DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB. (And I don't like this disclaimer *sobs*)

Once again, thank you thank you for the love & support! I've thanked each of the reviewed users personally. I wish I can thank the guest reviewers too, but since I can't, I'll just do it here:

THANK YOU :)

Moving on...! (There will be some of first chapter repeated in here, so it's not a glitch or anything like that.)

~ Shields' Household - 10:00 AM ~

Brandon pulled the whimpering girl out of the car gently this time. He looked around to make sure no one was watching. The servants are usually in the kitchen this time, so there should be no one hanging around his room at this time. He pulled on her hand as they made their way inside.

In a few minutes, Brandon found himself locking the bedroom door behind him. He turned around to face her, who immediately cried out. "Please! Please don't hurt me! I'll...I'll do anything!"

Watching her cry made his heart ache. "Take those things off," he said softly. He took a step closer and she instinctively took one back. She waved her arms around to stop him from coming any closer. He suddenly grasped her arm and pulled her a few steps towards him.

"Take the stupid scarves and sweater off. You look ridiculous," he said. "I'll stop if you take them off."

She stopped and looked at him curiously. She didn't seem to believe him, but whatever. She'll take any chance she got. She quickly removed her gloves and slightly rubbed her hands together. She unbuttoned the sweater and took it off revealing a yellow shirt underneath. With a sniffle, she slowly removed the scarf from around her face. The woolen cloth fell to the floor as she lifted her head up.

Brandon's eyes widened. She wasn't a girl...she was a young woman. And...and...

She's so beautiful, he thought as his jaw dropped slightly. Her eyes were hazel tinted with a golden honey color. His features were soon marred by a frown when he realized the bruises on her beautiful face. Her forehead had a cut and her cheeks were covered with reddened finger stamps. Radius must've hit her hard. Her eyes...they were beautiful but they looked so vulnerable and broken.

He took a step closer and it was enough for her to go crazy again. "Please don't! Please-!"

Her cries went muffled as he tugged on her arm and pulled her into an embrace. Hugging her was probably not a good idea since it's kind of weird to go around hugging random strangers. But this girl's eyes looked so broken and it made his heart ache. He felt as if she needed a hug right now.

"Please. I'm not going to hurt you. I lied to get you away from him."

She stopped moving and squirming in his arms. He let her go when she calmed down and took a step backwards.

"Sit," he demanded as he pointed towards a chair. She nodded slightly. Brandon looked taken aback when she perched herself on the floor cross-legged. "Um. I meant on the chair," he said in shock. Who was this girl? She instantly stood up and followed his finger. Brandon pulled out another chair and sat in front of her.

"Is Radius hitting you?" he asked getting directly into the point. She looked away unable to answer. He opened his mouth to say something before his phone maniacally went off. Rolling his eyes, he cut the call when he saw the caller ID as none other than Sky. Presumably to ask how the deal went. Brandon set it on mute and set the phone aside.

He turned to her again. "No one here will judge you, okay? I want to help. So I'll ask again. Is that man abusing you?"

She nodded as tears fell from her eyes.

He placed a palm on top of her hand. "What's your name?" he gently asked.

She sniffled. She looked up at him and he was instantly hooked to her face.

"...Stella...My name is Stella."

...Stella...that's such a beautiful name, he thought as he looked onto her silently. After a minute of thought, he spoke again. "If he's abusing you, why did you work there? Are you that desperate for a job?" he asked with a little edge to his tone.

She nodded.

He looked momentarily taken aback when she quickly replied with a silent nod. It was a rhetorical question. He actually wasn't expecting a reply. Even if he did, he certainly didn't expect a 'yes'. "For how many months have you worked there?"

She took a moment to think. "Um...150."

Brandon's eyes widened. "Excuse me?" he asked incredulously with a raised voice.

Stella quivered at his bellowing voice. She shook slightly in her chair as she jumped a little. Why did she look so frightened?! he thought clearly puzzled at the eccentric behavior. That was a lot of reaction for two words. He took another breath. "What'd you say?" he asked with a low voice disbelieving the large number she uttered earlier.

"I..." she stammered.

Brandon blinked when he saw her lips trembling. Had he really frightened her that much? "Please. Don't be afraid," he said in a gentle voice. "I'm not going to hurt you, Stella. I want to help, okay? I want to help," he repeated. "What did you say earlier?"

"Y-y-you asked how many months I worked there. I worked there for 150 months."

Brandon's eyes widened. That's...more than twelve years! "You worked there for twelve years?!" he asked disbelievingly. She nodded.

He eyed her. She looked so young. She's definitely younger than him, that's for sure. Let's say she's the same age as him anyway. If she's 26 and she worked for 12 years...she couldn't have been more than 14 at that time.

He stood up slowly, processing the information. She, too, stood up as fast as a lightning bolt, startling him for a moment. She looked down at the dark maroon carpetted floor with a small frown. If she was this beautiful while being upset, he can't imagine how she must look like when she really smiled and laughed. But something told him that those were just mere words in a dictionary to her.

This was just too absurd. Yeah, she must be lying. That's all. Right?

"Y-y-you asked how many months I worked there. I worked there for 150 months."

He recalled her answer from earlier. What the hell kind of response is that? Instead of calculating and replying with an unreasonably large number, why not just shorten it and say it in terms of years? Why take a moment to ponder and say the actual number of months? He didn't know what to think or say right now. He sighed when he was suddenly interrupted.

"Brandon! Are you inside?!"

The brunette's eyes widened when he heard his mother's voice from outside. Oh hell no. He looked around the room before stopping at one particular view. He quickly grasped Stella's hand and made a run for the bathroom. He pushed her in there and locked the door silently. He rushed to the shower and turned it on. Stella, meanwhile, looked bewildered. She looked around the bathroom which shone with the yellowish lighting. There was a large white tub and a transparent glass shower on the left. The toilet was to the right. A huge silver-lined floor-lengthed mirror hung in front of her. She averted her eyes from the mirror and wrapped her arms around herself. The floor was marble-tiled, each tile reflecting light off the surface.

"Brandon, what are you doing?! Answer the door or I'm coming in!" Heather yelled from outside his room.

Brandon sighed out of relief. He could just pretend to get showered and wait for his mom to leave. His eyes darted towards the blonde. She just stood exactly where he left her. Her crystal hazel eyes seemed so innocent and oblivious to what's happening around her. He took a few steps silently towards her when he heard Heather open his bedroom door. Seriously? The things I do to get some privacy these days, he sourly thought.

"Brandon! Son, is something wrong? Why're you home early?!" Heather asked.

Brandon opened his lips to say something but not before he noticed Stella. She looked as if she's about to sneeze. Was she that dumb or just that naive?! He silently rushed towards her and covered her mouth instantly, a meek squeak escaping from her throat. She turned towards him with wide eyes. He clenched his jaw slightly and silently sent a warning to her to keep quiet. He held her face by the base of her neck and another remained around her mouth.

"Um...I'm fine, mom! I'm free this afternoon, so I came by to get some sleep!" he shouted turning towards the door.

"Oh. Well, alright then. I have a meeting this afternoon, so I'll see you tonight!"

"Yeah, sure," he answered. He sighed when he heard Heather's footsteps slightly fading away. He heard his bedroom door click and shook his head. "This is ridiculous," he muttered to himself.

His attention suddenly flew towards Stella who looked uncomfortably terrified. She shifted from one foot to the other. Oh no. He suddenly released her from his hold and took a few steps back. "Wait here," he motioned.

He headed out the bathroom and quickly locked his bedroom. When he entered again, he saw Stella visibly stiffen in his presence. He gestured for her to follow him from a respectful distance. It seemed as if their proximity frightened her.

He ordered to sit in the chair from earlier. She obeyed him without defiance. He sat opposite her and forced her to look him in the eye.

"Do you want to stay here?" he asked.

Her golden orbs widened. "H-H-H-H-H-Here...?" she asked in a small whisper as she looked around the room frantically. Well that was a lot of stammering to say one word, he thought in amusement. He watched her with an avid fascination as her face showed surprise, shock, and fear all at the same time. He didn't know why but he felt a strange pull to protect this fragile girl.

"I meant...do you want to work here? If you're willing enough to get beaten just for simple work, then work here," he smirked. Her eyes widened again, hooking him instantly. She blinked a few times as she tried to process the information. "..." she mumbled something incoherently.

He sensed fear practically rolling off in waves. She simply stared at him with wide eyes and sat dumbly without saying or moving anything.

"No one is going to hurt you here. And you can stay here as long as you like. Or until you want to find another job," Brandon said gently trying to ease her.

"...No one will hurt me...?" she repeated with disbelief in her eyes. Her shocked eyes hurt his heart for some reason. It seemed as if nice people didn't exist in her world. Brandon shook his head 'no', answering her question. "Okay," she said a moment later. No one is going to hurt me, she mentally repeated to herself.

"Can I go back to the old house?" she suddenly asked. He raised an eyebrow, "Why?"

"Um...can I get my stuff...?" she mumbled looking away. He watched as she fiddled with her fingers.

"Is there anything of value there? Any important ones?" he asked.

She thought for a moment. "A photo and a few books..."

He crossed his arms. "Is there any way you can sneak in to get your stuff?"

She nodded.

"How?" he prodded. Does she need an instruction to say a few extra words?!

"I...um...there is a door at the back leading straight to the basement. He never locks the outside of it."

"So? How does that help you get inside the house?"

"But...I live in the basement," she answered as if it's the most obvious thing ever. Brandon's eyes widened. His brown eyes searched her face. She lived in the basement?! Without a lock to it?! No, no, no. She's lying for sure. How can anyone live in an open basement?! And to live there for over twelve years?!

"Uh...just stay here for a few days and we'll go back to get your stuff. Okay?" he told her incoherently. In all his twenty six years, he has never slipped on a sentence...except now. She slowly nodded clearly obscure to his internal thoughts.

He placed a hand in his pocket and took out his cellphone. He dialled a number before holding it up to his ear. "Ms. Faragonda? Can you come to my room for a sec?...yes...yes, thank you. I'll be there in a jiff." He cut the call and sighed a little.

"Follow me," he ordered.

~ Shields' Household - 11:04 AM ~

"I need you to keep an eye on her for a few days," he spoke lowly as he kept his eyes trained on the timid blonde a few away. He turned back to the elderly woman. "Can you?" he asked earnestly.

"Poor girl...No one should have to go through that," Faragonda said as she sympathetically looked at Stella.

"Just make sure that she doesn't get any work involving other people. I don't think she's comfortable around men," Brandon calmly informed. Faragonda nodded. He smiled at her, "Thank you."

He slowly left her side and approached Stella. Her body stiffened when he got close enough to address her. He didn't know whether to feel pity towards her or feel downright insulted. What did she really go through? he thought curiously. But in the pits of his heart, he didn't want to know. He had a feeling that whatever it was, it was horrible enough for her to be terrified of another human being.

"Stella?"

She shakily answered him timidly. "Yes, sir?"

She cast her face slightly down, but he could catch the brim of her eyes. He watched her big, hazel irises with interest. They were a beautiful brown that revolved around her pupils in smoldering golden pools. His eyes travelled around her face. Her lips were a rosy peachish pink that looked delectably soft. There were faint traces of pink on her cheeks. She's gorgeous and possibly the most beautiful female that he has ever laid his eyes on. She was so simple yet so complex at the same time. But...the one thing he hated most was the look of helplessness in her eyes. They looked so lost and so frail that she seemed easily breakable. In fact, her whole body looked as if she's malnourished. And knowing that bastard's temper, he'd say that this girl is lucky enough to be fed once a day.

Unable to say anything, he simply turned to Faragonda who came to his rescue.

He walked past Stella, keeping a good distance between them. But somehow, he had a feeling that that distance wasn't enough for her, considering how a barely audible gasp escaped her lips.

As he walked away, his fingers went to the phone in his pocket. His eyes flared as electricity coursed through him. His lips tightened into a thin line. His heart rate slightly sped up as his strides became larger by each step until he was eventually running across the lot. His dark brown eyes glinted with anger as he ran across the mansion.

He has work to do.

So...I've been receiving reviews to update this story. So...I hope you like this chapter.

I'm actually brainstorming on another SxB story. So, hopefully I can jot it down soon xD

Thank you for reading! Please review (if you can) :) See you in the next one!