Prologue

"Let go of me, please!" Despite her dizziness and weakness, Arwena struggled with all her strength against the man dragging her out of the bar.

No matter how fiercely she fought, he refused to release her. His grip around her waist tightened until he was practically carrying her.

"Just come quietly if you don’t want to get hurt," he hissed, gripping her face harshly.

Arwena’s sobbing faltered, but her tears continued to flow, matching the wild pounding of her heart.

The heartless man grabbed her neck and slammed her against the car’s hood, silencing her scream.

"Please, let me go. I don’t want this," she begged, trembling, her voice cracking with desperation. She pushed him with shaking hands, trying to turn her face away as he leaned closer.

"Stop acting like you're a virgin," he sneered, pressing his body against hers. The sickening force left her painfully aware of his intent.

"Let me go! I don’t want this!" Her screams tore through the air as her veins strained under the pressure of her panic. But no one would hear her cries in the dark, noisy alley where they were.

"You don’t want this?" he taunted cruelly, his voice dripping with mockery. "But on the dance floor, you looked like you were inviting everyone to fuck you." He sniffed along her neck and cheek, his hunger repulsive.

"Please, no! I’m begging you—have mercy!" Her voice broke as she slapped him with what little strength she had left. The slap barely fazed him. Instead, her terror seemed to fuel his aggression.

"Stop resisting," he growled, fumbling with his belt and zipper. "This won’t take long, but I’ll make sure we both enjoy it."

He kissed her neck roughly, stifling her cries with his lips. Arwena’s struggles weakened as she realized she was losing this fight. Her sobs turned into silent pleas, her body trembling in hopelessness.

Amid the assault, her mind drifted to the pain that had driven her to the bar in the first place.

She had wanted to escape—to drown her heartbreak in alcohol—the ache caused by a man she thought loved her. A man who had shattered her trust and left her broken.

Her ex-boyfriend’s voice haunted her thoughts: It’s your fault I cheated, Arwena. You pushed me to find someone else. I’m a man—I have desires, and you couldn’t give me what I needed.

Was it truly her fault? Had she driven him away? If she’d surrendered herself to him, would he have stayed loyal?

FLASHBACK

"Why her, Jake?"

"Farah, why? You were my best friend, like a sister. How could you do this to me?"

Farah’s reply stung like a slap. "Don’t blame me for your shortcomings, Arwena. If you’d been a better girlfriend, he wouldn’t have come to me."

"Jake, I thought you loved me," Arwena whispered, her voice trembling.

"I did," Jake said coldly. "But loving you became boring. You’re suffocating. Why should I wait when someone else is willing to give me everything?"

End of flashbacks

Her heart burned with anger—at Jake, Farah, and herself.

"Let go of me!" she screamed, summoning every ounce of strength to shove the heartless man groping her thigh.

"Be quiet!" he snapped. But before he could continue, his words were cut short by a sudden, guttural cry.

Arwena barely registered what happened as the man was yanked away from her. She opened her eyes and saw him sprawled on the ground in front of the car.

Illuminated by the headlights, her savior stood over, delivering blow after blow.

"Don’t you dare move if you want to live," he growled, his voice cold and commanding.

Arwena collapsed onto the ground, covering her ears as her attacker groans mixed with the sound of her rescuer’s fury.

"Mr. Tandre, what’s going on?"

"Where the hell were you?" the man barked at his assistant, shoving him aside.

"Sorry, Mr. Tandre... nature called," the assistant mumbled, but his gaze darting to Arwena.

"Take that bastard to the police station," Tandre ordered, his tone unyielding.

Arwena heard the exchange but felt too weak to move or even thank the man who had saved her.

"Miss, it’s alright now. You’re safe," Tandre said gently, kneeling beside her. His voice was steady yet tinged with concern.

She glanced at his hand resting on her shoulder and slowly lifted her head. When their eyes met, it was as if the weight of her pain and fear began to dissolve.

"Come with me," he said softly. "Let me take you far from this place."