Tangled Manipulations

"I'm surprised a bit. But you aren't trying to lie. Being honest is not something easy. And I respect that. "

Catherine's composed response had caught Luis off guard, and he felt a pang of unease. Had she truly moved on, or was this just a clever facade to shield herself from the past? Subconsciously, Luis vented his frustration on a hapless pebble, nudging it across the garden path with the tip of his polished leather sneaker.

"Are you not upset?" Luis inquired, his eyes, like a detective on a case, scrutinized her delicate features, searching for the truth concealed beneath her calm exterior.

"Just a bit," she confessed, her words no louder than a whispered secret. "But it doesn't really matter anymore. We're nothing to each other now."

As the garden's winding path led them to a tranquil pond, Catherine settled onto a weathered wooden bench nearby. And Luis followed suit.

"Nothing to each other anymore?" he echoed, his voice tinged with a hint of melancholic reflection. "Is that what you really want though?"

Intriguingly, Luis moved closer, his gaze never leaving her face. Her obsidian eyes, once so unyielding, now betrayed an inkling of uncertainty under his steady scrutiny. She nervously clenched the soft fabric of her chiffon sundress, her strappy sandals betraying the subtle tension in her posture.

But even as Catherine felt the weight of his presence, he leaned in closer still, an unspoken question lingering in the air. The charged atmosphere was almost palpable, a testament to their shared history and the unresolved tension between them.

"You've hurt me, Luis. "

In hope of stopping Luis from leaning in any closer, Catherine decided to finally speak her mind, her voice quivering with both pain and determination. She had decided to confront the past, her words almost a delicate thread connecting their fractured bond, pulling them closer yet pushing them apart.

"And although I was also to blame for being so obsessive with you, you can't deny the fact that you've also done bad things to me...

We changed each other for the worse in a relationship. And that's how I know I don't want to be anything anymore with you, Luis. "

*****

"Very well. I just wondered whether you still have any feelings for me and tested you. "

Catherine looked up with puzzled eyes. And Luis met her gaze with a twisted grin, amusement glinting in his eyes.

"You didn't actually think I was trying to get back together with you though, right? "

Luis purred, his manipulation once more evident. Catherine's obsidian gaze remained locked on him with disbelief, her eyes saying things her lips were too afraid to say. Annoyance, indignation, disappointment and confusion, everything was there.

A sly grin curved upon Luis's lips as he lounged back, seemingly nonchalant. His eyes, though, betrayed his inner turmoil. As they subconsciously tried to avoid looking into Catherine's, those azure eyes flickered toward the tranquil pond, where koi fish created mesmerizing ripples.

"Don't you at least feel sorry for the things you did to me, Luis? "

But this straightforward question of Catherine earned her his attention back. Luis had no choice but to meet her obsidian eyes again and he just stared down into them. For awhile, no words came out of his lips.

Luis's stoic expression made it hard to tell what he exactly was even thinking. His azure eyes were too much for Catherine to handle. And the longer she looked into them, the more she could feel her own heart beating faster, almost making her forget what a serious question she just asked him now. She turned her head away to calm down her poor heart.

"I do. "

Two words finally broke the silence between them, catching Catherine by surprise. This was the answer she had expected the least to hear from this man, a master of manipulation. The next second, their eyes locked again. But just as Catherine thought she might catch a glimpse of sincerity in those eyes, Luis leaned in all closer, which freaked her out.

Without a word, he gently pressed her against the bench, stirring her anxiety. Catherine's breathing now became faster as she realized how Luis's lips were so close to brushing against hers. She tried to look down, hoping this would just convince Luis to stop whatever he was trying to do to her.

But Luis was unyielding. His fingers, both gentle and commanding, tilted her chin upwards, their gazes locking in a dangerous magnetic struggle.

Catherine was terrified realizing how it's just the two of them in this house and if by any chance, Luis wished to do anything to her, she would stand no chance at resisting as she was this helpless young weak woman. But he was a man with strength and manipulation. His power over her was absolute.

"There's not a day I haven't felt bad for manipulating you or using you. "

Luis whispered, his breath warm against her ear. And as he shifted his attention from her lips to her profile, the man continued his confession. But Catherine couldn't bother to believe him anymore. She just knew this was one of his manipulations again.

"But when you're this useful to me, and the benefits of exploiting you are too tempting..."

His words hung in the air, fraught with tension. Inhaling the fragrance of her dark wavy hair, Luis scrutinized Catherine's trembling form.

The young woman had her eyes sealed shut. Her rosy lips now quivering, almost as if begging for mercy from Luis but also as if tempting him to try those soft petals like lips.

With every lingering gaze, Luis's desire to take advantage of her grew stronger.

Luis envisioned the chaos that would ensue if he were to crush her lips with his, if his calloused fingers were to caress her delicate waist, or if her petite body were to yield to his desires.

This was only day one of Catherine staying in his house, yet these twisted fantasies had already crept into his mind. Luis wondered what it would take to relinquish all his control and succumb to the urge to take advantage of her.

"It's going to rain. "

Abruptly shifting focus, he muttered. His body ceased its relentless press against hers.

Catherine exhaled a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, But her pounding heart remained the evidence of what a dangerous situation she was in just a moment ago.

As Luis stood, retreating to a safer distance, Catherine opened her eyes, feeling a rush of relief flood over her. She watched as he spoke, the allure of danger and uncertainty lurking just beneath the surface.

"You should go inside first. I'll fetch Max."