Kaiba sighed happily and turned onto his shoulder, reaching his arm out to the empty space next to him. He opened his eyes and saw that Salem wasn't lying by his side.
He sat up and looked around his bedroom, a mess from last night's romp.
As he stood, he peeked into the bathroom to see if Salem was getting a head start for the day.
"Salem?"
He walked into the bathroom, scratching his head when he saw that it was empty and clean. He had assumed that if Salem had showered off last night, the entire tub would be white and blue with glitter everywhere.
He sighed as he put on his black two piece kaftan. He checked his phone to see if she had sent him any messages.
Nothing.
Hmm.
Strange.
10am.
She would be up by now for sure.
There was a sharp knock at his door.
"Kaiba-sama, one of Ambassador Wahab's representatives is downstairs and is requesting to speak with you and Mokuba privately." Isono said through the door.
Kaiba rolled his eyes.
"Does this representative have a name?" Kaiba asked, not bothering to open the door. He didn't want Isono seeing his dildo on the floor. That would be more embarrassment than even he could handle.
"Jackson."
Kaiba immediately opened the door and walked out into the hallway, making sure to close the door behind him.
If Jackson was here, that would mean that something was wrong with Atem, right?
Why did he want to speak to him and Mokuba alone?
He sped down the stairs and walked into the kitchen, seeing Jackson standing at the kitchen island in front of Mokuba.
His younger brother was already dressed and seated at the island, sipping from a large mug.
"He must have stayed here last night...I hope he didn't hear anything.." Kaiba thought to himself as he nodded at Jackson.
"Mr. Kaiba. I believe we need to have a conversation." Jackson said, opening his briefcase.
Kaiba slowly approached the counter.
"All business this morning, Jackson? Shouldn't Salem be here to represent herself?" Kaiba asked haughtily.
"Lady Sala was hospitalized at 8am this morning. I came to start my shift at her estate and found her on the floor curled up in a ball. She was still dressed in her halloween costume." Jackson said emotionlessly.
Kaiba's heart fell into the pit of his stomach.
Hospitalized?
Jackson glared at the two men and continued,
"The doctor alerted me that Lady Sala suffered many injuries. Bruises mostly...on her wrists and ankles…" He trailed off as he took out a manilla envelope.
Mokuba clicked his tongue,
"What are you getting at? Jackson, was it?" He asked, glaring back at the older male.
"Your chief of security dropped Lady Sala off at her home at 7am. He said that she came from your room, Mr. Kaiba. When I found her...her clothes, at the least the small articles of clothing she was wearing were torn and tattered... and she was covered in your dress shirt." Jackson said, pulling out the dirty dress shirt and throwing it at Kaiba's chest.
Kaiba glared at the blonde male and put the shirt on the counter,
"I'd also like to know what you're getting at, Jackson."
Jackson sighed and opened the envelope,
"I had Lady Sala use a rape kit and there was of course ample...ahem, DNA from her underwear. As well as underneath her fingernails. After she was able to shower, she could barely stand and started bleeding immediately during, I took pictures of the various bruises on her body." He explained taking out several pictures of Salem's hips, legs, and wrists.
Mokuba gasped and examined the pictures closely,
"Holy shit. Why was she bleeding?" He asked, his tone genuinely concerned.
Kaiba looked at the pictures and felt bile rise in his throat.
It was from him.
He had done that to her.
Jackson cleared his throat and straightened his tie,
"Her cervix is incredibly torn and bruised. Normally all that can be done is bed rest but it was so severe that they're going to need to stitch up the tear."
Jackson focused his glare on Kaiba and continued,
"Mr. Kaiba, you need to come with me. If you do not, I will take this to the police and we will press charges."
"Charges? Salem made a choice and she at no point during our session asked me to stop." Kaiba said holding his hand up.
Mokuba chuckled,
"Wow she must be flailing if she's send you to fight her battles." He said, putting the photos on top of Jackson's briefcase.
"Actually, Lady Sala does not know that I'm here. She told me, well, cried that she had consented to everything." Jackson said crossing his arms.
"Ha! There you have it!" Mokuba said, taking a long sip of his coffee.
"But, I wonder how hard it is to say no to a man who's younger brother has been threatening and extoring her. I have several emails and text messages between you, Mokuba, and Lady Sala. I can only assume she "consented" due to being scared that you'd follow through on ruining Wolf Enterprises." Jackson explained, taking out a copy of a printed out text conversation and showing it to Mokuba.
Kaiba pinched the bridge of his nose and groaned,
"Mokuba you didn't…" He said.
Mokuba scoffed and threw the paper back at Jackson,
"Oh please, don't act like you didn't know! I wouldn't have had to do any of that if you didn't break up with her." He seethed, slamming his hand on the table.
"I'll take that as a confession. Even though these texts don't do you two any favors. Mr. Kaiba, if you would get dressed and come with me please. This won't take long." Jackson said packing up his briefcase.
Kaiba sighed,
"I suppose I don't have a choice?"
Jackson shrugged his shoulders and took his case off the table,
"You do have a choice, Mr. Kaiba. All in all, Lady Sala will have to be the one to press the charges. She may feel betrayed that I acted against her wishes and fire me, or she'll see that I'm right and have you put in jail. But, it's up to you to decide what you think she will do." He explained, waiting patiently.
Kaiba breathed in and out slowly. He knew he had gone too far with Salem. That was a fact.
He couldn't risk this becoming public. No. He needed to speak to Salem.
He needed to speak to Atem.
"I'll get dressed."
Atem rolled his eyes as he heard Jackson call his name from the kitchen. He reluctantly got out of bed and stomped upstairs, only to feel relief at seeing Kaiba's tall frame standing at the island.
"Kaiba! I… I'm happy to see you…" Atem said, rubbing his arm shyly. He knew that Kaiba and Salem shared a passionate night, but he couldn't stay mad at the blue eyed CEO.
He became confused when he saw Jackson say something to Kaiba in a hushed voice and then exit the kitchen, leaving the rivals alone.
Atem shrugged it off and sat at the bar, smiling at Kaiba widely.
"I heard Jackson take Salem out. I guess she's not back yet…" He gesturing for Kaiba to sit down next him.
He watched as Kaiba sighed and sat down.
"Pharaoh...Did Salem talk to you when she came home this morning?" Kaiba asked. He learned from Jackson that Salem had told Atem that Kaiba was too drunk to consent. And, after hearing this news, Atem had lost his temper.
He had also learned that Jackson tried to explain Salem's injuries, but Atem had written the honey eyed politician off for good.
Atem scoffed and flipped his blonde bangs,
"Yes. She told me about your night…." He said, scowling.
"Atem. Salem told you a lie to protect me. Yes, I was drunk but, I-"
"You were past consent." Atem interrupted, crossing his arms.
"No. I was past asking for her consent. Mokuba has been threatening Salem and the only reason she stayed with me last night is because she feared for her company." Kaiba explained, realizing how disgusting the situation sounded once he had said it out loud.
Atem processed Kaiba's words carefully,
"I don't understand."
"I think you do, pharaoh." Kaiba, said pushing the manilla envelope that Jackson left on the counter toward Atem.
Atem slowly took the pictures out of the envelope and gasped.
Bruises.
Awful black bruises.
He flipped through the pictures and found the texts from Mokuba, all extorting Salem into continuing the sham relationship.
He kept flipping through the documents until he couldn't stomach anymore.
"Where did Jackson take her?" Atem asked, his expression unreadable.
Kaiba took the papers from Atem and sighed,
"The hospital. Her cervix is bruised and there's a large tear that they'll have to close up. She's in surgery now. She was losing a lot of blood and they had to act fast. She won't be home for a couple of days. What she needs now is your understanding and-"
"She has it now. She made it seem like she took advantage of you. Like she was guilty...But I see now it was shame…" Atem thought aloud, feeling his the weight of what he said to Salem earlier that morning become too heavy for his heart to handle.
"That's understandable. While she's gone I'll be helping you with-"
"Are you fucking serious, Kaiba?!" Atem yelled, getting up from his stool.
He slammed his fists on the counter and glared at Kaiba through tear filled eyes,
"Have you no shame, Kaiba…" He said through clenched teeth.
Kaiba's eyes widened,
"What are you-"
"Get out." Atem growled.
"Atem, I-"
"Get OUT!" Atem yelled, his booming voice causing Kaiba to leap out of his seat and rush into the foyer.
Atem tried to control his breathing as his rage threatened to take control of his actions. His entire body was shaking as he went into one of the cabinets to get a glass for water. He tried to steady his hand but set the glass in the sink, putting his face in his hands to let out all of his sorrow.
Reporter on television: Is this correct? It is? You have it here first, Domino. The people of the United States have spoken. Tr*mp is the new President Elect. The world has taken a deep breath, and people everywhere are saying, "What now?"
Atem sat silently on the couch, numb from loneliness. He turned off the TV and wrapped himself in the throw blanket, sighing loudly.
Today was the day.
Salem was going to come home from the hospital and Atem was going to give her the biggest hug he could and apologize for his behavior.
He was in no way ready to speak to Kaiba yet. He had hoped Kaiba's violent nature had dissipated with age, but it seemed the CEO found his own way to stagnate his emotional growth.
He sighed again and threw the blanket off of him. He stood and stretched, yawning loudly. He walked into the kitchen and looked around.
"Will she want to eat? Will she be able to eat?" He thought, wondering if he should cook something for dinner.
He only knew how to make scrambled eggs and pasta noodles, but he wanted to do something to show his gratitude.
He heard the font door open and Jackson instructing several staff members to go to different points of the house.
"Thank you, Jackson. I'll need you to help me set up my live feed right now. Tr*mp is the president elect and I can't stay quiet until I've healed completely." He heard Salem say, her voice slowly approaching the kitchen.
Atem nervously waited in the middle of the room, hoping to greet her and apologize immediately. His heart dropped once he saw Jackson, pushing Salem in a wheelchair into the kitchen.
"My Lady, I don't think it's a good idea for you to stay awake. The doctor said you need plenty of bed rest." Jackson said, ignoring Atem's presence as he pushed Salem to the bottom of the stairs.
"I'll rest, Jackson. After I address Japan and the United States." She said calmly, turning her head to look at Atem.
He turned a shade of red as she smiled warmly at him.
"Atem. Thank you for the get well cards." She said, tucking a hair behind her ear.
Atem nodded slowly, unable to find his words.
Salem continued,
"Seto sent me several flowers. Do you know anything about why that might be?" She asked.
Jackson sighed and crossed his arms,
"Lady Sala, we've been over this-"
"I was talking to my pupil, Jackson." She said sternly.
Atem swallowed the lump in his throat,
"What happened wasn't your fault. And I'm sorry I wasn't there for you when you needed me." He started.
Salem raised an eyebrow,
"What do you mean? As soon as you found out the truth, you kicked him out of my house. You've realized your mistake, Atem, and you've apologized for it." She explained.
Atem sniffled and wiped a tear that was forming away from his eye,
"I should have listened instead of just getting angry. I've always known what he's capable of, I mean, first your shoulder and now-"
"Atem. Please don't punish yourself. I need to get some work done but we can talk after, okay?" She said, gesturing for Jackson to pick her up out of the chair.
Atem nodded,
"Okay."
He watched as Jackson carried her up the stairs. He was determined to help her more somehow.
He looked in the different cabinets searching for anything to spark inspiration. He sighed when he realized he didn't know where to begin.
He pulled out his phone and look at his last conversation with Kaiba. He hated what he was about to do but only Kaiba would know what Salem likes in terms of food.
Kaiba shook his head as he watched president elect Tr*mp address the U.S. It was like the man had never formed a full sentence in his entire life.
He jumped as he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.
His stomach churned as he saw a message from Atem.
Holy shit.
Pharaoh: Salem has come home from the hospital. She is in a wheelchair.
Kaiba groaned internally.
Over the last week he had tried everything he could to get in touch with Salem. He had sent her favorite flowers and several cards to her hospital room. He had also sent her multiple bottles of vintage wines from his own wine cellar to her estate.
He wanted to apologize in person but Jackson wouldn't allow him on the property and even if he could sneak into the basement, Atem wouldn't have him anywhere close either.
He carefully crafted a reply and pressed send. He needed to remember that this wasn't about his feelings, it was about Salem's.
Seto Kaiba: How is she feeling?
..
….
Pharaoh: I don't know. She was telling Jackson about addressing Japan? She's on a lot of medication.
Kaiba sighed and rubbed at his eyes.
This was all his fault.
Seto Kaiba: That makes sense that she wants to address our nation as well as her own.
..
….
..
Pharaoh: I want to make her something to eat. What is her favorite?
..
….
Seto Kaiba: That's very thoughtful. If she's on pain meds, she may get nauseous if you try and give her something too heavy.
..
…
Pharaoh: What's her favorite dish, Kaiba?
..
…
..
Seto Kaiba: She loves sweets. Berries with chocolate and brie cheese.
…
…
..
Pharaoh: Thank you. That was all I needed.
..
Seto Kaiba: When can I see you. Both of you.
…
Pharaoh: Goodbye, Kaiba.
Kaiba sighed and set his phone next to his laptop.
Painful.
He started to answer emails when he received a notification in the corner of his screen.
SalaWahab is now live…
Kaiba clicked on the notification, the link taking him to a live video of Salem in her study. He felt relief wash over him at seeing her seated at her desk, looking just as stunning as she did when they first met.
He held his breath as she began to speak.
Salem: People of the world. This evening in the United States, a horrible man has been given the power to lead the free world. This does not define who we, the people of the United States are.
*Salem clears her throat and blinks several times, trying to center herself.*
Salem: We are in a strange time. A time where the decisions we make have a greater weight than normal. I could say that the American system is flawed, and that there shouldn't be a way for a man who has been accused of rape, sexual harassment, and shady business practices, to become President of the United States.
*She tucks a lock of hair behind her ear*
Salem: No, I won't say anything like that… What I will say is that now is that we need to be kind to each other. We can no longer be divided. As a country, as a people, or what have you.
No person is illegal.
We are all human.
I will not sit idly by while hate continues to divide the people who need the most help. The rich have a history of pitting the poor against each other.
I implore you all. Think about who is really there to help you. It's not the billionaire who recieved "a small loan of a million dollars" to start his own business. It's your neighbor who works sixty hours a week yet still finds time to spend with their family. It's your grocer who remembers your name and asks you about your family whenever you're at the market.
Now is the time for love.
I will continue to be an honest, compassionate, and fearless politician. I will not be bullied by a man who is so vile that he would make fun of a mentally challenged reporter. A man so vile that he thinks women are objects to be collected...
Atem listened to Salem's words carefully over the laptop Jackson placed in front of him on the counter. He was arranging multigrain crackers on a plate along with a small wedge of brie.
He had a feeling that Salem's words were coming from a true place of understanding.
She was going to forgive Kaiba.
Atem didn't think Kaiba deserved to be forgiven so easily and that the CEO needed to live in his guilt even longer.
But, he knew Salem wouldn't allow Kaiba to feel alone.
He sighed as he chopped a handful of strawberries in easy to bite slices.
What would happen now that Kaiba has done this awful thing?
The wedding was a month away and Atem didn't think he could forgive Kaiba by then.
Atem didn't like that Kaiba and Salem kept using the excuse that Kaiba was drunk. Based on Salem's real story, she had tried to leave several times. Kaiba was the one who reminded her of what she had to lose if she didn't cooperate.
Salem: I will stay on as American Ambassador to Japan for the rest of my contracted term. I'm not afraid of my government or you, President Elect.
I will not give up on my country and I will continue to fight for those who have been silenced by people like you.
Kaiba's heart was beating incredibly fast.
Incredible.
He stared at the blank screen, his reflection looking back at him.
He needed to make things right. Somehow.
He tapped the screen of his phone and went to his messages. This time composing a text to Salem, hoping that she would finally reply.
Seto Kaiba: I saw your address. You're as eloquent as always.
..
…
He waited patiently as the dots at the bottom of the screen appeared and disappeared. Finally, a message popped up.
Goddess: Thank you for taking the time to watch it. I know you're busy.
..
…
..
Seto Kaiba: I'll never be too busy for you, Goddess.
..
…
..
Goddess: Was there something you needed? I don't have any updates on Atem as I just came home from the hospital this evening.
..
…
Seto Kaiba: I was hoping to speak with you and Atem in person. Once, you're feeling better, of course.
..
…
Goddess: I'm not ready to see you yet. I need some time and I think Atem does too. I think he's feeling the anger that I'm incapable of feeling toward you right now.
..
…
Seto Kaiba: When then?
..
Goddess: I think at this point the wedding is the next time Atem will allow you close to him.
..
…
Seto Kaiba: And you?
..
Goddess: I know you want to apologize…
..
Goddess: But there's really nothing you could say…
Seto Kaiba: Salem, please. I want to fix things.
..
…
Goddess: I'm sorry, Seto. I really am but I can't trust you anymore. At least not right now.
Atem put the beautifully plated berries, dark chocolate, crackers and cheese on a serving tray with a glass of sparkling water. He took a deep breath and carried the tray upstairs, hearing Jackson speaking with Salem in her room.
"My Lady, you've made the right choice. Do not answer any of his phone calls, no matter how many times he tries to contact you. I'll make sure he stays away from the property until the 31st. Are you sure you don't want to press charges against him and his brother?" He heard Jackson ask.
Atem's eyes widened at the thought of Kaiba in prison.
He didn't want that.
"I'm sure Jackson. What happened will stay between those involved."
Atem cleared his throat and knocked on the door.
Good.
At least him and Salem were on the same page.
"Come in, Atem..Jackson, you may leave for the evening."
Atem opened the door and walked into the bedroom. He stood just before the chiffon curtains that lead into the sunken sleeping area.
"With all due respect, madame, I won't leave your side with you in this condition." Jackson grumbled, crossing his arms.
Atem awkwardly walked passed the curtains to reveal Salem underneath her covers and Jackson standing by her bedside. He studied Salem's robe, all white and almost see through.
Was she not worried about Jackson trying something?
"Hmmm. Well then if you insist on staying, you may sleep downstairs. Atem will stay up here with me." She said, her speech slurring slightly from the medication beginning to kick in.
Atem approached the bed with the tray and placed it at the edge. He clasped his hands in front of his body while he patiently waited for Jackson to leave.
"Very well then. Goodnight, Lady Sala, Pharaoh." Jackson put his right hand to the left side of his chest as he bowed, giving Salem and Atem some privacy.
Salem smiled weakly at Atem,
"What do you have there, habibi?" She asked, pointing to the tray of food.
"I made that for you. I figured you'd be hungry after...you know." Atem said, walking over to the right side of the bed near the bathroom door.
Salem smiled and gestured for him to sit next to her.
He obliged and became red in the face when the curly haired beauty disrobed, revealing a very thin lacy bralette.
"Atem, don't be shy. I just need to let my skin to breathe." She said rubbing at one of the bruises on her neck.
Atem studied the bruises on her upper body carefully. They didn't look like they were from Kaiba's hands…
"He likes to bite." Was all Salem said when she caught Atem gaping at her.
"I'm sorry. I don't mean to stare… It's just-"
"Atem, it's okay, really. This whole situation is messed up. He didn't know he was hurting me and quite frankly, I wasn't aware he was hurting me either. It actually wasn't until after you had yelled at me that I realized something was really wrong…" She explained, making a motion for Atem to pull the tray of food closer.
"Jackson showed me the pictures…" Atem whispered, pulling the tray close and grabbing a blueberry for Salem.
"It looks worse than it feels, habibi…" She answered, eating the blueberry when Atem put it to her lips.
Atem stayed silent as they ate the berries and dark chocolate, not exactly knowing how to fess up to contacting Kaiba.
"I can't eat the brie. It'll um...make it more difficult for me to use the bathroom. More difficult than it already is…" She said sadly.
"I spoke to him today." Atem blurted out.
Salem sighed and swallowed the lump in her throat,
"So did I."
"And?" Atem asked, hoping that she didn't let him back into her life immediately.
"And I was honest. I told him that I don't trust him anymore...This is the second time he's gotten violent with me. I don't want to forgive him and have the third time be my death.." She explained, popping a blackberry into her mouth.
Atem nodded and put a tender hand on Salem's thigh,
"I just asked him what your favorite dish was…But, I don't think I'm ready to see him...I don't think I want to see him for a while."
"How long is a while, Atem?" Salem asked putting her elegant hand on top of his.
He shook his head and shrugged,
"I'm not sure. I guess my question is, do I have to leave you?" He asked.
"What do you mean?" Salem asked weakly, slowly leaning back against her pillows.
"I mean, I don't want to leave. This whole time I've been biding my time, waiting for the wedding so I could finally be known to Yugi and my friends, so I could finally, fully be with Kaiba. But, do I want to be with a man who does this...to his loved ones.." Atem explained, lightly stroking a bruise on Salem's forearm.
"Hmpf. That's just it, Atem. Seto doesn't love me and if-"
"That's not true!" Atem yelled, standing up.
Salem flinched and held her belly as the bed bounced slightly.
"Oh, oh.." She moaned, closing her eyes in pain.
"Shit, Salem, Oh my God-"
"Atem, I'm fine. Keep going, just don't rock the bed so much." She said with a small smile.
Atem sighed and gingerly sat back down on the bed.
"I'm sorry. I just feel like he maybe subconsciously did this to you on purpose. So you would hate him. That way he wouldn't have to deal with his issues." he explained, moving the tray to the floor and stretching out on the bed next to Salem.
Salem chuckled and held Atem's hand,
"I think you're right. But, Atem, you should know that you have free will. If you decide you'd like to stay with me, that'll be your choice. If you decide to give Kaiba a second chance, that'll also be your choice. I'll be here for you no matter what you choose." She explained, gazing up at the ceiling.
Atem smiled and turned his head to look at Salem,
"I was wrong earlier." He said.
"About what?" Salem asked with a yawn.
"You are a good friend." He said, moving a lock of her hair out of her face.
He laughed lightly as he realized Salem had fallen asleep. He got up to turn off the light and went back to her side, situating himself under the covers as well. He shifted his body close to hers protectively.
"Goodnight, Salem. Thank you…"
Thank you for reading! I know this chapter was a little heavier and trust me, it was not easy for me to write.
We're approaching the end of act 2 of this story and I'm very excited that probably within the next 5 or 10 (ten being on the longer side) chapters, this story will come to an end.
I know it's kind of a mess right now but our protagonists will figure themselves out soon.
Please be gentle and kind as I am my own editor at the moment.
Please review, comment, kudo, favorite, etc so I know you like this sort of content!
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