Page 102 of Obsession (Dark Revenge)
“No, but it’s all the time I have left with you,” I replied solemnly.
Alison nodded, acknowledging that our time together was drawing to a close.
Chapter 41
-Alison-
Becoming Astrid had transformed into an engaging game for me, and the following day was no exception. We continued inventing new scenarios, and I sought different ways to pressure Jared. While my attempts did lead to some forms of punishment, I felt he was being somewhat lenient at times. I understood that he couldn’t treat Astrid the same way he treated me, as I was his slave, and I had to submit to his desires in any manner he wished. However, I noticed he hadn’t employed particularly harsh punishments, merely denying my advances or occasionally positioning me to remind me of my place. He hadn’t employed methods such as bending me over his knee or taking me back to the blue room to apply the whip.
I wasn’t entirely certain if he could act in such a manner within his marriage, but I knew his marriage would be anything but conventional, given the stark differences between his world and mine. I realized I needed to apply more pressure, and on thethird day, I had a plan in mind. Jared didn’t think I had noticed when he sneaked out in the morning, but I had.
As soon as he disappeared, I swiftly rose from my spot, wrapped a robe around myself, and took his mask. Then I went on a search for a hiding spot. Today, some things were going to change drastically, and the sun had not even risen yet. I knew Jared would be absent for a while, so I made my way to the blue room and concealed myself in the narrow hallway that separated the bathroom from my own chamber of torment. I brought along a cane with me.
I discovered a newfound reservoir of patience and composure within myself as I eagerly anticipated the sound of Jared's return. When he finally did return, a subtle smile graced my lips as I strained to hear the hurried rhythm of his footsteps, signaling his realization of my absence.
It didn't take long for him to start yelling, his voice booming as he called my name, the sound growing nearer with each passing moment. I remained hidden as I heard the doors being flung open, their collision with the walls announcing his entry into the blue room.
"Alison!" he growled in frustration, unable to locate me.
I bided my time, waiting patiently in my hiding place until I sensed him walking away. That's when I seized my opportunity, cautiously peeking into the hallway, my grip on the cane unwavering. I observed Jared racing downstairs, my heart pulsating with a powerful mixture of excitement and trepidation. My bare feet moved silently as I trailed him, a shadow in pursuit, as he methodically searched room after room. He hadn't anticipated my attempt to escape, and while technically, I hadn't run, the impending punishment for my actions was bound to be severe.
I slipped into the living room and concealed myself behind the couch, and soon after, he entered. He surveyed the roombriefly, and as he moved around the couch in one direction, I maintained my crouched position and went the other way. When our positions switched, he paused momentarily to glance around.
I rose from my hiding spot, swung a leg over the back of the couch, and moved up behind him. I raised the cane, ready to strike, but it seemed my stealth was not as effective as I had thought. Jared abruptly turned, grabbing the cane as it swung toward him. A dark expression clouded his face as he forcibly took it from my grasp.
“What the hell are you doing?” he growled at me.
I simply shrugged before leaping over the couch and making my escape.
“Alison!”
I couldn’t help but chuckle as I sprinted away from him, hearing his heavy footsteps trailing close behind. I raced all the way back to the blue room, where I positioned myself in the center, waiting for him. It took him only a couple of seconds before he appeared in the doorway, looking furious.
“Do you find this amusing?” he demanded, taking a step forward, only to finally notice that I was wearing his mask. “That belongs to me!”
“Come and take it,” I retorted.
He regarded me with a perplexed expression, not understanding my intentions. But Astrid was intent on pushing him, frustrating him, and trapping him in a corner. Jared needed to realize that chasing me around and granting my desires was the wrong approach when dealing with someone like Astrid.
“What’s your plan?” he inquired, crossing his arms and remaining in place.
“It would spoil the surprise if I told you,” I taunted, using his own words against him.
Jared surveyed his surroundings as though he were expecting someone else to emerge from the shadows and pounce on him, but it was just the two of us.
“I don’t see the point in this,” he admitted.
I raised the mask slightly, revealing my face. “That’s because you’ve already lost.”
“I have you cornered.”
“No, I have you cornered because you followed me here. Having you here is precisely where I want you,” I clarified, and I could see the realization dawning on him.
“Damn,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair. He seemed to grasp that if this had been Astrid, he might have been tied up by now. She still had her cousins at her disposal, and who said she couldn’t use them to assist in her torment of Jared? The thought instilled a sense of dread because I also realized something—Jared’s new life would be incredibly isolated. He was surrounded by enemies.
“But for the sake of the game, let’s say you’ve won,” I suggested, which only bewildered Jared.
“Why? It doesn’t make sense. It needs to closely resemble reality,” he pointed out, but in that moment, I couldn’t bring myself to think about what might occur if Jared lost a game against Astrid. The thought was too horrifying to contemplate.
