"What the hell do you want, Mark?" I ask, totally done with his nonsense.
"Aww.. can't I just come to see you?" He says, trying to sound innocent.
"No, Mark. When will you stop disturbing my life?" I stare at him straight in his eyes.
"I've done literally everything you asked me to. I stayed away from Ted, I spoke to the news station and I even got put in the hospital for following your orders, so what more do you want from me?" 
"I just want to live my normal life and go back to my normal job without any more disturbances." I plead, but he didn't even seem the least bit interested in what I had to say. 
He pushes me aside and walks into the house, going to the dining table and sitting in front of my plate. He picks up the fork and pokes at the pancakes in my plate. 
"Hey, Elle. Aren't you gonna say hi to your brother in law?" He asks smiling at her and she ignores him.
"Hey, Mark. Now is not the time for you to be here." I close the door and walk towards where they were sitting.
"That isn't how to treat you guests, Beth. You didn't even offer me water to drink." Elle rolls her eyes at what he says.
"That's because I don't want you here." I say, but he acts as if I hadn't said anything and leans back in the chair. 
"Elle, please can you excuse us." I say to her and she rolls her eyes again as she stands up with her plate in her hand and heads upstairs, but not without giving Mark one last disgusted look.
I cross my arms as I regard mark with a mean look.
"Oh, come on Beth. You know why I'm here. You've finally fulfilled all the conditions I wanted you to so now it's time for us to get back the happy relationship we once had. Why are you adamant on making this harder for the both of us?" 
"I have nothing more to do with you, Mark. Our deal ended when I spoke against Ted at the news station. I want nothing more to do with you?" I move closer to him. "I've seen you go around with different women even after you warned me to stay away from Ted, yet you still don't want to let me go. If that isn't being wicked and selfish, then I don't know what is."
"This thing between us isn't over until I say that it is. You have no choice. You're going to have to give in sooner or later, but I would prefer better than later."
"I am never going to be yours, Mark. I just did as you said because I wanted my loved ones to be safe, but no more. I won't let you ruin my life. You can go ahead and release the tape for all I care, I don't give a shit, just stay away from me and my family." 
"What?" He asks, his face letting me know that he had not expected me to say what I said.
"I'm begging you to please release the tape of me. Any other thing is better than having to live like this, so please leave." 
When he makes no move to get up, I walk towards him and pull him up from the chair and start pushing him towards the door. It was evident that he was still in shock because he was still frozen.
I open the door, but as I'm about to push him out, he holds unto my arm. I look up at him to see him staring at me, how eyes dark.
"Do you really want to do this?" He asks me, his eyes narrowed.
"Get out, Mark." I say, my voice low as I love to open the door for him.
"I'm going to make sure you regret this, trust me." He says and walks out the door without glancing back even once.
I slam the door behind him, not feeling timid or afraid of what he might do, because I had had enough. I walk back to the dining table to clear the plates that were on it, because my appetite was gone already.
Just as I turn around to take the plates into the kitchen, I see Elle running downstairs.
"What is it?" I ask her.
"Is there a problem between you and Mark? Why is he blackmailing you? What does he want?" She asks, her eyes looking genuinely curious, but I wasn't going to tell her anything.
"It's nothing, Elle. It's just Mark being his usual stupid self." I said, dropping the plates in the sink. 
"Okay, if you say so." Elle drops her plate in the sink in front of me before going back into her room.
I sigh as I place my hands on the edge of the sink, putting my head down. 
Would I really be okay with Mark posting the video online or sharing it to his friends? 
My head hurts thinking about what I would have to go through. I might not be able to go out in public if that happens. I place my hands on my forehead and rub it hard, my head aching from thinking too much. 
But if that happened, I would be free from Mark's captive and even though I might be humiliated for a while, but it would pass after a while, I knew it would. 
I quickly do the dishes and change my clothes into something I was comfortable in and packed my bag to go to the studio before stopping by Elle's room.
"Hey, I'm going out to the studio, I'll be back after a while." I shout through her door as I knock once.
"Okay, whatever, see you later." She say and I leave the front of her room and make my way downstairs. 
I open the door and the fresh, clean air that greets my face and nose already starts to calm me down. Whenever I had a hectic day or something I had to think about, dancing at the pole always made me forget whatever I was feeling at that moment. 
I take the bus and arrive at the studio not until after a few minutes. My leave was finally over, it was time to return to work so I wanted to do some practice first.
I open the door to the studio as I step in, not in the mood to talk to anyone, I just change my clothes and wear my heels as I step up to an empty pole.
There is already music playing, so I just focus on it and start to move my body to the rhythm of it. I twirl around the pole and the next few minutes till the song is over, passes by in a blur as I just dance my heart away, without stopping taking out all my frustrations.
I thought about Enid, and about how this was all her fault. It seemed the universe didn't want Ted and I to be together, because we just kept encountering one problem or the other. I really want to be with Ted.
I really hope that things would go on without any more hitches.