((Warning there are signs of sexual harassment in this chapter so if you don't like it I advise you to not read this chapter))

Everything is going exactly as planned. We were quickly on our way to find those flowers and I to the mansion of the person who owned that part of the land. Ban dropped me off in front of a large fancy black gate. I sigh getting a bad feeling in my stomach but I suck it up and make my way in. I approach the door and knock on it. Not too long after the door was quickly opened by a butler.

"Greetings miss. Oh wow... such a lovely woman you are ma'am please don't mind my honesty. What brings a lovely lady like you here?" The butler states with a slightly flustered expression across his face. I chuckle at his cuteness. He was an adorable butler after all.

"Don't mind me. I was just wondering if it was alright to speak to the lord of this lovely home," I state in my formal tone spreading a soft smile across my face. The butler's face turns red quickly nodding.

"Of course! Let me go get my master. Please come in. It would be rude to leave a lady outside of the door," The butler moves aside letting me in.

Score! This seems easier than I thought.

I walk in and I stood in the middle of the large room.

"Please wait here while I go get my master miss. Also I shall warn you that he usually out and this his first time back here after months of work," The butler informs you.

"Oh fear not. I understand. Besides it is my fault since I came out of the blue," I reassure him. He nods and walks off. I let out a sigh worried. For some reason I feel like something could go terribly wrong. I feel as if something in my stomach is churning endlessly. There is something and I need to be cautious.

"Why didn't you inform me that our guest was a woman?!" I jump in surprise from a loud shout. Loud foot steps quickly make their way down the stairs. I slowly face towards the stairs. Soon enough coming down the stairs was someone I wasn't expecting to see...

"(y/n)?" A female's voice caught my attention.

"M..."

"Maximus?!" My heart sunk in that moment. His soft green eyes widen in surprise as he stares at me. I felt time had stopped.

"H...How did you...?" 

"How did I end up here? I got married off to a noblewoman. She died from a sickness. So I own this place and her company,"  He states forwardly without a second thought.

"I see," I stare into his eyes searching for more to his story.

"June."

"Yes master," The butler appears beside him.

"Go make us some tea."

"Yes master."

The butler bows before walking off leaving me with Maximus. Maximus takes my hand and lead me up the stairs. I followed him without a second thought. He led me down the long white hall until we reached what I assume was his office. He opens the door and throws me into his office. I let out a small yelp in surprise. Maximus quickly shuts the door and when I was about to shout at him he pulls me into a tight hug catching me by surprise.

"M...Maximus?"

"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you," He says in a low voice.

"Why did you disappear out of know where? How could you do that to me? I thought we were family?" I cried a little grabbing onto his arms.

"I didn't mean to leave. I was forced into that marriage. My father wanted me to. I had to. We needed the money," He says rubbing my back in a comforting matter.

"I know you aren't my real older brother but I loved and cared for you like one. How could you do that to me? You dummy," I bury my face into his shoulder as the tears stain his shoulders.

"I'm sorry," He said once again softly.

We stood there until I had finally calmed down a little. It was so comforting to be hugged by him again.

"I am so glad to see you are alright," I told him pulling away smiling up at him genuinely.

"Pfft I should be saying that to you. You grew up to be so beautiful," He caresses my cheek smiling back at me. I felt my heart stop as my cheeks turned pink.

"Oh jeez. Don't flatter me. You grew up pretty handsome as well," I compliment him chuckling as I place my hand on top of his.

"I know I haven't seen you in years so do you mind... a long talk about informing each other about what has happened for us the past 10 years?"

"I would love that Maximus," I nod in agreement. Not too long after June came in with tea right on cue.

[Timeskip]

It has been far too long... Where is Ban?! I mean I don't hate it here since I got to meet Maximus again but the more I stay here the stronger the feeling of something terrible might happen gets stronger. June stayed for a while to join us for tea but he left not too long after to attend to the garden and his duties. Maximus and I quickly filled in each other what has been happening with each other. Apparently he was sold off by his parents to a noblewoman who wanted to marry him despite being so young. When he was 18 the woman died of a disease leaving him her money, her land, her home, her company... pretty much her everything. Now he is a proud owner of a trading company.

He has grown to be a mature and very handsome young man. I'm surprised he didn't get married again. He deserves to be happy after everything he has gone through.

"So you aren't allowed back into the kingdom?" He asked again.

"Yeah. I was accused of something I didn't do and in a snap I was kicked out," I said in a casual tone. 

"I see... well... I was wondering..." He says in a serious tone.

"Hm? What is it?" I asked with a smile.

"Will you marry me?"

...

....

.....

......

"What?" I was completely dumbfounded.

"Marry me," He repeats.

"Maximus. Don't joke around like that."

"I'm being fully serious."

"Maximus... You know I can't..."

"Why not?!" He shouts angrily standing up and he approaches me pinning me into my seat.

"Why can't you marry me?! I have loved you for years! I have never once stopped thinking about you. The idea of you becoming my wife filled my mind for years. I love you!" He shouts all at once in a insane tone.

"Maximus I don't... I don't like you that way..."

"Why not?! Once I saw you again I thought it was fate. I thought that maybe this time I could love you! I can make you mine!"

"Maximus! Enough!" I shout pushing him off of me as I sit up from my seat.

"I have had enough! I am leaving!" I turn away from him and make my way towards the door. Once I reached my hand out to the doorknob I was shoved against the door with my hands pinned behind my back.

"I'm not letting you slip away out of my grasp again! I am going to make you mine!" He growled into my ear angrily as he lifted my skirt up with his knees. My eyes widened in shock as I squirmed a little bit and I swung my leg kicking his legs making him fall to the ground.

I took this chance to escape and so I swung the door open and run down the halls but a little bit slower since I was in heels.

"Come back here!" I hear Maximus not too far behind me. I slip and fall down the stairs landing onto the cool tile floor on my face.

"Miss are you alright?" I look up to see June standing there with a smile on his face.

"June! Grab her!" Maximus orders him. My heart sunk as I got up from the ground and trip my way towards the door. June grabbed my hand but I swung my other free hand landing a punch across his face.

"I'm so sorry June!" I kick him in the stomach sending him across the room. Maximus tackles me down and pinned me down once again. This time on the ground. I struggled against his grip as he pulls out a knife and slashed it down my body cutting the dress leaving me there exposed.

"Finally," He growls as he licks my neck and runs his knife down my body.

"Maximus please!" I cried squirming.

"Shut up. You're mine now. Be the nice little obedient girl you are and shut up," I didn't notice he tied my hands together as his hands began to wander about my body earning defiant moans from me. My messy (h/c) hair spread across the floor closing my eyes with tears streaming down my cheeks. It felt so disgusting.

I felt my world break. I gave up trying... No one was going to come...

Suddenly the door slams open to reveal Ban standing there with that same old smirk across his face.

"I see I didn't miss much."

"Who the hell are you?" Maximus asked annoyed.

"The name's Ban and I'm afraid I will have to ruin your fun and take her back home."

"She's not going anywhere... She is mine!"

"Listen here buddy. I didn't sign up to be apart of your love story. Just hand her over and we will be on our merry way," Ban said clicking his tongue.

"She's staying with me!"

Ban appeared right in front of him in a matter of seconds.

"Man I didn't really feel like hurting you man but you left me no choice," Ban says and just as Maximus was about to swing his knife at him Ban sent him flying through the walls landing a hard punch into his guts.

"Now that that's done..." Ban walks over to me and picks me up princess style.

"Time to take you home."

I said nothing.

"Oi you alright?"

Nothing. Just tears streaming down my cheek.

"Aw jeez. The boss is gonna get mad at me for this one," Ban sighs.

I reach my hand up and wrap my arms around his neck.

"Let's go home... please," I said through my tears.

"Are you okay?"

I nod.

"I just wanna go home," I repeated.

"Alrighty," He holds me securely in his arms and we were soon on our way back home...

Home...

Everyone at that tavern...

They were my family.