Contractually Yours Alpha (Riley)

Chapter Forty Four

Chapter Forty Four

Aliya's POV

Trian stood dutifully at his post by the door. I watched him out of the corner of my eye, careful not to let him know I was looking. The man was indeed handsome.

I wanted to say something to him-anything-but I didn't know what to say. Since the incident, we hadn't exchanged a single word. He went on breaks and returned as quickly as he could; he was always present, and suddenly my room didn't feel like a cage anymore.

If only I could talk to him. What would I say?

Ask him about the weather?... maybe complement his... clothes. His uniform was different from the soldiers here. He wore a thick, black, high-collared jacket paired with fitted pants. From the texture, it looked like it was either made of crocodile skin or something that closely resembled it.

I found my eyes trailing lower.

"Aren't you hungry?" He asked, and I quickly looked away from him, my gaze returning to the book in my hands, the one I held up-side-down.

I was indeed hungry, but I was used to being starved.

"It's not yet time to eat."

"You've not eaten in days." He reminded me. Of course, I hadn't. It's not new to me. Empress Julia only brings me food when she believes it's the right time; this is time for studies. I was to keep reading and reading until she thinks I had read enough.

"The Empress will send me a meal if she believes it's time. I voiced out.

"You've not answered my question, Aliya," he said, calling me by my name again; my stomach fluttered with 'butterflies'-I got those anytime he called my name. "Are you hungry?"

"Yes. I am hungry, but I have learned to ignore hunger."

"Stay here." He says, pulling the door open.

I watched him walk away. I knew for a fact that it wasn't yet time for his usual breaks. The previous

soldiers assigned to watch over me had never left me alone, not even once; they'd rather take turns to do their business.

I sat on the chair, curious as to what he went to do.

He returned in about thirty minutes. A tray of food in his hands. My stomach growled from the mouthwatering

smell.

"Eat." He says the words sounded more like an order.

I wanted to eat, all so badly; I wet my lips, but I couldn't make a move because I knew what this was: It was a test. The Empress wanted to test me, and if I failed, I would be punished.

"Thank you, but it's not time to eat. If it's time, the Empress would bring me some food." I repeated. "The Empress is not around now; she won't be for the next two days." He says, and my eyes drift back to the food. A temptation-that's what it was.

"Had she sent you to test me?" I asked, of course even if she had, he would deny it, and yet I still asked.

"No. She isn't aware."

Chapter Forty Four

I took the tray of food with visibly shaking hands. I was going to be punished, but I was so hungry, I gave in to the temptation. I took a handful of blueberries and shoved it into my mouth; I continued with the roasted lamb and bread rolls. I had never been given this much- in a very, very long time-and I emptied the tray of food in a matter of minutes; only then did I realize how uncourteous I had behaved. I didn't invite him to eat, and he might be disgusted watching me eat like a pig. This would have earned me some punishment if I dared this with Empress Julia present.

I looked up, only to see him watching me.

Today's Bonus Offer

Xnoveldrama