bryan lived on the second floor.

Blake threw Madeline onto the bed as soon as they entered the room. She tried to stand up unsuccessfully as he seized her wrists and forced her back down to the bed. His chest was pressed against hers, his face an inch away from her. She could feel his warm breath on her cheeks.

"What are you doing?" Her voice was distorted into a terrified squeak.

"What am I doing? You are so stupid! You married me. I'm your husband. Today is our wedding night. What do you think I'm doing?"

Madeline's heart began to race. Panic was starting to overcome her. She tried to push him away. She couldn't let other men touch her. Not anymore.

"Don't you hate me?" She hated the tremor in her voice.

The shaky face he was looking at did nothing to appease Blake's anger. The insidious thought was worming its way into his brain. 'Yes, I do hate her. I hate her deeply.'

"But I want you to suffer. Since you were trying to marry me by any means necessary, you should honor your duty as a wife."

He pried her hands apart and brought his lips close to hers.

She struggled to get away. She did not want to be kissed.

His anger flared up. He suddenly bit her delicate neck, leaving a red mark on the pale skin.

She let out a cry of pain.

"Are you still not obedient?" Blake was panting but didn't relax his grip.

Madeline felt her strength slip away. She had almost no fight left in her.

She tried to stop him once more, but was utterly powerless.

Tears of humiliation left a burning trail on her cheeks. She went limp, abandoning all resistance.

If this was to be her fate, all she could do at that very moment was to bear it.

No one could save her.

Surprised at her sudden lack of movement, Blake looked at her. His voice was dripping with savage sarcasm.

"What? Are you giving in? Or were you just playing cat and mouse with me?"

Madeline closed her eyes, she would not give him the pleasure of seeing her defeat reflected in them. She gritted her teeth, determined to endure it with dignity.

He was becoming rougher and rougher. He would hurt her as much as he could.

She remained indifferent and her lack of reaction to his attempts at torturing her only made him madder.

"I don't like to have sex with a puppet!"

Blake stood up brutally and pulled her violently from the bed.

"Drink. I want to see your true face. I want to see you beg and surrender to me."

He poured himself a full glass of wine and emptied it. Then he poured another glass for Madeline.

She was not a drinker. After she had gotten drunk in New York, she had sworn she would never touch a drop of alcohol ever again. The shame of that night was permanently etched into her heart.

She finally broke down, abandoning all pretense of pride, and begged him in a low voice, "Please let me go! Please, I know you hate me, so I will stay away from you. I won't let you see me or anger you."

"Drink this glass if you don't want to feel my wrath!" There was not a hint of mercy to be found in Blake's words.

"Please, let me go, okay?" Madeline begged once more, trying to sound as humble as she could. Perhaps she could still appease him.

Blake forced her mouth open and poured the wine into it. "It's too late to beg me now. Drink it."

Madeline struggled desperately, spilling the wine all over herself. It dripped sinisterly to the ground.

This renewal of willpower enraged Blake. He picked her up, stumbled to the bed and threw her on it again.

Then he jumped on her and tore off what remained of her dress. He was barely human anymore, a blood-thirsty beast.

Madeline was frozen in horror. Tears were rushing down her face, she wanted to scream, cover herself, run away. But she couldn't move, he was too strong.

And then, without warning, he stopped and dropped onto her, motionless.

He stayed like that for a long time.

Madeline slowly gathered enough courage to open her eyes, only to find him fast asleep.

His body was heavy and she struggled to break free.

Bryan suddenly bolted upright and looked up at the ceiling, frowning.

Why could he still hear the cries? Weren't the walls of his room made of the best sound-proof materials?

He sipped some water and went back to sleep.

The screams were still echoing through the house.

He stood up once again, put on his pajamas and walked out of the room to stop the commotion.

He had barely reached the stairway that he bumped into someone.

He gripped it tightly to stop it from falling down and saw Madeline's tearful face shining in the moonlight.

"I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!" Madeline was terrified, shaking uncontrollably.

Frowning slightly, he examined the disheveled girl that stood before him. She was in a dreadful state.

The open neckline revealed a large area of snow-white skin hideously adorned by a purple mark.

"It's nothing," he said in a low voice without betraying the distress that was suffocating him for no apparent reason.

"Where... Where are you going?" His voice was hesitant.

Madeline shook her head, choking on her tears.

"Come with me." The order was gentle and reassuring.

Bryan led her to the innermost guest room on the left side of the second floor. "Have a rest here."

She nodded and thanked him profusely. Her gratefulness was too strong to be expressed by mere words.

He instinctively knew what had happened to her. But it was none of his business.

No matter what had happened between them, she was his cousin's wife now. She belonged to him.