He walked double-time ahead of her andstraight to his car, leaving her at the entrance. Her mother cameout shortly looking for her. Elsa wiped her tears and explainedthat Victor had work to attend to. Her mother clearly knew she waslying, but let it be.

Her mother slept that night on her bed whileshe slept on the couch. As she lay there wondering what wrath shewould suffer next, she couldn’t help but feel like she had letVictor down by not explaining herself from the beginning.

The cat was out of the bag and if she made itout of this thing alive, she promised herself two things: she wouldnever allow any other man to treat her the way Mr. Black did, andno matter what, she would never give up the hope that people can behelped.

Elsa didn’t rest at all that night and drovein a sleepless daze to the airport on Wednesday with her mother.She bid her a bittersweet goodbye, wondering if it would be herlast.

It would be another missed day of work.

Not bothering to change or freshen up, shedrove directly to 2500 East Grace Street. She would prepare for herpunishment there.

***

Victor sat at his desk staring at the wall.He had been there most of the night. His office was in shambles. Hehad torn it apart in a rage when he returned home the previousnight. He hadn’t moved from his chair in six hours and he stillcouldn’t believe that he hadn’t seen the signs of her deception. Hehad gotten lax and was so blinded by work and Anthony, that thesigns that kept popping up were completely ignored. Her smell inhis house, things slightly out of place, the disappearance of hiskey that was perfectly placed in plain view... She had even foundthe spare key to his home. He had to give it to her, she had done afair job at hiding her tracks, except for the video footage at thebrownstone and the missing journal notes from the envelope. He hadsimply tossed the envelope into a drawer when he arrived homewithout looking inside of it. He had no reason to. But surely sheknew she would be caught. Maybe she wanted to be caught.

She knew everything about him. Every.Fucking. Thing. All his deepest, darkest and most repulsivesecrets. No one knew everything. Not even Anthony. Victor hadlimited what he allowed Ant to read, but Elsa read it all and knewevery single ugly detail of the horrible person he was. He didn’tunderstand her. He never would. She had read all the ghastlyminutiae of his debauchery and cruelty, and still she had stayedand came back for more. She was no masochist, he knew that. Butthen what was she? Fucking insane like he was? She knew he was asadist who had murderous nightmares and still she was asking himhow she could make it right…

The inner voice that he thought had died longago reared its sentimental head. She’s fallen for you. Hell,she all but admitted it.

His phone chirped with a message.

C8: I’m waiting for you.

He laid his head over his crossed arms on thedesk. What the hell was she waiting for? What did she think thisthing with him would lead to? A fucking happily ever after? Therewas no such thing. All things ended eventually, some of themamicably, most miserably, and in the case of Chapter One –horrifyingly.

She wanted to know what would make it right?He would show her. And then she would see once and for all who hereally was, whether he wanted to be or not: Mr. Black.

***

Elsa showered and dressed in only her silkrobe as she waited on the staircase. When she heard the key in thelock, she stepped off the bottom step and disrobed quickly andkneeled by the door.

When he entered, his movements halted and sheheard a sharp intake of air. When she looked up, she immediatelynoticed his swollen lip and grief almost overcame her. His eyeswere wide as he stared down at her and he appeared scared. Butscared of what? Her?

He promptly recovered and moved past herwithout saying anything and put his briefcase down. She stood andfollowed him when he still didn’t speak.

He sighed loudly when she brushed up againsthim.

“Wait over there,” he pointed to thechaise.

She seated herself and wrapped her armsaround her body for warmth.

He settled himself in the duchess chair andcrossed his arms over his chest.

“First things first: I didn’t know ChapterFive owned Juniper’s. Not that I need to fucking explain myself….”he grumbled under his breath. “And I never intended to mail thosenotes about you to Anthony Bruce.” He sighed irritably and pushedhis hair off his forehead. “Nevertheless, it wasn’t my intention toinclude your mother in this game. I do have standards, howeverfucked-up they may seem to you.” Barely keeping his anger in check,he continued. “That being said: I want to know why you did what youdid.”

Elsa shrugged to hide her embarrassment andguilt at having assumed the worst. She swallowed tightly and lickedher lips. It was confession time. “I just wanted to know more aboutyou.”

Victor’s malachite colored eyes darkened ashe held her gaze. “So you thought breaking into my house andstealing an extremely personal item was a reasonable way to makethat happen?” he said louder, his temper flaring.

“I tried to do things the right way by askingyou questions and you made a ridiculous rule about not asking youanything. And what about you? You’ve been stalking me and watchingme since the very beginning. You know absolutely everything aboutme.”

“That’s how I work,” he answered withoutreally addressing her statement logically.

His stare drilled into her as he satmotionless. “Did you learn everything you wanted to learn?”

“No.”

“No?!” he huffed and sat forward. “So youfucking read my personal journal files and you still didn’t learneverything you wanted? You greedy whore.”

Mr. Black was now present. She knew it wasn’tVictor talking, but she still lowered her eyes to hide herhurt.

“What the hell do you want to know?” hebarked as he threw his hands up and paced in front of her.

“Who made you like this?”

He walked forward, stopping in front of herand gripped her chin, forcing her head back. “No one made me likethis, Eight. I was born like this.”

God, she detested being called a number. Itwas so impersonal and cold. He had to know that. “I don’t believethat.”

Backing away, he glared at her scornfully. “Ialready told you once; I don’t give a fuck what you think.”

“I don’t believe that either,” she pushed herchin out.

His jaw muscle quivered. “Again with youraudacity?”

“Was it Chapter One?” She wasn’t really surewhy had asked the question, but by the look on his face, she knewshe had hit a nerve.

He stood motionless in the middle of the roomwith his hands fisted at his sides as a tense silence enveloped theroom. Even though he didn’t speak, Elsa knew that the answer was aresounding yes.

“You’re a lying cunt,” he quickly changed thesubject.

“Stop calling me that!” she yelled, catchinghim off guard and causing him to back away from her. “You reallyare a hypocrite! You told me that if I was going to lie then tomake it believable, so I did!” She stood and rushed at him. “You’repissed because the tables got turned, aren’t you?” she hollered andpounded her fists on his chest. “I played your game the way youdesigned it and now I’m going to be punished for it?”

“Yes, you are,” he gripped her wrists to reinher in and spun her around, pinning her wrists behind her back andrendering her immobile.

She began to sob when he forced her to herknees. “I just wanted to know the real Victor. I just wanted…” shedropped her chin to her chest, letting her hair fall in her face tohide her despair. “I just wanted to know the real Victor.”

“Then you will, Peach,” he leaned down andwhispered into her ear.

Roughly, he pushed her away from him makingher fall onto her stomach. Elsa rose up and looked over hershoulder to see him digging into his briefcase. When he approachedher, he had an old, worn and tattered, black-leather bound journal.She hadn’t seen this one before. Tossing it on the floor in frontof her face, she touched it and peered questioningly at him.