Natalie felt as if the floor had dropped out from beneath her feet. Sell her soul, her freedom, and her entire life to Ace. The notion was so perverse, so utterly devoid of humanity, that she could scarcely process it. "You're...you're insane," she stammered, unable to fully mask the tremor in her voice. "You can't be serious." Ace's features remained coldly impassive. "I can assure you, I've never been more lucid." He rose from his seat and began slowly circling her like a predator evaluating its prey. "Think of it more as...an extremely specialized form of indentured service. One where the length and terms are indefinite." "This is madness!" Natalie knew her voice had taken on a shrill, desperate edge, but she was powerless to temper it. "You're talking about enslaving me!" Ace tsked softly. "Such an unrefined term. I prefer to think of it as bringing your potential into my dedicated service." He stopped, holding her with an intense stare that seemed to burn straight through her. "Yo
Natalie felt her body tingle with energy and bravado in response to Ace's disguised threat. Some primal part of her seemed to relish the opportunity to fight back against his cruelty. "Is that so?" she said, striving to keep her voice steady. "Well, I think it's about time you got a taste of having your control challenged for once." She leaned further over the desk, revealing Ace's flared nostrils as her defiance struck a chord. "Do you want to attempt breaking me, Hawthorne? Have at it. But I can assure you that you will not appreciate the process. His jaw tightened almost subtly. "We'll see about that." Then, before Natalie could understand the movement, Ace's palm darted out and clamped vice-like around her wrist. She let out a shocked gasp as he yanked her forward, her torso smashing into the desk edge with bone-rattling power. "Get one thing through that pretty little head of yours," he growled, his face mere inches from hers. Natalie could feel the fire in his words and smell th
The days after Ace's terrible treatment of Natalie at dinner were a tumultuous, bizarre game of cat-and-mouse around the huge manor grounds. He seemed to take pleasure in tormenting her at every turn, his presence a foreshadowing of further degradation. But Natalie refused to be the frightened captive he had clearly intended. She shadowed his movements with a barely contained ferocity, like a cat pursuing its unwary prey through the underbrush. Every calculated smile and offhanded remark he sent her way just fueled the banked fires of her hatred. Natalie finally took advantage of an opening during one of these predatory circuits. Ace had led a pair of suspicious business associates on a tour of Hawthorne's immaculately manicured gardens and residential wings. Natalie followed them between shaded archways and groomed hedgerows, watching and waiting. Her moment arrived when the group arrived on the south patio. Natalie struck while Ace leaned against the stone balustrade, telling his gu
Natalie's days after her dramatic meltdown on the terrace were like a fever dream that she couldn't quite remember. Her next conscious memory was of waking up in a dimly lit room with her arms firmly wrapped and the cloying aroma of antiseptics in the air. A whispered voice brought her attention to the figure seated beside the bed: a slim, serious-looking man with wire-rimmed glasses and thinning gray hair. He looked at her with clinical detachment, which sent a shiver down her spine. "Ah, welcome back to the land of the coherent, Miss Dennison," he murmured in a smooth, sinisterly detached tone. "You had us quite concerned there for a spell." Natalie blinked slowly, images of the wrecked patio and searing pain returning in fragmented spurts. A wild giggle crept up her throat before she could control it. "How courteous of you to be concerned for my well-being, sir," she rasped in a terrible imitation of a refined tone. "Although I imagine keeping the master's playthings functional is
Natalie's spiral into lunacy accelerated in the days that followed, culminating in a nearly frenzied insanity. The murmurs that had originally taken root in her thoughts had become a cacophonous chorus, their siren melody drowning out any notion of reason or restraint. Her self-mutilations became increasingly intricate and violent as she attempted to communicate with the dark creatures that had trapped her psyche. Bloody sigils and incantations covered her entire body, practically vibrating with an awful vitality. Ace watched these frightening alterations from a distance, his typical composure gradually giving way to a gleam of begrudging fascination. This was no longer the rebellious yet vulnerable woman he had aimed to break and subjugate. Natalie had abandoned her mortal coil, revealing a darker and more unpredictable side. Ace, for all his calculating malice, was terrified by the idea of what she could become. Natalie's screams of passionate anguish rang through the moonlit hallwa
The Accidental Rescue:The frigid winds blasted over the rushing river as Arnold waited on the shore, watching the woman struggle against the powerful currents. His lips pinched into a narrow line. He turned to his soldiers and said, "Do not save her. Let her be. But as the woman's head vanished beneath the churning waters, Arnold felt something stirring inside him. Without hesitation, he sprang into the river, his powerful figure slashing through the frigid waters. Pushing against the inexorable tide, he grabbed the woman and dragged her limp body to the land. Coughing and gasping, the woman opened her eyes to see Arnold's icy glare. "What do you want from me?" she inquired, her voice shaking. Arnold maintained an indifferent expression as he hauled her to her feet. "You, my dear, will be the mother of my heir," he asserted emphatically. The woman's eyes widened in shock. "Through intercourse?" she inquired, her tone just above a whisper. Arnold shakes his head. "No, not during inter
A twisted bargain:Alice's days dragged on, each more excruciating than the last. Arnold's frequent visits had turned into a living nightmare, as he insulted and abused her, attempting to crush her spirit. The seclusion, uncertainty, and looming menace of his plans for her weighed hard on her mind, and she gradually gave in to his demands. One day, while she sat in her dimly lit chamber, the door swung open and Arnold stepped in, his expression unreadable. Alice tensedopen, prepared herself for another round of agony, but to her astonishment, his remarks were devoid of venom. "My dear," he began, his tone unexpectedly soft, "I have an offer for you." Alice looked at him suspiciously, her heart beating in her chest. "What kind of an offer?" she inquired, her voice barely above a whisper. "If you agree to bear my children," Arnold went on to say, "I will cease the daily torment and grant you certain privileges." Alice could feel her breath seize in her throat. The idea of carrying his c
The Wedding of the Century:The stately manor was alive with bustle as the much-anticipated wedding day approached. Servants bustled about, adorning the halls with an amazing display of flowers, silks, and crystal chandeliers that threw a warm glow over the opulent setting. Alice stood in the center of the whirlwind, her pulse racing with a mix of fear and resignation. The weight of the costly gown she wore seemed like a noose around her neck, a continual reminder of the cage she had deliberately walked into. As the guests began to arrive, Alice recognized familiar faces—distant cousins, business associates, and members of high society—all eager to witness what was being dubbed the "wedding of the century." Among them, she noticed Sophia, her sister's eyes sparkling with hate. When the time came for Alice to walk down the aisle, she braced herself and set her attention firmly ahead. As she reached the altar, she could feel Arnold's possessive eyes on her, and she had to resist the imp