The man listened at the door for a while, then went back to report to Bennett.
âMr.
Olson, sheâs just crying in her room.
Thatâs all.
â
Bennett was petting his Bengal cat.
He stroked the cat and asked, âReally? Just crying? Nothing else?â
The man nodded.
âYeah.
She was bawling her eyes out.
She sounded really upset.
â
Bennett didnât say a word.
He just kept petting the cat and thought about how quiet Ariana had been at dinner.
Was he overthinking this?
The next morning, Ariana looked like she hadnât slept at all.
She seemed totally drained.
She had already lost weight from all the stress and fear and, after a night of crying, her eyes were too puffy to even look at anyone.
Her breakdown had killed whatever appetite she had left, leaving her even more exhausted.
By midday, she felt too weak to leave her room.
But thankfully, Bennett was out, and nobody bothered her.
Not eating and the overall gloom made her look like a drooping plant, ready to wither at any moment.
In the afternoon, Bennett came back, his clothes spattered with blood and his mood as dark as ever.
He had just finished dealing with some troublemakers, and his anger was still simmering.
When he heard that Ariana hadnât eaten and was hiding in her room, he was displeased.
He went upstairs, burst through her door, and yanked her by the arm, saying coldly, âCome downstairs and eat.
â
âI donât feel like eating,â Ariana muttered feebly.
But Bennett paid no mind to her words.
He dragged her
downstairs, forcing her to sit at the table.
Bennett yanked Ariana down the stairs, his grip so tight that her wrist turned red.
He shoved her into a chair by the dining table and took a seat across from her.
Ariana just looked at the food on the table.
She had no appetite.
Bennettâs face darkened when he saw Ariana wasnât touching her meal.
He was in no mood for games today.
He glared at Ariana.
âMissing home, huh? Are you feeling this sad that you canât go back?â he asked with a snide edge.
Ariana met his gaze, her eyes red from crying and her voice raspy.
âIs it wrong for me to feel sad? Iâm a person, not a robot.
Donât I get to have emotions?â
âNo,â Bennett shot back without hesitation.
Arianaâs eyes welled up again as she shot him a look of pure defiance.
âForget about home,â Bennett said sharply.
âIf I donât say you can be sad, then you donât get to be.
Your tears, your emotions, theyâre all mine now.
Everything you have is mine.
When I say no crying, you obey.
â âThatâs not fair.
If I could stop the tears, donât you think I would?â