Debt For Love

Olivia POV

Slowly, Ethan slides his hand beneath my nighties, with kisses running across my neck to my chest. For a moment, I ran out of breath and gasped in joy. It feels so heavenly, the best feeling of my life.

He pulls the limp arms of the nightie away from my shoulders and works his tongue around my nipples. I moan softly, unable to conceal the joy.

My first impression was probably wrong about him, and this is a honeymoon to remember. I wonder how many women have had the pleasure of having such a hunk accompany them to cloud nine, as I enjoy now. His feel against my body is magical, working his fingers around my clit to perfection. I lost my senses and didn't know when I started to whimper.

After minutes of captivating foreplay, my eyes widen as he slips his boner into my wet pussy. Oh goodness, I love it.

We went on for hours, and I didn't want it to stop.

I never imagined something like this would ever result from this marriage, but I was wrong.

The morning rays of sunshine sliver through the room's windows, and I smile as I open my eyes. Ethan is already dressed up and looks handsome in his office suit.

"Are you leaving already?" I say, with a smile, as I get up from the bed and hug him from behind, wrapping my hands around his chest and placing my head on his back while he faces the mirror.

He takes my hand off him instantly without taking a look at me.

"Take your bath and get ready to leave now."

The silky voice that said 'I do,' when the Bishop joined us together has now morphed into a cold one.

"Is our honeymoon over? Just like that?"

"I said get your things ready and prepare to leave! Which part of that don't you understand?"

He turns to face me, and the whole of my being melts into a puddle of water.

"But we have not even had enough rest since we got here."

"I said get your things ready and prepare to leave," he yells, gripping my chin tightly. His fiery look at me makes my heart slam against my ribs, "I hate it when I repeat myself; don't make me lose my patience. You're going to hate it when I do." He shoves me aside, and I stumble on the room couch.

My entire lifetime flashes before my face, watching the man I swore an oath before God to be with become a monster.

I start to whimper softly, pushing back the tears that trickle down my face.

"Quit the whimsy tears and get ready before I go hard on you." Ethan's voice reverberates through my ears

"Do you think I love you?" Ethan says, with a scorn on his face.

"I... I don't know.." I whimper as he pulls me by my hair, tossing me on the bed.

"Of course you don't know, you are nothing but a piece of unwanted sex garbage used to settle a miserable man's debt. Don't you ever think I will love you."

My head bangs heavily, I remain speechless, and I can only sob into the bedspread.

I crawl into the bathroom while he moves to the reception. I disgust myself for becoming like this, but it is for my father, my only family.

I saved time before meeting him at the hotel's reception. He steps outside and asks me to wait for him while he receives a call.

"... the bitch squeals like a pig..."

I overheard him speak to someone over the phone.

"... of course, you know I never fail at that," he chuckles softly, "she thinks I love her already after a night of sex..."

My heart shatters into a million pieces.

"Who are speaking with?" I walk up to challenge him.

"And who do you think you are to interfere in my matters?"

"I'm that bitch you speak of, right?"

My eyes were starting to become teary.

He immediately clasped his hand around my neck, choking the life out of me.

"Have I not warned you not to meddle with my business? You really want to die, don't you."

We are at the hotel's parking lot, and the security operatives start approaching us.

"Hey Mr, what do you think you are doing?"

One of them asks as he hurries to the parking lot.

"It is none of your business."

Ethan releases his hand around my neck and faces the security.

"Is he hurting you?" The man asks me. I glanced at Ethan's cold face; fear gripped me, and my heart plunged into my stomach.

I nod a negative and say in a low tone, "No."

At that moment, I regret ever having to cover up for him. Ever since, he never stopped treating me like an animal, like he had a vendetta against me for a long time.

"You gonna be fine, girl," Emily, the only person I can take solace in, consoles me.

"I don't know what I did wrong. Thanks for only he would tell me." I mumble into her lap as I lay on her living room sofa.

Whenever I feel like the oceans are about to swallow me up, it is her I run to. I spend my day with her. If she is not on duty, return to the Stone's mansion - my prison - before Ethan returns from work.

That night, I met him in the living room, all drunk and would not stop gulping his bottle of alcohol.

I try to take the bottle away from his hand while he sits on the floor near the couch.

"Leave me alone you witch!"

He yells at me, pushing me away from him.

"Ethan, you look messy. Let me help you." I sympathize with him, not minding the insults as I have become fond of them.

"I said leave me alone!"

"Ethan your father would be disappointed if he sees you like this."

"You took everything away from me Victoria. I gave you my heart, my love, everything I have, yet, you chose to leave me in pieces."

Victoria? Who in heaven's name is Victoria?

"I will make you pay, Vicky, I promise you."

Chapter 2

Olivia POV

After having difficulty sleeping, I woke up the following morning with a bang in my head. I see Ethan hitting his daily squats and push-ups. His physique always turns me on whenever he does his morning workout, even though he won't let me touch him.

He catches me gawking at him.

"Is everything fine with you?" He snaps at me and strolls into the bathroom.

It is still a miracle how he sleeps on the same beds as me, even when we don't have sex. There is only intimacy between us whenever his dick instructs him to, but I'm fine by it. So far, it has kept my father's reputation intact.

"I will come home late tonight, don't wait for me," he says while dressing up.

"Who... is Vicky?"

I summon the courage to bring up what he said the previous night. I soon realize how much of a fool I have become by mentioning that name in his ears. While styling his hair, I see his face morph into a frown.

He turns to me with a fiery eyes.

"How did you know that name?"

"You mentioned her while you were drunk yesterday night in your sleep."

"And what else did you hear? What else did I say?"

I gulp a cupful of saliva down my throat.

"N- nothing, you said nothing else," I mutter out of fear.

"You're lying, ain't you? Slithering bitch."

"Not at all, I won't dare like to you."

"Good."

He faces the mirror again and resumes what he was busy with before I interrupt him.

"Did she hurt you?" I inquire, fearing what might happen next.

"What?"

"What did she take from you?"

My journalism instincts started to kick in, putting me in trouble.

Instantly, he charges at me, where I am seated on the bed. He drags me down to the floor, pulling me from my leg. I hit my head hard on the marble floor. However, that was the least of the hell he was about to unleash on me.

He pins my face to the ground with his strong, massive hand.

"Young lady, how many times will you have to make me repeat myself?"

"I am sorry." I whimper with my face, kissing the cold floor.

"Sorry? You are not sorry. If you were you would learn to mind your business. Have I not told you countless times not to speak to me except you are spoken to?"

"You did."

My whimper transcends into weeping.

"Yet you chose to ignore me. I warned you not to interfere in my matters. Just because I am married to you does not give you the fucking damn right to meddle in what does not concern you." He strikes me hard on my face with his palm.

"It won't repeat itself," I say, feeling helpless on the floor as I begin to do so profusely.

"Better not, always remember your place. You are here only for my enjoyment, nothing else."

My world starts to crumble instantly, and his words create a wormhole of emptiness in my heart.

I lost my mind sooner than I ever imagined. With no passing day, Ethan won't make me the most miserable on earth. Nevertheless, I summon the strength to forge ahead of my difficulties.

"So Olivia, have you been doing lots of hectic activities lately?" The therapist asks. It is what I need to put myself in order and keep breathing.

I will not break easily, not at all.

"Olivia, can you hear me?"

The therapist pulls me out of my oblivion. I lose focus as the words from the therapist flow out.

"Uh, yes I - I am," I lie, "what was your question again?"

The therapist, a woman in her fifties, adjusts her eyeglasses and clears her throat.

"Is there anything bothering you, or giving you concern?"

"Um," I sigh, "yes, a lot. I've got a lot of them on my mind."

"Can you share with me some of it?"

"Mrs. Atkinson, we might spend the entire day here if I start," I say with a plain tone.

"Well, lucky for you, it is my job. I have nothing else to do than to sit here all day and listen to people's problems," she leans forward from her chair, holding my hand from across her table, "look into my eyes, Olivia, you can talk to me."

She connects with my soul, leaving me with a feeling of ease. She sounds just like my mother before she died.

"I, don't even know where to start from."

My voice starts to break.

"You can start from anywhere, Olivia. You can pick it up from the top, middle, or bottom, all you just have to do is let it all out."

"I hate my life."

"Okay, and what else. Do you just hate your life alone or is there more to it?"

Her warm voice floods my soul with comfort. Slowly, I begin to release the tension all over me.

"How do you feel when you make yourself the lamb of sacrifice for someone you love? My whole life keeps shredding into a million pieces as I wake each day, sometimes I just wished I never existed."

I start. Mrs Atkinson readjusts her eyeglasses again, then rubs her thumb on my hand.

"If it is for someone you love, it is worth it, Olivia. No matter how bad it looks, try to ask yourself what will happen to the person you are doing it for, if you stop, if you quit."

"All I want is to be loved, why is that too difficult for me." I continue to sob helplessly.

"You can only be loved if you love yourself first, dear. Keep that in mind, learn to love yourself first."

I continue weeping while driving home, thinking of Mrs Atkinson's last piece of advice flooding my mind.

Before I reach home, my phone flashes, and an unknown number pops on my screen.

"Who is this?"

"Olivia? Am I speaking with Olivia Wilson?"

"Yes, it is her."

"Can we meet at Big T Jitters?"

"Who are you?"

"You will know when you get there, I have a confession to make."

Chapter 3

Olivia POV

"I feel very ashamed of myself right now standing before you." The bald young man says, looking down at his coffee mug.

"What exactly do you mean? I don't think I have seen you before."

I squinted my eyes properly at him, but I could not match his face to anyone I knew.

"My name is Marcus, and I am Mr. Stone's special advisor. I am a sinner." His words start to charge my bones with fear.

"Ethan? What have I done this time?"

"Not at all. I work with his father, Mark."

I started to entertain thoughts about what Ethan's father would want from me. However, the man's actions depict guilt.

"What does he want from me?" I start to panic and run out of breath. I look around the coffee shop to see if no one suspicious lurks around.

"Listen to me please," he says, locking eyes with me. Tears start to trickle down his face, "Your father is a good man, all he ever desired was to see you happy and he still desires it."

"I know."

I am sure of it more than anything else.

"Your father has previously refused Mark's offer to buy his startup some years back. But Mark was stubborn he won't stop disturbing your father, and by that time your father's company was starting to become a threat to the Stone empire - " he takes us, leans forward to me, and rubs his hand on his head, buried in shame.

"What happened next?"

I remain frozen where I am seated, wishing none of what I hear is true, but I cannot deny facts.

" - your father's failed investment, became an opportunity for Mark, to finally gain control of your father's company. Mark sent me to propose a relief package to your father which he declined times without a number. Ethan bought all the potential investors in your father's company and connived with loan Banks to decline your father's loan proposal. I was sent one more time to convince your father, he was such a strong and innocent man. He agreed this time when his company was on the verge of going bankrupt."

"Ethan's father did all this to my father?"

I could no longer control my tears as every word flowed out of my mouth. Bitterness filled my heart immediately.

"Mark was too cunning, he manipulated the documents to increase your father's debt every month. Your father, having no means of meeting up, proposed you get married to Ethan as a proxy till he can repay his debt. But Mark knew your father was never going to meet up, so he plans to make a final proposition for your father's company, to settle the debt once and for all. I don't know if this will help you in regaining your father's honor I don't know if this will ever make up for the sins I have committed as an accomplice to Mark, but I hope it brings comfort to your soul."

I became shattered and devastated, trying to process everything Marcus had just said.

"Thank you, Marcus."

Marcus is about to take leave, and something clicks in my mind.

"Marcus," I stop him as he stands from his seat, "is my father aware of what you just told me?"

Marcus sucks in his lip and sighs, "I don't know for sure, but he was fully aware of the kind of person your husband and his family is beforehand."

I lose myself after everything I have heard, and I need an explanation from my father. I want to hear it from him: why he would keep such a thing from me and keep me in the shadows like that. I need an explanation for pushing me into the mouth of a beast without telling me everything.

I bet he has the slightest idea of what I go through at the hands of Ethan. I bet he knows how much time I spend soaking my pillows with tears. No, he does not, which is why I need an explanation. He has to tell me why.

It is Saturday morning, and there is no better place my father will be at other than playing golf.

"Hey, Olivia," he says with a grin, stretching out his arms wide to receive me in a hug.

I do not respond.

"What brings you here baby girl?" He hands over his golf stick to one of his attendants as we stroll. "I have a surprise for you, I have been able to finally perfect my strikes. Quite an improvement isn't it?"

I remain silent still.

"Why is your face gloomy?" he asked as we stopped our stroll. He cups my cheeks in his hand.

"Father, you knew about Ethan all along."

He lowers his gaze from my eyes and retracts backwards.

"I'm sorry, it was the only way to save you, to save us-"

"Don't tell me the US! It was the only way to save yourself."

"No Olivia, since your mother passed away, everything I have ever done was for you and you alone. Never for once have I thought of myself without thinking of what will become of you."

"What will become of me? Father! Do you have the slightest idea of what I have been through in that prison you sent me? Do you even care if I was going to survive in there? You knew of Ethan's cruelty and yet the best way to save us was to send me in there."

"Olivia, it is nothing like that. I have always loved you and I still do--"

"Don't tell me you love me. You love nobody but yourself. I sacrificed my dreams, my peace, my convenience just so you could be happy and fulfill yours, Father."

I fall to my knees, weeping uncontrollably. My father kneels beside me and rests my head on his chest as I weep.

He pats my head with a trembling voice, and he says, "You are strong my dear, just hang in there till I make it better."

In our broken moments, Julian, my father's assistant, hurries to us, panting heavily.

"Sir, the investors have all pulled out of the company, they are holding a press conference right now."

"What do you mean by pulling out? I thought Mr. Stone had us covered." My father rises to his feet and meets Julian's eye level.

"I don't know how it happened, our stocks are declining faster than they have ever done. "

"This cannot be happening, this cannot be." My father holds his chest and slowly slumps to the ground.