YOUR MONSTER, MY PRIDE

The sun rose quickly-almost too quickly for Annabel-as she rolled on her bed. Its rays brushed her face gently. She hissed, tightening her eyes under the glare of the sun. What she once believed to be perfect morning had suddenly become torture.

A loud, piercing alarm shattered the silence, she sprang upright instantly sending a wicked glare at the alarm, she grabbed it and snatched it against the wall before collapsing back into her bed.

She sighed deeply as she lazily rolled on the bed. She had barely relaxed when some disturbing sounds sprouted beyond the door.

"Please madam, don't do this! We don't have anywhere else to go" one of the helpers wept as she held onto her small bag.

"You all do nothing but occupy space, feast on us like leeches," A cold, strict voice scolded the workers, "You don't even do your jobs properly."

Annabel took slow, hesitant steps as she walked down the stairs, she watched with confusion, struggling to make sense of the situation.

"Samantha! What's going on here?" She snapped.

The helpers rushed towards her, surrounding her as they pleaded.

"Please help us, ma'am. Samantha is suddenly firing us all," one cried.

"Without this job, we can't cater for our family, please don't fire us ma'am" another added.

Annabel's eyes shifted between her sisters and the helpers. She stood silent and lost in the situation.

"Please give me a minute" she said with a reassuring smile as she walked towards Samantha.

"You are laying off all our workers? why?" She eyes caught a familiar face and her expression darkened. Nanny Camille.

Her face immediately flushed with anger. "You are firing Nanny Camille too!" She snapped. "She's more than just our worker, she's family, she practically raised us Samantha, how could you?."

Samantha glared at her sharply. Normally, she looked like someone who had stepped out of a fashion show, always dressed in designers brands and heavy makeup. Her dark brown eyes were always cold, short tight dresses clung to her nice figure, everything about her screamed control and elegance.

But today, she looked different.

She wore loose jeans and a T- shirt, her hair messy as though she had just been defeated from a battle but still trying to maintain her composure.

"Shut up, Annabel!" Her voice remained sharp. "Just leave. Stop being a nuisance."

"No!" Annabel shook her head stubbornly. " I'm not leaving and no one else is. Not until you tell us what the hell is going on!" She moved protectively towards nanny Camille, wrapping her arms around her.

But then she paused.

In the middle of the tension, she noticed Samantha's unusual look but more than that she noticed something else.

Caroline was nowhere to be found.

That was strange.

Samantha and Caroline had always been together as kids, teens and even as adults , they remained inseparable. Annabel had grown up on the outside from their world. She spent years feeling ignored like the sister no one wanted, this only made the bond between her and their father grow stronger.

"What's wrong with you?" Annabel's voice softened shifting from anger to concern.

Samantha's face squeezed. Without a word, she grabbed Annabel's wrist tightly, dragging her up the stairs.

"Father isn't here anymore so you can quit being a princess now" she hissed as she aggressively dragged Annabel.

"You are hurting me" she screamed in pain as struggled against her sister's grip. "Let go".

Samantha successfully dragged her all the way to her room, slamming the door shut, shoving her against the wall. "Pick any gorgeous outfit" she ordered. "Look extremely beautiful because you are going on a date- with Nathan"

Annabel stared at her, stunned. "What?" She smirked "why would I do that?"

Samantha hated being questioned. She clenched her fist, shut her eyes for a brief second and let out a sharp sigh before slowly turning to give Annabel a cold, frightening glare.

"We are going bankrupt, Annabel," she said in a low voice. "If we don't find an investor as soon as possible, all fathers hard work- everything- will go down the drain."

Annabel stood frozen. Shook her head slowly in denial. "That's not true..." her voice broke. "Father left the business in your care when he got ill..."

Her head sprang up. She glared sharply at Samantha's then rushed towards her, grabbing her shirt tightly.

"How could you?" She snapped "it hasn't even been six months since you took over the company and now you're telling me we are bankrupt?" Tears slowly gathered in her eyes.

Samantha's silence only drained her energy.

She slowly released her grip on her. "What are we going to tell father when he wakes up" she whispered, taking a few steps from her. Her gaze fell on the floor.

"That's why you should go on that date with Nathan," Samantha said softly. "He always had a crush on you right?"

She walked over and grabbed Annabel's shoulder, forcing eye contact. "Beg him, seduce him, do what you have to- just make sure he agrees to invest in our company, that's the only way to save us." Samantha ordered.

"Fine.." Annabel voiced out softly ""but don't let off any of our workers."

Samantha paused for a moment before she stormed out of the room, leaving Annabel broken, stunned and confused.

It was almost noon when Annabel stood outside a restaurant in a dark red elegant gown, her long dark hair flowing softly. She walked in elegantly in heels like she was born in them. Her make up was soft but enchanting.

She was stunning.

Her dark grey eyes scanned the room, she sighed deeply at the immediate sight of Nathan. She took slow, elegant step like she was walking to receive an award.

"Hi Nathan" she said with a seductive smile.

Nathan's eyes glanced at her seductively, watching her from her toes down to her head as he slowly sipped in his wine.

"Your sister told me you had feelings for me.." he let out a tiny laugh " that wasn't what u said when I asked you out the last time."

Annabel clenched her fist beneath the table, she had barely spent time with him but she already felt disgusted.

She forced a smile, as she sipped in her wine slowly.

"Well, I wasn't ready then.."

"Are you ready now?" Nathan cut in. "I booked a room for us..." Nathan seductively licked his lips. " we will spend the night there, if you please me then maybe I will consider having you as my girl."

Annabel's eyes widened in disgust, as she tightened her jaw. She was already running out of patience with him.

She stood up immediately. Shutting her eyes for a moment, trying to control her rage. "I have to leave," she said firmly.

Just then Nathan stood up, grabbing her wrist tightly "what?" He smirked "I spent hours waiting for you and you just plan to leave like this" his expression turned dark and scary.

Annabel trembled as she struggled to release herself from him without causing a scene.

Just as she forcibly pulled herself from him, his grip on her released, causing her to struggle to keep her balance, her heels clicked against each other causing her to lose more balance as she stumbled.

Annabel braced herself for the impact- only to land firmly against a strong arm caught around her waist with a firm, steady grip, pulling her before she could fall.

Her face was a few inches away from his broad chest, her hands were resting comfortably on his chest as she felt every tension his hands gave as they moved around her waist.

She lifted her head slowly as she stared at his piercing blue eyes that sparkled like the ocean.

Annabel swallowed hard as she found herself mesmerized by his handsomeness.

He was a stranger to her but he stared at her like he knew her. His expression shifted from surprise to deep longing.

"Carie" he breathed. His voice was soft, gentle but heavy with emotions.

Annabel looked at him with confusion but before she could utter a word, without a warning, he leaned in- and kissed her intimately