“Ma’am, your tutor is here,” Helen announced.


    Skr halted and turned to meet Helen’s gaze as if to confirm the news.


    “Yes ma’am,” Helen added. She understood what Skr’s gaze meant.


    Confusion was written in bold letters all over her face. Dejection followed and her whole body seemed to be dipped in mncholy as she remembered Louis’s words.


    “I will get you a tutor to train on wifely duties.” Those words stung her ears and she badly wished there was a way she could unhear them.


    Louis got her a tutor? On wifely duties?


    Skr scoffed and went back into the manor with her back slouched.


    “Ma’am, this is Mr. Steven. He is your…”Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Alice stopped as she watched Skr walk past her without looking at the person she was introducing to her.


    They knew she was hurt But no one knew how much.


    Her heart was bleeding.


    As soon as Skr got into the manor she wanted to meet the said tutor but as soon as she saw that he was a man. Her head bowed in shame.


    How could Louis get a male tutor?


    What would she learn from him? The art of sex?


    Would he teach her how to treat her husband?


    She was worthless before Louis. He would stop at nothing to humiliate her.


    Skr walked straight to the bathroom and went inside the tub. She filled it to the brim and buried herself straight in.


    She wanted to hide or worse drown.


    “Ma’am!” Helen rushed to her and released the water. “What are you doing ma’am?”


    Skr remained in the tub. She bit her lips so hard that she tasted blood. The pain was nothingpared to what she felt at the moment.


    Helen didn’t speak anymore. She helped Skr out of the tub and helped her shower. She washed her hair and scrubbed her body.


    “Ma’am, you have to stay strong,” Helen advised.


    She knew that Skr was unhappy because of her life but she also knew that she can’t escape Louis not even if she dies. He won’t spare her. So she can only advise her to stay strong. Hopefully, she might get her freedom when Louis gets tired of her.


    Skr stayed still. Her eyes were fixated on the ground. She heard Helen but she had nothing to say in response to her advice.


    She knew patience was the only thing she could use. With patience and perseverance, she can get her long-desired freedom when Louis decides to release her.


    But how long would that be? One year? Two years? Ten years?


    Can she hold on until then?


    Skr pursed her lips and blinked back her tears. She was working on those tears. She didn’t want to cry at every little thing but her life was so hard that the tears feels sorry for her and consoles her only by rolling out.


    Her tears were a reassurance that she wasn’t alone. She still has her tears with her.


    “I’ll be out in a jiffy.” Skr took the dress from Helen and put it on.


    She knew that Helen was right. Holding on strong was the best option for now. She cleaned her face and dressed her simply as she could.


    Skr applied light makeup to her face to conceal the tears. She smiled at the reflection in the mirror and she wrapped her hair in a messy bun.


    She returned to the room, looking entirely different. The sad woman from before waspletely gone.


    “No matter how messy gets. No matter how shitty life bes and no matter how thorny the road ahead is, Life must go on.” Skr chanted those words repeatedly in her heart and she drew strength from them.


    “Ma’am, you look beautiful,” Helen said in appraisal.


    “Thank You.” Skr smiled.


    “I think you should have breakfast before you attend the ss.”


    “Alright.” Skr agreed.


    Speaking of sses. She was reminded of her school. She left school and suddenly became Louis’s wife.


    Will she leave her studies just like that?


    No! Skr disagreed.


    She made a mental note to speak with Louis regarding school once he gets back.


    Skr noticed that her phone was lying in the bedside drawer. She smiled happily as she picked it up. This would give her somepany too.


    “Let’s go, ma’am,” Helen’s voice cut her train of thought as she remembered that her tutor was waiting for her.


    Skr went back to the living room and she met the man. He stood up as soon as he saw Skr.


    He stared fixedly at her and his mouth hung open.


    “Hi,” Skr waved.


    “Hi,” The man put forth his hand and Skr took it.


    “Pardon my manners earlier, I needed to …”


    “You don’t have to exin yourself to me.” The man cut her words short.


    “O.. K…” Skr muttered with a smile. “I’m Skr by the way.”


    She introduced herself since she knew nothing else to say and the supposed tutor won’t stop staring at her.


    “And I’m… Uh….” The man was flustered “I’m Steven. Your tutor on….”


    “Wifely duties.” Skrpleted his words.


    “Etiquette.” Stephen rephrased.


    “Oh..” Skr nodded.


    Etiquette was probably what they call it in this part of the world. Skr concluded in her heart.


    “Ma’am,e, have something to eat first,” Helen announced.


    “I’ll be right back…” Skr informed Steven.


    “Okay.” Steven nodded.


    She looked down at the hand holding her back and her hand was tightly sped with Steven’s


    “I will just be back…” She repeated and Steven nodded.


    Skr tried to take her hand but Steven tightened his hold. She looked to Helen for help.


    “Ehem….” Helen cleared her throat. “She can leave only when you let go of her hand.”


    “Oh… Uhm… Sorry… I…. Uh… You may leave.” Steven took his hand but felt bad at the sudden loneliness.


    To avoid working in his family conglomerate like the rest of his brothers, Steven Cruise, became a tutor. He hid his identity as the son of the Mafia lord, Leonard Cruise.


    No one knew the youngest son of the Cruise family so it was easier to maneuver his way around the city without being recognized. He took up the job to be Skr’s tutor as thest resort since his father threatened to bring him back since he presently had no student to train.


    Who would have thought that he’d be so lucky on the first day?


    He found a treasure in Louis’s hell.


    Who would have thought that an iceberg like Louis would have an angel hidden in his house?


    Steven’s eyes didn’t leave Skr the entire time and as soon as she invited him for a meal. He happily epted the offer.


    “Are you allergic to any of these?” Skr asked as soon as they sat at the dining table. She pointed at the food on the table as she spoke.


    Steven remained quiet. He was trying to hide his excitement at being so close to her. He was flustered and jumpy. It was the first time he’s ever felt that way.


    Seeing his expression, Skr thought he was reluctant; he probably doesn’t like the food on the table, so she asked innocently.


    “What would like to eat?”


    Steven raised his head to look directly into her eyes as he said, “You.”