1. Trapped

“Stay away from me!” A woman yelled in an alley near a towering structure in the middle of the night.

Rose was trapped in a cul-de-sac. The narrow, gloomy road was only illuminated by the weak glow of flickering city lamps. The moist and putrid odor permeated the air, along with the remains of garbage littered on the street corners. Only Rose's footsteps could be heard echoing against the towering, solid stone walls.

Her legs are exhausted after running continually. She escaped from Flint, the mafia boss' right-hand man.

Rose's plan almost succeeded when she boarded a cargo ship. However, escape from the island known as Solterra is not easy. There are too many "big boss" men, including Flint. He saw Rose board the ship and sent the other guys to catch her.

For four years on Solterra Island, where these mafias live, human trafficking has become a natural occurrence, leaving Rose unable to survive. Especially the torture she suffered from the big boss when he was angry. Her body was covered in bruises and scars from the punches and whips she had experienced.

And here she is now. Like a cornered mouse, prepared to be hunted.

“What will you do if I get close?” Flint grinned. He yanked Rose's hand and screamed seconds later. Rose scratched his hand until it bled slightly. His eyes widened dramatically.

SLAP!

Rose's ears buzzed as she felt a sharp pain in her cheekbones. Flint slapped the 22-year-old woman harshly and without hesitation.

“I—I will report your actions to Boss Saul…,” Rose stammered, her voice weak and nearly inaudible.

Saul Martinez, the big boss of the human trafficking center on Solterra Island, once informed all of his men that Rose had been assigned to be his personal servant. Nobody dares to treat Rose cruelly, except Saul, who usually vents his rage by using her as a living punching bag.

“You think Boss Saul's care of you, huh?” Flint poked Rose's head with his forefinger. His long nails scratched her head. “You stupid girl! You are just a personal servant who is not permitted to leave the premises or appear in front of clients, not because the boss likes you.”

Rose grimaced in pain but didn’t dare to fight back. She just retreated to avoid him, who kept approaching.

“Boss kept you from everyone and didn’t sell you as a prostitute because your stepmother paid us every month so that no outsider would ever see you! That doesn't mean you’re a special woman in this place!”

Rose's face and head pains seemed to disappear in an instant. Her chest rumbled and tightened as she heard Flint's unexpected statements.

“What did you say?” Rose's eyes heated up, and tears welled up in her eyelids.

She hoped Flint was just upset and saying nonsense. There is no way that her stepmother, who had lovingly cared for her since her original mother died, would have been so heartless as to sell her!

She was treated well by her stepmother until her father died. However, if her stepmother was really trying to sell her to the Mafia, she wouldn’t remain silent! She must flee to find out the truth!

Flint stopped Rose from running by grasping her hair violently. “Akh!” Rose screamed as her hair was yanked, and it seemed like it was about to fall off her scalp.

She kicked Flint's crotch with unexpected courage, causing him to fall and groan in pain. And she used that opportunity to run away.

“Damn, bitch! Catch her quickly!”

Rose ran as fast as she could, her breath racing. Flint could be heard crying in anguish behind Rose, but she didn’t turn her head.

The dark path in front of her seemed like an endless corridor. The destination was the ship she was meant to take, but when she spotted it from afar, it had already departed. Her legs were too exhausted to run, so she concentrated solely on the next step until her body crashed with someone.

“Akh!” She squealed spontaneously, her hands raised to keep her balance, though she was still staggering backwards.

The man in front of her with his sharp gaze, now staring directly at her. Rose's pulse raced, not from running, but from the fear that had suddenly spread.

At the same time, Flint found her. Flint gazed at Rose, his face heated with rage, but something stopped his steps.

Rose isn't all alone. A man stood next to her, causing Flint's blood to ice. The tall man wore a luxurious dark suit, as if his presence in the slum alley was an oversight.

Rose wasn’t alone. Flint froze when he noticed the man standing next to her. The tall man was dressed in an expensive and elegant dark suit, as if his presence in the slum alley was a mistake.

“No way...” Flint murmured as his lips dried. He knew the man. Everyone on the island knows him.

“Are you looking for something?” He asked nonchalantly, his voice deep but full of strength.

“Mr. Robin...” Flint's voice became hoarse. Her throat suddenly felt dry since he was nervous in front of this man named Robin.

Rose slowly turned her head, looking for clues in Robin's appearance. She had no idea who this man was or why his presence made Flint turn pale. She didn't recognize his name, but Flint's reaction said a lot. Flint, who was typically aggressive, appeared to be a scared child who had just discovered a monster under the bed.

“I don't have time. Call your boss now. Tell him I want to talk. Right here. Right now.”

Flint froze for a moment. Robin's stern look forced Flint to obey his demands.

“I—I will call him...now,” Flint finally answered. His footsteps raced out of the alley, leaving Rose and Robin behind.

Robin gave Rose a hard-to-read expression now that Flint was gone. His gaze scanned her face, looking for something.

Rose gulped. Her entire body felt stiff.

“And you,” Robin finally opened his mouth, “are you working for them?”

Robin's authoritative voice intimidated Rose. She got even more terrified as she struggled to respond. He took another step forward. Until Rose saw his costly and shiny shoes in front of her filthy sandals.

“I had heard your voice earlier. Have you suddenly become silent?”

Rose frowned as Robin's hand unexpectedly lifted her chin. She couldn't help but stare at his face.

“R-right, sir, I work here.”

Rose was startled when their gazes met. She never imagined that the man with the heavy, harsh voice could have had a gorgeous face. His athletic build was wrapped in a luxurious black suit. The watch he wore, valued at millions of dollars, indicated that he was no ordinary client.

“You don't need to be afraid of me...”

Rose gasped when she smelled the sweet gum on Robin's breath. “W-what do you want from me, sir?” Her voice was barely audible, and his black eyes slid away.

Robin pulled Rose’s chin slightly, returning her gaze to him. She wanted to turn away again, but she was unable to avoid his intimidating amber gaze.

Robin lowered his head and got closer to Rose's face. Rose could see the perfect curvature of his jaw, a hard facial line, and a gleam in his eyes that showed he knew more than he was saying. His gaze caught her every breath.

“I'm going to get you off this island,” Robin declared.

Rose remained silent for a minute, her eyes wide with shock. Robin's words echoed in her ears. It was so shocking that she was unsure if she had heard correctly.

“W-what...?”