Scarlet's life is about to take a dramatic turn so get ready for an intense journey. As mentioned in the synopsis, this is a dark romance, filled with elements that may trigger strong reactions.
Scarlet was a crumpled heap on the floor, racked with uncontrollable sobs that shook her entire frame. Her face was buried in her hands, but it did nothing to muffle the heart-wrenching sounds of her anguish.Dane hadn't approached her out of the blue - no, he had an agenda. And Scarlet was painfully aware of that. But who could she turn to for help? Lincoln would surely lose his mind if he found out.He would turn her world upside down in his rage. At the end, she'd be exposed, lose her job and her reputation irreparably tarnished.Then there was Michael to consider. His brand of "assistance" would no doubt involve firearms and outright bloodshed, consequences she couldn't begin to fathom.Scarlet shuddered at the thought, cradling her arms around her midsection. No, she couldn't risk either of them finding out, not when her attacker was clearly a dangerous and unhinged man who didn't scare easily.A fresh wave of sobs tore from her throat as the realization crashed over her.She was
Lincoln was in no better condition than Scarlet, his own body thrummed with an intoxicating blend of desire and concern as she practically devoured him with her desperate kisses.He grinned when she eventually pulled away, panting hard against his kiss-swollen lips."Not that I'm complaining, but...damn, baby," Lincoln rasped, resting his forehead against hers as they both struggled to catch their breath. "Where did that come from all of a sudden? I mean, not that I've ever known you to be shy, but..."Scarlet swallowed thickly. She averted her gaze, fighting to regain her composure.She knew she needed to come up with some plausible excuse for her erratic behavior, something that wouldn't raise too many red flags with Lincoln.The last thing she wanted was for him to start prying into the truth behind her current state."I...the attending doctor I was working under today, he...he reprimanded me pretty harshly in front of the entire staff," Scarlet mumbled at last, hating how weak and
~Meanwhile~Dane’s fleets of convoys finally pulled up to one of his nondescript warehouses.He sat back against the deep red leather seat, rubbing a hand over his stubbled jaw as he eyed the well-guarded building.He couldn't afford to delay this particular victory any longer - not if he wanted to keep his tenuous grip on his rapidly unraveling sanity.The itch beneath his skin had been driving him to distraction for days now, an insistent craving that could only be satisfied by indulging in his...darker tendencies.He pushed open the car door before his men could and stalked towards the warehouse's main entrance with purposeful strides.He didn't bother announcing his presence. Every one of his men stationed here knew better than to loiter in the open when he was due to arrive.Sure enough, the entire place was deserted and cloaked in shadows as he stepped across the threshold. Except Chris who was following behind him.The men in black stationed at the main office in this warehouse
Dane threw his head back, letting out a harsh, mocking sound. “There won’t be another time, bitch.”With that, he raised the belt high in the air before bringing it down with brutal force.The poor girl couldn't dodge it. A terrified gasp left her throat as the belt struck her with such intensity that it tore into her skin—especially the iron tip biting deep into her flesh.Another strike came down on her body, drawing a scream from her but the soundproofed walls of the apartment absorbed them completely, ensuring no one outside would hear her cries for help.Despite her desperate pleas for mercy, the belt continued to lash down on her without mercy.Her skin soon became a canvas of dark bruises, and her cries gradually diminished into soft whimpers.Dane lost count of how many times he struck her, but he was determined each lash would leave her incapacitated.Finally, he stopped and tossed the belt aside, feeling a cold satisfaction at having achieved his goal.He felt a wave of excit
~The next morning~Scarlet sat on her bed after showering and getting ready for work, then reached for her phone to call Lincoln. They had aagreed to talk the previous evening but he never called. She began to worry when his phone rang several times before he finally picked up."Hello, my love," Lincoln said, sounding tired."Lincoln, are you feeling alright?" Her brows furrowed at his tired tone.He let out a big sigh. "I'm just exhausted, babe. But I'll be fine." He tried to downplay it."Are you coming? Do you think you can still make it? Or should I come over?"There was a heavy sigh on the other end. "I'm just...really tired, babe. Drained. You really don't have to worry about me.""Don't give me that," Scarlet chided, already hopping off the bed. She knew that weary tone - he was definitely not fine. "Where are you? I'm coming over.""Scar, you don't have to-""Yes, I do!" She grabbed her keys off the nightstand, the phone cradled between her ear and shoulder. "Now are you still
Scarlet’s return to the hospital was anything but voluntary. The resident doctor had called to utter a stern ultimatum: attend immediately or face disciplinary action akin to that of a novice trainee.With a heavy heart, she pecked Lincoln goodbye and hastened to the institution that demanded her presence.Upon arrival, Scarlet made a beeline for the doctor’s office. Her knock on his door was light and almost hesitant.“Come on in!” the no-nonsense doctor’s voice rang from behind the door, and she stepped inside to confront the aged man who presided over her work.Scarlet gave a respectful bow as a greeting but was met by a gruff response."Within these hospital walls, titles and social status hold no significance. You are not the daughter of the governor of the capital, nor are you the fiancée of the son of an economist. Here, we are all equal, united in our pursuit of healing and well-being. Do you understand?” The doctor's words were laced with a rising anger, reminding her sharply
~That evening~Michael trudged through the front door, dead tired after a brutal day. All he wanted was to faceplant onto his bed and pass out. But when he walked into the living room, he found his mom slouched on the couch, looking like someone had run over her puppy."Aw, man, not this again," Michael groaned inwardly before shuffling over to plop down next to her. "Hey, mom? You alright?"Mrs. Wovers jumped a little, like she'd been a million miles away. "Michael! Oh, honey..." She blinked rapidly, trying for a smile, but it came out more like a grimace. "I'm fine, dear, just fine."Michael felt the urge to wrap his arms around her and ask what was weighing so heavily on her mind.His mother's sad, deflated demeanor was concerning. However, he restrained himself and kept his cool, patiently waiting for her to open up instead of bombarding her with questions.Finally, he couldn’t remain silent anymore. "Mom, just tell me what's going on already. You know how I hate having to guess a
Dane was in his office, surrounded by towering stacks of documents that required his signature when a sudden commotion erupted outside.The noise was unexpected and jarring, shattering the quiet atmosphere of the office.Dane's brows furrowed deeply, lines of irritation etching themselves across his forehead.Who had the audacity to cause such a ruckus in his workplace?With a sense of urgency, he grabbed the remote control from his desk and hit the power button to activate the surveillance camera.The large screen mounted on the wall flickered to life, revealing the feed from the surveillance cameras.What Dane saw made his blood boil. Ten men in crisp black suits were being led into the building by a young man who exuded an air of confidence and purpose.Dane's pupils dilated in disbelief. In an instant, he sprang to his feet, his chair rolling back and hitting the wall with a dull thud.Anger simmered just below the surface, threatening to boil over at any moment.He marched toward
It was simply impossible - unthinkable. Scarlet wasn't supposed to die, not like this. She was meant to live out the rest of her days in misery and anguish, forever haunted by him and the memory of her defilement. That was the fate Dane had intended for her.So why had she taken her own life instead? Why trade decades of torment for an escape into oblivion? Did she truly loathe him so completely, with such scorching intensity? He couldn't - wouldn't - believe it!A profound sense of unease settled over Dane as he wrestled with these turbulent thoughts and emotions.He felt...sad. Inexplicably melancholy in a way he couldn't fully grasp or articulate. Not because she was gone - because she was the one who had chosen to go.Scarlet was the only person he had ever truly wanted to possess, to torment, play with and control with an iron fist.She alone had captivated him in a way no other had before. And now she was gone, forever out of his reach.His mother grabbed his shirt again, jolting
Dane found solace in the comforting embrace of his mother back at the mansion.He had no desire to be productive today, his mind utterly consumed by the scandal surrounding Scarlet.All he craved was his mother's warmth and affection.Using the excuse that he simply wanted uninterrupted time with her, Dane turned off both of their phones to shield her from the harsh reality.The last thing he needed was the media hounding him with their relentless, judgmental questions.His mother let out a contented sigh and turned on the television to the news channel. Dane knew she didn't really care about politics - she just hoped to catch a glimpse of her husband, the Interior Minister, boasting about his supposed achievements.He shot her a disapproving look, but she was too engrossed to notice. With a weary sigh, Dane reluctantly extricated himself from her arms and rose to his feet."I'm going to my suite for a bit. We can resume this quality time when the news is over," he said dryly."No, sta
Scarlet lay on her bed with her eyes open and unblinking. She hadn't slept a wink all night and couldn't even catch a few hours of rest this morning because her phone just wouldn't stop ringing.Call after call from her mom, her brother, her fiancé Lincoln - the notifications never seemed to end."For God's sake, give it a rest already," she muttered irritably, rubbing her throbbing temples.Finally, she snatched up the phone when a new message chime trickled out. But it wasn't from anyone she recognized - just an unknown number.Heart sinking, Scarlet opened up the message thread.All she saw was a video file. Of her and some guy kissing, getting hot and heavy. She looked...content. Happy, even.A startled gasp escaped her lips as the awful realization hit her - this was from that night at the hospital when Dane had basically assaulted her… when he forced himself on her. The night he'd stolen a first kiss from her."What the hell?" She rewound and watched it again in disbelief. "But I
Dane exited the warehouse after finalizing the details of a new plan, one that would require immense precision and careful execution with Chris.He made his way to his car and slid behind the wheel. The engine roared to life and he sped off to his penthouse for a night with the new virgin he had booked. In the hopes of finding some semblance of respite from the lingering memories that plagued him.Try as he might, Dane could not shake the haunting recollection of Scarlet’s sobs, the anguished cries that seemed to reverberate endlessly within the confines of his mind. Her captivating beauty… the delicate features that had enraptured him…. Her voice hummed in his ears like a symphony, more enchanting than the grandest compositions of Mozart.Dane gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles turning white as he struggled with the intense emotions that threatened to consume him.How could it be the woman he hated with every fiber of his being… one he had violently claimed her virginit
Scarlet's eyelids slowly parted a while later to the harsh light filtering through the curtains and casting the world in a luminious hue.She blinked groggily, struggling to get her bearings."Are you alright, miss?" An unfamiliar voice spoke up.Scarlet gave a faint nod, resting her throbbing head back against the plush bed.She felt utterly drained, physically and emotionally spent. Her mind was a roiling storm of painful memories from the unfaithful events.The horrific things that had happened came crashing back in vivid flashes, and she couldn't stop the hot tears from welling up and spilling down her cheeks.The last clear recollection she had was of struggling wildly against the women who had seized her, screaming and sobbing uncontrollably as they wrestled her into submission.She remembered her car, still parked haphazardly by the roadside where they'd snatched her up.Mustering what little strength she had, Scarlet hauled herself to her feet and shuffled over to the mirror w
Dane got up from her after he had his fill, panting hard from the vigorous exercise.He donned his clothes while looking at her with a cruel gaze, his shirt left unbuttoned. Scarlet's eyes were fixed on the ceiling, blinking occasionally to show she was still conscious.She raised her trembling hand and pulled the thin sheet up to the top of her chest in a desperate attempt to hide her vulnerable body from his scorching eyes even though she knew the mass of her luscious hair splayed across the pillow already accomplished most of the hiding for her. Dane shifted his gaze from her exposed form to her face visible only from one side, and noticed a single tear quietly flowing down her delicate, flushed cheek.The sight stirred something deep within him, a flicker of empathy that warred with his selfish urges.“Why am I feeling this way, damn it?” He cursed under his breath, pondering what extraordinary qualities set this girl apart from all the others he had fucked.Her rare beauty, ye
Dane strode into the room with his footsteps heavy on the floor.The bedroom was oddly out of place in the middle of what should have been a dingy warehouse. It was meticulously prepared just for Scarlet's arrival the previous day.A detail that would definitely raise some eyebrows if anyone was aware.He paused as he approached the well-laid bed where she still slept soundly, peaceful and oblivious to her surroundings.Dane simply observed her for a long moment, taking in the gentle rise and fall of her chest with each breath. But then a soft sigh escaped her lips shortly before her eyelids fluttered. She was waking up.Scarlet's eyes cracked open slowly, struggling to adjust to the unfamiliar light.She blinked groggily as she took in the strange bedroom.Her gaze eventually landed on the figure standing by the window."Where am I?" she croaked out in a voice heavy and strained. "What happened?"Dane heard the words but didn't react. He simply sneered inwardly as he glanced sideways
Scarlet finally left the hospital after completing her mandatory training hours. Though relief washed over her at being done, her mind dwelled on the multitude of worries weighing her down.Firstly, there was the ongoing rift between Lincoln and his father over the failed business deal at their firm. The two stubborn men remained at an impasse, unable to see eye-to-eye.Then Michael's company had fallen on hard times. A sharp decline in stock value had caused investors to pull out in droves, leaving Michael's finances teetering on the edge of ruin."I don't know how much more stress poor Michael can take," Scarlet muttered under her breath as she merged on a gridlocked highway.As if her loved ones' troubles weren't enough, pesky rumors had started circulating about her at the hospital.Though she didn't know what sparked the gossip, it caused most of her colleagues to give her a wide berth lately, averting their eyes whenever she passed by.Scarlet felt a lump form in her throat as s
Dane emerged from his suite the next morning, looking every bit the picture of refined elegance in his trademark dark suit. Not a single hair was out of place in his meticulously styled coif as he made his way to the dining room where his mother awaited.Mrs. Creighton looked up from her plate as her son entered, taking in his pristine appearance with a small, sad smile. No matter how grown and hardened he became, she could still see the sweet little boy he once was.Her heart ached for those long-lost days of innocence and joy.They ate their breakfast in tense silence after sharing their usual morning pleasantries.Dane refused to meet his mother's searching gaze, focusing intently on his meal instead.He could feel her eyes boring into him, pleading for him to open up and let her in like he used to as a child. But those days were gone. His life's purpose had become an all-consuming obsession that left no room for the gentle affections of family. Not anymore.As Dane finished the la