Chapter 90: Chapter-90. (Expect The Unexpected).
"Mommy, carrot! Carrot!" Emma’s voice broke the chain of my thoughts as I blinked and noticed the environment around me.
I was not in that old, smelly room anymore, but outside. I did not know exactly, but a few hours ago, they both returned.
Emma sprinted off towards me as soon as the door opened, as she jumped like a small rabbit.
She kept repeating the word, "Mommy! Mommy!"
Unintentionally, the corner of my lips tugged upward into a small smile. God, I cannot even remember the last time I actually smiled.
As she stood there in front of me, a sense of protection took over me. I wanted to hug her, hide her...protect her from that snake, but I can’t.
Not just because I could not, but I was too dirty and smelly to even go near her. I was in the same clothes for God knows how long.
Josh used to give me some spare clothes at a fixed interval. By my calculation, maybe in a week or two.
Unfortunately, I could not take a bath until I let him stay in the bathroom to avoid running away. I knew he was a psycho and a liar, but that day I discovered that he was an absolute perv*rt.
Of course, I gave him his answer by spitting on his face, which felt good in that moment, but the next second made me regret it a little as he beat me to death, leaving me in that room with no food or even water.
For two days, I thought I would die right there on the cold floor. My throat burned, my lips cracked, and every breath felt heavier than the last. But somehow, I survived. Maybe because fate still had more cruelty planned for me.
And now, seeing Emma stand in front of me.
Her eyes sparkled full of life. Her cheeks got flushed from running.
I knew that punishment was never meant to end with me. Josh had brought her into this world of his madness, and that was far worse.
She then informed that she and Josh went shopping and brought several items of clothing and other stuff. Josh, on the other hand, not only let me get out of that sh*tty room but also let me have a bath and a pair of clean clothes.
At first, I could not believe that he was actually letting me have so many privileges, but our gazes met, and I knew the exact reason why he let me do all of it without him intervening. It was because of her...Emma.
That little kid became a lever for him against my freedom. He knew that I would not do anything or play any tricks in order to protect Emma.
He knew, even if I somehow escaped from his grasp, he would unleash his evil doings on that little kid.
Also, there was no guarantee how long I would have that freedom before he caught me again the next time, making the survival a hundred times more painful and torturous.
I blinked as I glanced at Josh, who was eating his food peacefully as if he did not do any of it, while Emma tried to grab carrot pieces with her little hands.
A smile tugged at my lips as I passed the plate to her, and she grabbed a handful of them.
She was about to put it all in her mouth at once when I stopped her immediately.
I yanked the pile of carrots back into her plate. Emma’s small face fell for a second, then she looked up at me with those wide brown eyes as guilt punched in.
I quickly softened my voice as I instructed her, "You should not eat all at once, Emma. Take one at a time and chew properly."
She first looked at me with those wide eyes as if I revealed the world’s biggest secret, then at those carrot pieces as if it was the best thing in the world.
Then she nodded her head and followed my instructions as she carefully put a single piece into her mouth.
She chewed as she hummed, which made my aching heart soften up a bit.
Josh tried as if he was not noticing all of it, but I knew him better than that. The time I have spent here has made me realize this one small yet trivial thing.
Expect the unexpected.
Though he did not say anything, he watched all this act calculating in his mind. He wanted to make a bond between me and Emma. Not some simple bonding, but a strong bond. He wanted us to get attached to each other so he could get power over us.
He liked the show of control more than the action. He liked me knowing he could take everything away.
And he absolutely loved watching me bend.
When Emma ate up the first piece, she grinned. I was about to return the smile when, unexpectedly, she reached up to me and kissed my cheek.
I froze.
For a heartbeat, I forgot the rules. I almost let my arms wrap around her.
Then my gaze darted to the man who did not seem to bother, but when observed carefully, the one corner of his lips was tugged up into a smirk, which disappeared the second.
He might be thinking that his plan was getting successful, and somewhere it was true, but I cannot let this truth come to his attention.
I kept my hands where they were and let her kiss my cheek anyway. It was small. It might feel unusual for some outsiders, but somehow it meant everything to me.
The fact that I already cared for her made me worried about the upcoming storm.
After dinner, Josh told me to clean the table.
He spoke like he was giving an order to a child. Emma watched me carefully, scrutinizing my every action as if she were registering it in her mind.
When I noticed her interest, I knew she wanted to help, but had to show much less affection towards her. Especially in his presence.
I denied her offer politely, "When you get bigger, then you can help me all you want."
Fortunately, she took in the reply in a positive way as she bounced with excitement, and she kept staring at my work.