Scarlet froze. Horror and disbelief rendered her momentarily immobile as she took in the man's easy, mischievous smile and the dark promise lurking in his eyes.“Lincoln—”Her voice was strangled into silence as a rough hand clamped over her mouth.The scream died in her throat, leaving only muffled whimpers and panicked breaths.Scarlet’s hands flew up, pushing against his shoulder with every bit of strength she had, but it was like shoving a brick wall. Her arms trembled, powerless against his iron grip.“What a delightful surprise to have you here, princess,” Dane’s voice dripped with a twisted sort of charm.“Let me go, you sicko!” Scarlet tried to yell, but her voice came out as little more than a gasp. His hand held her so firmly that even breathing was a struggle, yet somehow he seemed to have calculated it perfectly, allowing her just enough air to keep the fight alive within her.She glanced around wildly, searching for any escape—prompting his fingers to dig deeper, stilling
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
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 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
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
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 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 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
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