** Omniscient Narrator **
The driver of the car was none other than Mr. Blackwood. “Anna, are you okay?” He asked curiously as he rushed to her. He immediately held her shoulders and turned her to face him, she was soaked in water.
Annabel didn’t react, even though she was surprised to see him here; she just stood there in the rain crying. She had no idea how he was here or why, was he imagining him here or had he been stalking her all these weeks?
Mr. Blackwood cupped her cheeks immediately and made her look at him, slowly wiping off the tears from the corner of her eyes with his thumb. “It is okay, I am here now, Ann.”
“Tell me what happened, why are you crying? Who hurt you?” he asked in a sputter of words as they both got drained in the rain. There was so much pain in his eyes watching her cry, he was hurt seeing her like that.
“I… I…” Annabel couldn’t make up any words as she felt choked by her own tears, she just let the tears flow down her face without holding back, she was broken on the inside and barely conscious of her environment.
Mr. Blackwood pulled her into a hug which she was very much in need of, he didn’t mind that they were getting soaked in the rain. She cried on his chest as he consoled her. If he should get his hands on whoever had hurt her right now, it will be a tragic story.
“Come with me, let’s go into the car or you will get a cold,” he urged as he gently turned her to face the car.
Anna didn’t resist, she let him guide her with his hands on her shoulders as they walked down to the car. Mr. Blackwood didn’t mind that she was wet, he opened the passenger door and helped her get in, then he rushed back to the driver’s side and got into the car.
As he matched the accelerator, he stretched his hand and plucked a few face wipes which he handed to her. Annabel took them with shaky hands, it didn’t look like she would stop crying anytime soon.
The face wipes were soaked up but the tears were still flowing. Mr. Blackwood didn’t try to engage in any conversation on their way, he just bit his lips and cursed inwards.
** **
Arriving at Mr. Blackwood’s mansion, he led her straight into his bedroom. She was standing in the center of the massive master bedroom, dripping water all over the rug, when he disappeared and returned not too long after.
Mr. Blackwood came back with a towel and fresh clothes; they were a pair of unisex shirts and pants. He immediately put the towel around her shoulders. “You should change into this, use the dressing room.” He said, pointing to the space in the room demarcated with a large shadow glass.
Annabel sniffed in, although she had stopped crying, she was still traumatized by everything that had happened, she had barely spoken a word since he picked her up on the road.
Taking heed to his instruction, she walked to the back of the glass and changed into the dry clothes. She dried her hair slowly while staring at herself in the mirror. Annabel was trying to see what was wrong with her, why was she not enough for him?
Tears began to trickle down her eyes again and she closed her mouth with her palm, muffling the sobs. She felt so much pain in her heart that she doubted she would ever heal from this, it didn’t even hurt this much the first time.
Seeing that she was taking forever to come out, Mr. Blackwood walked into the dressing room, he pulled her into his chest once again and let her cry, he didn’t bother making her speak. Whatever was the issue with her, she needed to let the tears out, he knew the damage suppressing emotions could cause her.
Mr. Blackwood led her back into the bedroom, he made her sit on the bed and he tucked her in. Shortly after, a maid walked in with a mug of hot tea as instructed by Mr. Blackwood.
Mr. Blackwood took the mug from the maid and dismissed her, he walked back to Anna and sat by her side. “Here, you should take this to keep you warm.” He suggested.
She sniffed in and slowly nodded, then she accepted it. He sat by her the entire time and watched her empty the mug, after which he took it off her and made her lie down. Mr. Blackwood’s bedroom was a sight to behold, but Anna was too shaken to notice any of that right now.
As she lay still on the bed, sniffing back her tears, he sat beside her and soothed her, he continuously massaged her head backwards until she closed her eyes. She was clearly exhausted from crying for over an hour.
Noticing that she must have fallen asleep, Mr. Blackwood tried to get up and give her space, but she opened her eyes immediately and held his hand.
“Please don’t leave me,” she pleaded, expressing fear and worry in her eyes. That was probably the first coherent sentence she had put together since he found her.
Mr. Blackwood sat tight immediately, he held her hand firmly and stroked back her hair. “I am not going to leave you, Anna. Never again, I promise.” He replied enthusiastically, not hiding his affection for her.
She sniffed in and nodded, and then she slowly closed her eyes again. He sat there and stared at her lovingly, she was so pretty even with her face swollen from crying. Mr. Blackwood was also feeling stressed out, so the moment he was certain she had fallen asleep, he went into the shower and changed into his night clothes.
It was still very early at night and he hadn’t even had dinner, but he didn’t mind. He tucked himself into the blanket beside her. Shortly after, Anna turned around to cross her arms and lie on his chest.
He stroked her back gently and before long, he fell asleep as well…
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