CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
'I wish to purchase you. How much?' Ives felt Aldire's statement was insulting in a disturbing manner.
He couldn't lie to himself and say he hadn't already began to question her sanity.
This was someone who couldn't care less about consent or even bother to filter her thoughts when expressing it to others.
This was someone powerful enough not to care.
"I don't understand your question?" Ives made his statement clear.
Aldire sensing the change in his disposition towards her responded nonchalantly.
"Did I mix my words? I wish to procure you as my property. I have a collection of interesting things that I find pleasing that includes trinkets, toys, jewels, nice things and people whom I simply wish to keep as my own. And I would like for you to be part of this collection. Of course you will be compensated and well taken care of in such a way that you will never wish to return to your old life. Given how hard your life has been I would consider this an opportunity to finally rest. I will give you exactly five minutes to think your compensation over." Aldire laid down her terms.
"Am I allowed to refuse?" Ives asked with growing pensiveness.
"Did I offer that option?" Aldire said back.
Ives' lip twitched as he thought of her sheer audacity, everything about this inhumanely beautiful woman simultaneously pulled him in and angered him at the same time.
He knew better than to let her break his composure and also knew that this was an opportunity to send a message to other members of the Cabal that he wasn't a fun toy to be played with. This powerful cult has paved way to some of the most powerful and equally unhinged individuals he had ever seen.
A man who destroys entire universes simply to see how the unravelling unfolds.
A woman who can keep people as her little trinkets whenever it suits her.
In this den of monsters allowing himself to be seen as mundane is equivalent to allowing himself to be defenseless.
His eyes took on a new shade of dark as it narrowed, he had accepted her declaration of war.
'Let's play.'
"What exactly makes me valuable enough to own?" Ives questioned her.
Aldire waited a bit before answering as if asking herself if it was wise to give him a response but eventually she came through. She held out her palm towards empty space and pulled out a crystal wine glass. She brought it to her lips and took to her lips and took a sip.
"Ummm…." She quietly savoured the flavour. Then her focus shifted to Ives, "...your throat gurgled slightly, whether or not you choose to admit it, you desire this fragrant wine. Don't you? Then that will be the answer to your question, I desire you because someone else of great importance has his eyes on you."
Aldire bridged the distance between them, coming eerily close to his face.
"I don't know why but you seem to have a way of doing interesting things and that has made many eyes to be on you. I wish to acquire you to find out what makes you so interesting."
Aldire's hand rubbed his cheeks lovingly, Ives couldn't feel the invisible warmth that usually radiated of the body of a person. She felt cold and lifeless.
"Okay. Can I now lay down my terms?" Ives played along with sweet pretense.
"Speak." Aldire gave her permission.
"I want my mother back."
Aldire suddenly turned stiff, her hands froze, clearly she didn't expect him to play along much less make such a request.
"Excuse me. Your deceased mother?"
"Yes. I persumed that since you were so eager to buy me, you would also be willing to pay anything, this is my request."
There was a moment of silence between both of them, even the other attendees of the conference had began watching them. Their interaction was all but normal, from his expression Ives was most likely not fond of Aldire and yet Aldire clung to him with obscene familiarity.
"Why would you think I could fulfill such a request?"
"Don't you and Beelzebub like playing games?" Ives gave her this hint, Aldire tensed up.
The thought that somehow her and Beelzebub's secret activities could be known by this young man terrified her, especially when she was yet to find out that the messages from the future came with such a horrifying cost.
"What do you know of the games?" Aldire's voice was grim now, Ives was one the one in control of her emotions.
Ives leaned into her and whispered, "You tell me.".
He said these words and took his leave. Aldire remained in that one spot for a good minute before heading off. Those who observed this wondered to themselves what could have been the cause of their argument.
___________
Ives rendezvous with Eva, March and Kaleb outside the conference hall, Zeke came out later with a cup of coffee.
"Here, to replenish your strength, Mister Rothschild."
Ives accepted the beverage, Zeke rehashed their next destinations.
"You have your lunch date with Miss Carpenter then we'll be catching a flight at eight o'clock for the Black gala. Since everyone from our little club will be there, it would be a good opportunity to meet with Beelzebub."
"Alright. Where will I be meeting with Isolde?" Ives asked in-between sips of his coffee.
"Your home. Did you forget that you share a residence with Miss Carpenter?" Zeke said with a mischievous smile.
Ives sighed quietly, the constant pull of his duties made him forget such a crucial detail. He had forgiven Isolde of her debt but hadn't made any moves to sever any intimate ties with her.
'Do I still want to keep her?' Ives asked himself. He remembered his first night with Isolde when she comforted him during his nightmare and made love to him later on. She was his first time, saying he didn't feel anything towards her anymore would be a lie.
A gentle rippling pressure came from Ives' pocket, he reached in and retrieved his phone.
"How was your day?"
A text came from Selene. Ives didn't bother to wonder where she got his number.
"Fine. And yours?" Ives texted her back.
"Nothing eventful happened. My daughter, Rhea seems to have a thing for you. I wonder what that could be?" Selene was constantly getting more unhinged in her advances towards him but somehow he liked her attention. Her warmth and affection gave him a safe space in a world that was getting more and more hectic for him.
"Did Rhea tell you anything?"
Ives wanted to find out whether Rhea remember previous worlds was a rare incident or some unknown side effect of the deviations.
"About what?" Selene replied.
"She said something about another world where things happened differently. One where I wasn't there to save you from Marcus. She seemed too convinced that it was real and I don't think she is unwell or lying. Do you know anything about it?"
Ives didn't expect Selene to have the faintest clue of what he was talking about but if there was a chance, he was willing to risk it.
Her response came and he left him speechless,
"Rhea came home last night and saw us together. She wasn't angry, she just broke down when she saw me. I didn't need to figure out what she meant when she suddenly said to me 'Mom. You're alive'. I knew what she was talking about, I remember that place too. I remember watching Rhea cry as she lost me."
Ives' heart let out a heavy thump and he wrote back quickly.
"Are you both alright? Are you sure it wasn't some mass delusion?"
"No. I knew of that place long before Rhea told me her own experience there. Somehow what you being with me at the party changed things. My little saviour." Selene wrote back and put a heart emoji at the end of her sentence.
Ives sat in silence trying to digest what Selene had told him, somehow she also remembered the previous world. Then he wasn't the only one, how many more and how long till it spreads and becomes a mass pandemic. If the order was trying to maintain secrecy then their little messages could end that in a heartbeat.
'That might not be the case.' Ives reasoned. He remembered the countless other worlds he passed through during his nightmare. The Cabal or Beelzebub in particular has been doing this for god knows how long possibly thousands of times before but people recalling previous worlds hasn't been something that made headlines or else there will be an army of conspiracy theorists protesting, asking why there are different recollections of the same events in their heads.
"Are you alright?" Ives received another message from Selene, it sounded worried and panicked.
"Yes. I was just in deep thought."
"Can I visit you sometime?"
"No. Too many cameras. Let's have our meetings in your house. Is that alright?"
"Of course, Dear. Don't overthink things my love."
Kaleb turned and said to the three at the back.
"We're here."
Ives ended their chat.
"Gotta go. Take care of yourself."
"Love you."
Selene ended by sending him a picture, it was her lying on her side in a lingerie. Her own way of teasing Ives and reminding him that he belongs to her.
For the first time, Ives humored her by sending back a heart emoji. After putting away his phone, Ives left the car with Zeke and the three.
They entered the elevator and began their ascent, Ives arrived to meet his penthouse neat and sparkling, the faint scent of rose lingered in the air.
"We'll be heading down now. Enjoy the rest of your day, if you need us please send for us."
Zeke and the three bodyguards didn't enter with him, it seemed that they too needed some time to rest and freshen up.
"Where are you guys staying?"
"We have apartments." March answered on their behalf.
Ives turned and asked Zeke,
"Are there any free rooms in the building?"
"Of course. Quite a lot sir. You sit at the top of a forty floor apartment complex, there is bound to be one or two."
"Good, make reservations for all three. Give them stations right below this floor."
"Of course, right away." Zeke said as they left.
Ives was alone for a few hours, he couldn't imagine having to fill all that time with nothing but rest. He had become adapted to the constant fast paced lifestyle that his new wealth brought, still he had a lunch date with his roommate and he hoped it would moved smoothly.
Ives found Isolde's room right across his, he had never been in there before. Despite the pent house having nearly sixteen rooms, only one had ever mattered to him and it was the master bedroom that was his.
Ives knocked once,
"Isolde. It's me."
"Mister Rothschild." Isolde received him into her room, like all rooms in the penthouse. It was the size of a small apartment, her bed was near the window where sunlight hit the most. The rest of her furnishings were modest and tasteful. Ives didn't feel like he was stepping into a room, it felt like he was taking a peek into her soul.
This style defined her perfectly.
"Mister Rothschild. Welcome home." Isolde greeted.
"You can just call me Ives." Ives told her. He looked around and continued,
"Were you reading again?"
"Yes."
"I am here for our Lunch date. Do you want to go out?" Ives asked.
"I already have the meal prepared. I made it to your liking."
Isolde went to the kitchen and brought out a large pizza from the oven and placed it on the dining table.
"You made an entire pizza?" Ives was dumbfounded.
"Yes. I had time." Isolde answered with her eternal baritone voice.
Ives studied the dish, a large pizza garnished to perfection emitting a strong delectable aroma that smelled both spicy and sweet.
"Try some."
"This is actually my first time having Pizza."
Isolde paused wondering if she heard right.
"You didn't like it?"
"No. I was never given the right, I could only the toppings or leftover crust, never the whole thing."
Isolde eyes flickered with rare seen emotion and her body took action. She came close, wrapped a paper dib to keep his suit clean and brought a slice to his mouth. Ives seeing her geniune desire to take care of him couldn't even imagine refusing. He ate quietly from her hand, his first bite was incredible. Then the next and every other. Each slice had a unique taste, some tasted of chicken, fish, beef, vegetables and the piping hot boil of well made cheese.
Soon he had downed eight slices and was still aching for more but worrying of her own meal, he refused to continue.
"A lunch date is only a date if the other enjoys it with their partner. And you can't tell me you made this all for me."
"I'm fine." Isolde handed him, a chilled soda from the fridge.
"Pizza usually goes along with Soda." Isolde explained to the novice Ives, Ives took it from her hand gratefully and thanked her.
"Your meal was sensational. Thank you, you made my day."
"Ives. Can I ask you something?"
Ives paused his movements and focused his attention on Isolde.
"Sure. Is there anything i can help you with?"
Isolde remained silent for a bit. Ives added another line to his previous statement.
"Is it about your mother?"
Isolde tilted her head slightly,
"No. She's alright, you would have told me if she wasn't."
"Then what is it?"
"I wish to borrow a large sum from you."
Her answer made Ives tense but he still gave her his word.
"How much?"
"Around three million."
"When do you wish to pay back?" Ives questioned her.
Isolde didn't answer, Ives became worried.
"You don't want to pay back?"
"Yes."
"I can't give you that sum if you aren't being honest so tell me what do you want to use it to do?"
Ives assumed a professional tone as he interrogated Isolde concerning her request.
"I want to be in your debt."
"Why. Shouldn't you be happy to be free? Your family needs you now."
"They don't. I know it…" Isolde stood and came closer to him, she knelt beside Ives' chair and rested her head on his lap.
"I want to be your pet again".