Chapter 5: Submitting To him.

Celine's heart thundered in her chest as the suited men closed in, the atmosphere becoming tense and threatening. Aaron looked to her for answers, his voice edgy with concern.

"Celine, what's happening?" he whispered urgently, his grip on her hand tightening as their pursuers bore down on them.

She shot him a glance, her own panic evident on her face. "I'll explain everything later, but right now we need to get out of here."

But their escape route was blocked. They found themselves cornered, the men closing in around them.

In a flurry of confusion and terror, Celine was lifted off the ground, her protests muffled as she was slung over the shoulder of one of the suited men. 

Aaron, seeing this, rushed towards them with a fury only love can inspire. But his attempts to save her were met with resistance, the other guards quickly overpowering him.

"If you harm her, I'll kill you!" he bellowed, his eyes burning with the intensity of his threat.

One of the suited men, his expression unreadable beneath his stony exterior, pulled out a syringe and injected it into Aaron's neck.

His eyes widened in shock, his muscles twitching before he fell to the ground, unconscious.

"No!" Celine cried out, struggling against the guard who held her in his iron grip. "Let him go!

Celine fought, but it was in vain. A sedative was injected into her, the world blurring before everything went dark. "Dad..." were the last words she whispered before she succumbed to unconsciousness.

Celine's eyelids fluttered open, a painful throbbing in her head reminding her of the nightmare she had just endured. Disoriented and shaken, she peered into the dark, unfamiliar space, her surroundings obscured by the dim lighting.

With growing panic, she dashed to the door and began pounding on it, her fists beating in rhythm with the frenzied tempo of her heart. "Open up!" she yelled, her voice echoing in the eerie silence.

"Open this freaking door now!" Celine yelled, her voice sharp with anger and fear. But her words died in her throat as a familiar voice echoed through the room.

"Keep your voice down, Celine," said the voice, smooth and authoritative.

The lights flicked on, revealing Ermanno, seated in a chair with a look of serene indifference on his face.

"What is wrong with you!" Celine shouted.

Ermanno's face remained stoic, his eyes unnervingly calm as he responded, "That's not a respectful way to talk to your husband."

Celine, still seething, scoffed at his statement. "You are not my husband!"

Ermannostood, pouring water into a glass with a sinister air of casualness.

"Here, I am sure you are thirsty," Ermannosaid, the coldness in his voice chilling the air around them.

Celine stared at the glass, her hands trembling as she took it. She knew she needed to stay hydrated, but the thought of taking anything from this man made her stomach turn.

"Please let me go," Celine begged, her voice breaking as tears brimmed in her eyes, the weight of her predicament crashing down on her.

"Not until you agree to sign the contract," he stated coldly.

Celine, her fury ignited by his cruelty, spat out her response. "Go to hell with that!" 

"Celine," Ermannomurmured, his eyes fixed on her as he closed the distance between them. She instinctively stepped back, her heart racing as she tried to put some space between them.

"Where is my father?" she demanded, trying to keep her voice steady in spite of her fear. But Ermannoremained silent, ignoring her question as he strode toward the door.

"Follow me," he commanded, his voice heavy with the threat of violence.

They entered the next room,

"Look at the screen," Ermannoordered, his voice cold and commanding. Celine turned to the monitor, her breath catching in her throat as she was confronted with the sight of Aaron, her beloved, tied to a chair with a masked man pointing a gun at his head.

"Ermanno, please, don't hurt him.”

Ermanno's eyes were like cold, hard steel, pinning Celine in place. "I told you not to do anything stupid, Celine,"

"I'm sorry," Celine sobbed, the fear for her father's safety overwhelming her. "Please don't hurt him, he's all I have."

Ermanno's face was expressionless as he delivered his ultimatum. "He gets to leave if you sign the contract."

"But I don't want to," she whispered, defiance shining through her fear.

"You don't have a choice,"

Celine, fighting to keep her voice steady, asked, "Why me?"

For a brief moment, a flicker of vulnerability crossed Ermanno's face before his expression hardened once again. "Will you sign the contract or not?" 

"I don't mind killing him, Celine. Don't make me."

Celine was wracked with sobs, her heart feeling like it was being crushed under the weight of her hopelessness. "Please, Ermanno, please," she begged, her pleas falling on deaf ears.

Ermannoreplied, his eyes unreadable. "Sign the contract, or I will kill him."

"Fine," she muttered, her voice barely a whisper. "I'll sign it. Just don't hurt him."

Ermannosmiled, his face an eerily twisted reflection of victory. "Good girl," 

"I will tell my men to come get you tomorrow," he continued, turning to leave the room without a backward glance. "You are free to go home now."

Once they arrived home, she helped Aaron remove his blindfold, bracing herself for his reaction.

Aaron's voice rang out, sharp with frustration. "Young lady, you are in big trouble if you don't tell me what's going on right now!"

Celine sighed, her exhaustion apparent in her voice. "Jeez, you can't even ask if I'm okay," she muttered, unlocking the door to their house and stepping inside.

"Celine, what's going on? Are you okay?"

She nodded, forcing a small smile. "Yes, Dad. I'm fine. They just mistook us for someone else," she lied, her words pouring out smoothly despite the weight of the truth. "I've been getting these threatening messages, and that's who kidnapped us. They thought we were the ones they were after."

Aaron wrapped his arms around Celine, his embrace a cocoon of comfort.

"I was so worried," Aaron whispered, his voice filled with relief and fear.

"There's nothing to worry about," Celine replied, her smile feeling stiff and artificial on her lips.

"Are you sure? You look troubled," he said, his concern still evident.

"I'm okay, Dad," Celine insisted, her voice betraying the slightest hint of weariness. "It's been a long day. Goodnight."

Once inside her room, Celine collapsed on the bed, her body deflating like a punctured balloon. As the door shut behind her, she allowed herself to finally break down, hot tears streaming down her face.

"Stop crying, Celine," she scolded herself, trying to wipe away the tears with shaky hands.

Standing outside Ermanno's mansion, Celine's heart pounded with fear and determination. 

Celine's beauty was undeniable, radiating a mesmerizing allure. Her golden blonde hair cascaded in perfect waves, framing a face that was porcelain-smooth and flawlessly proportioned. Her blue eyes sparkled like the ocean, complemented by long, dark lashes and a petite nose.

Dressed in low-waist jeans that accentuated her curves and a crop top that flaunted just a hint of her toned stomach, Celine was a vision of elegance and seduction.

"Please, follow me, ma'am," the guard said, his voice cold and professional. Celine nodded, her mind still reeling from the beauty of the mansion as she followed him in silence.

After a short walk, they arrived at a spacious, luxurious sitting room. The intricate details and sumptuous decor screamed wealth and power.

"Mr. Ermannosuggests that you wait for him here," the guard said. Celine gave a curt nod.

A sudden voice snapped her out of her daze. "Hello, Celine." Ermanno's voice was calm, almost friendly. But it was a veneer, hiding the cruelty that lurked beneath.

She looked up, her gaze falling on Ermanno. He was dressed in a sleek business suit that suited his lean frame perfectly.

His beauty was undeniable, a testament to nature's artistry. Celine's eyes flickered over Ermanno, taking in the subtle nuances of his attractiveness. His emerald green eyes gleamed with intelligence and ruthlessness, his features flawlessly sculpted, radiating a power that was difficult to resist.

His jet-black hair was styled impeccably, complementing his sharp jawline and regal nose. And beneath the fitted suit, she knew his physique was chiseled and defined, an indicator of his disciplined lifestyle.

Ermanno's voice broke through Celine's reverie, a hint of arrogance coloring his question. "Like what you see?" he asked, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

Celine scoffed, her gaze flashing with disdain. "I wish!"