The sound tore through the night like a crack of thunder. My hands were still trembling when I lowered the gun, my breath jagged, my heart slamming against my ribs. The sharp smell of gunpowder burned my nose.Raymond staggered, his body jerking slightly as a reaction to the sound. Blood spread across his shirt, dark and unforgiving. For a split second, his stormy grey eyes locked onto mine, and I saw a glimpse of emotion... was it pride? His legs gave out.No. No, no, no.I barely caught him in time, his weight slamming into me. I stumbled back, knees buckling under his mass, but I held on, arms locked around his torso. He was warm, too warm. His body was slick with sweat, his breathing ragged against my ear."You... " His voice was hoarse, but I didn't let him finish."Shut up," I whispered harshly, adjusting my grip on him.Then I heard it.Shouting.Peter's men must have heard the shot.Panic knifed through me. My pulse spiked, pounding in my ears. I looked over my shoulder, catc
The days after the hospital were a blur. I was discharged with nothing but the clothes on my back and an emptiness in my chest that I didn't know how to fill. I should have left. But where would I go? I had no home and no family to turn to. I couldn't go back to my father to avoid putting him in any more trouble, leaving me in the hands of a man I barely understood. And that man, Raymond, had nearly died all because of my callousness.So when they brought Raymond back to his family's estate to recover, I found myself going with him. Not because I wanted to. Because I had nowhere else. The estate was a sprawling mansion of marble and glass, with more rooms than any one family could ever need. It was the kind of place that reeked of old money and power, where the walls held secrets and the people inside were just as cold as the stone beneath my feet. Even if I had been staying here for a while, I couldn't get over its beauty.Raymond spent most of his time in his room, recoverin
My anger doesn't last long. I remember exactly where I am and what I'm doing here.Kidnapped. My father was owing a hundred million dollars. Did I deserve to be called a whore, though?Perhaps. Who knows? I walk back to my room, sick to my marrow and I do not come out until my stomach starts to grumble. When I come out and head to the kitchen, I half expect for the servants to be whispering gossip with my name weaved between the words.But for some reason, the entire mansion is busy.As far as I know, there's no occasion that calls for this.I decide to just have some leftovers and fruits before going back to my room. Digging into the Silver business was just not for me.When I'm done eating, I return to my room and go to bed.By morning, I find the entire house actually in a much busier state than before. Servants are going this way and that, looking like they have something very important going on.As I'm walking through the hallways, I bump into a maid and the entirety of what sh
The lady's name is Sasha Monterrie. I Iearn that from Madam Silver's boastful calls to anyone who cared to listen.The Silvers were extremely powerful people and the Monterries were the closest any family could get to their prowess. The Monterries stand in the middle of the ballroom now with an air that seems even greater than the already richer than rich gathered around.I glance over them and back to where Raymond is speaking to Sasha in a calm manner.The only time I've seen him this soft was the day his father barged into his room. That was the only time.And I can bet it was a one time thing.I watch as this seemingly rugged man holds Sasha carefully while they laugh about something probably money related.Perhaps they were laughing at some poor beggar out on the streets.I frown, feeling stupid at my thoughts. I barely knew who Sasha Monterrie is and I'm already making crazed assumptions.Instead of standing in the middle of the hall like a fool, I go over to the bar and take a
"How dare you?"The voice is cold, biting, and merciless.Georgia.I force myself to turn, though every instinct screams at me to walk out of this hall with my dignity still intact.Georgia Silver stood tall and poised like à queen presiding over her council. Only this wasnt a trial. It was an execution."You," she says slowly, walking towards me with slow and calculated steps like a predator to á prey, "You are an absolute disgrace."The words land like repeated slaps to my face.I swallow so hard I felt bile rise up to my throat, my eyes stung with tears, but I don't let the tears fall."I knew from the start that you were nothing but a filthy whoring street rat," she goes on, her voice sodden with distaste. "A woman with no dignity of any form and no refinement, little to no worth beyond what use we can manage to get from you. And yet, even as the dirt beneath my shoes, you still find a way to humiliate this family, And embarrass us every single time with your existence." Her wo
I don't stop running.I can't.They were behind waiting to devour me.The cold night air sloshes against my skin, my bare feet trodding against the clean marble floors as I race down the hallways. My shoes long forgotten somewhere.I was probably contaminating the marble floors too with my filthiness.My shredded dress clings to me in pathetic scraps, my breath coming in ragged, choked sobs.The laughter still rings in my ears. The disgust in their eyes,their mockery and the way they looked at me like I was filth.Like I deserved it.I didnt belong here, Not with all these rich snobs.I press a hand to my chest, trying to keep my breathing steady, but it's useless. My heart is a drum, pounding too hard, too fast. I feel like I'm suffocating, drowning in humiliation that clings to me like oil, thick and impossible to wash off.I can't stop trembling. I am going to get a form of PTSD from that experience, I can still feel their hands on me, ripping and exposing..."Gracie!"I freeze.T
His breath is hot against my skin, his voice rough, filled with something dark. Something possessive.The words hang between us, thick with tension, with something dangerous, my pulse pounds so hard in my ears that it drowns everything else.I should push him away and continue hitting him or maybe fight or scream or claw my way out of this moment.Anything.But I don't.Because I can't.I hate him. I hate everything about him.I hate the fact that he took me to punish my father, I hate the way I'm at the mercy of his entire family, I hate the way they watch me so closely and most importantly I hate the way he looks at me right now.Like he owns me.My brain hates him.But my body... My traitorous, weak body... it betrays me.It's burning.His grip tightens on my hips and a pool of warmth immediately gathers in the lower part of my belly.His fingers are pressed into my skin like a silent demand, eyes locked into mine, reading into every reaction, every tremor and tremble of my body..
I wake up feeling dirty.The moment my eyes flutter open, reality slams into me like a cold slap. What have I done?The sheets around me are tangled, the scent of him still clinging to my skin-cedarwood, brandy, and something darker, something sinful. My stomach twists in disgust.What have I done?I let him touch me.I let him have me.Raymond Silver-a cold-blooded killer. A man who could have my father and I killed without a single word if his money isn't returned. A man who I should definitely hate without doubts.I forgot all of that.For what? A moment of weakness? A moment where I let my body take control and abandon all reason?I pull the sheets closer and squeeze my eyes shut as if that will erase the memories clawing at the back of my mind. But they are there, clear and unavoidable... the way he kissed every part of me gently like I belonged to him and the way I melted into his touch instantly without putting up a fight.The fact I wanted it just as much as he did made me fee
Evading Raymond is akin to attempting to restrain the ocean's waves. Regardless of my efforts, he always manages to invade my existence, dragging me down before I'm aware that I'm sinking. And the most disappointing aspect? I'm unsure whether I wish to be rescued. Another Unsuccessful Try I rise up resolved. Today, I will not focus on him. I will avoid looking at him. I won't allow my heart to deceive me with its foolish, racing beats whenever he is close. I remain in my room for the majority of the morning, not daring to look out the window in case I spot him. Yet by afternoon, the walls seem to be closing in on me, overwhelming me with thoughts I wish to avoid. I require oxygen. I enter the garden, the cool breeze refreshing my warm skin. The sun shines brightly, the sky is infinite, and for a fleeting instant, I sense freedom. And afterward- "Escaping once more?" I stop moving. Certainly. Certainly, he is here. I inhale slowly before I turn. Raymond is positioned at th
I awaken with a startled breath, my chest heaving up and down swiftly. My heart races within my chest as I rise from bed, clutching the blankets. My body feels heated, my hands sweaty, and for a brief moment, I find it hard to distinguish reality from the dream I just experienced. A vision. No, it seemed too genuine. I shut my eyes tightly, attempting to remember every detail. The gentle light of golden chandeliers, the sound of voices gradually disappearing as I remained in the center of an elegant ballroom. My gown was white, lengthy, and draped softly like silk on my skin. And afterward- Raymond. He stood before me, his tailored suit fitting his form impeccably. His gaze-deep, powerful, fixed solely on me. His face contained an emotion I had never encountered before. Weakness. He then knelt down on one knee. "Gracie," his voice resonated in my thoughts. "I'm unsure how this occurred, but I can't imagine a future without you." "Wed me." The recollection causes my breath to c
As soon as I hear her voice, a chill runs through my entire body. I can tell who it is without needing to face them. That piercing, authoritative voice. That presence that causes the atmosphere in the room to change. Georgia Silver. Raymond's mom. My breath halts in my throat as I turn gradually, my heart racing. And there she stands, in the middle of the living room as if she controls the universe. Her sleek, dark dress clings to her tall figure, and her striking blue eyes-resembling Raymond's-examine the room with a look of hardly masked disdain. Next to her is a man I have encountered only once before-Raymond's father, a silent but similarly imposing figure. However, it's she who frightens me the most. My abdomen contorts in agony. I recognize that expression in her gaze. She doesn't have to vocalize it-I can already perceive it in my mind. What on earth is she still doing here? "Raymond," Georgia says, her tone cutting like a knife. "We arrived to talk business, but instead
I walk back and forth in my room, my heart thumping against my chest. My hands shake, and I'm not sure why. It's merely breakfast. It's merely Raymond facing me, urging me to eat. That shouldn't evoke any feelings in me. Yet it does. I glide my hands along my arms, attempting to dispel the discomfort creeping across my skin. My mind is weighed down by thoughts, and regardless of my efforts to dismiss them, they continually return. "What is the matter with me?" I murmur, gazing at my image in the mirror. The girl gazing at me appears to be unfamiliar. Her hair is untidy, her lips are a bit puffy from yesterday's kiss, and her eyes-oh, her eyes-carry an overwhelming mix of feelings. I tightly shut my eyes, taking a deep breath. This is not love. It isn't possible. How could I be attracted to a killer? Raymond is perilous, merciless. I have witnessed him inflict pain on men without flinching. I have listened to their cries resonating within the mansion, pleading for compassion th
The atmosphere surrounding us is dense, filled with a sensation I can't quite grasp. I remain stuck in position, my back against the wall. Raymond is in front of me, his shirt drenched with the blood of another man. The metallic aroma hangs in the air, potent and overwhelming. His deep-set eyes remain fixed on mine. He is anticipating something. Perhaps he's anticipating that I will flee, shout, or plead. However, I engage in none of those activities. I cannot. I can't figure out what's the matter with me. Raymond raises his hand, the one still smeared with blood, and holds it near my face. I recoil, my breath catching. However, rather than making contact with me, he grins and wipes it on his shirt. "You're not sprinting," he states, his tone subdued, nearly playful. I gulp, my throat parched. "Am I supposed to?" He inclines slightly, his eyes darting to my lips for a brief moment before going back to my gaze. "Indeed." I sense my heart pounding in my chest, urging me to go,
The mansion is quiet at this time, with only the sporadic noise of guards walking outside. I sit with my legs crossed on my bed, gazing at the ceiling, my mind a battlefield of opposing thoughts. I ought to dislike this place. I ought to dislike Raymond Silver. However, I do not. Not completely. I released an exasperated sigh, falling onto my back. I was meant to be a captive, right? A prisoner in her reality, a girl taken from all she understood. Here I stand, clad in silk pajamas, surrounded by a wardrobe of designer gowns and an abundance of opulence beyond my wildest dreams. Raymond purchases items for me. He ensures I eat, that I rest properly, and that I'm never at risk. He never puts his hands on me in rage. It feels as though I am- I suddenly sit up, my heart racing. No. That's absurd. That's crazy. However, my deceitful mind refuses to release it. What if... what if I were his spouse? I snicker, shaking my head in disbelief at my own actions. "You're losing it, G
Raymond undergoes a transformation following that evening. At first, it's understated-small details that I nearly overlook. He begins to place small presents outside my door-items I never request but somehow require. A cozy sweater for those chilly nights. A book I briefly referred to before. A fragile bracelet, the sort I would have adorned when my life was truly my own. I can't comprehend why he does it. I don't inquire. However, every time I awaken to discover another present, my heart constricts with an emotion I hesitate to label. Raymond Silver lacks love. He is indifferent. And still... I notice it in how he observes me when he believes I'm unaware. The manner in which his hands hover when he gives me something. How his expression gently softens, just a little, whenever I talk. He does not utter the words. However, I sense them. The Issue with Love One night, Lorenzo brings a parcel to my room. In contrast to the rest, this one is covered in silver paper and securely
Time goes by, yet a change occurs between Raymond and me. At first, it's subtle-a prolonged gaze, a gentler voice when he addresses me, the manner in which he observes me when he believes I'm not watching. However, I observe. I'm always aware. Initially, I convince myself it's trivial. Perhaps he's simply being more cautious with me, handling me in another way due to what nearly occurred when I attempted to end my life. Perhaps this is his way of ensuring my stability, preventing me from drifting away once more. Yet, at my core, I understand it goes beyond that. I notice it in how his eyes deepen in color when I enter the space. The way his fingers lightly touch mine when he gives me something. The manner in which he remains too near when it isn't necessary. And what frightens me the most? I don't withdraw. One evening, I find myself in the magnificent library, a place I've never had the bravery to explore previously. The shelves rise up, packed with books that likely cost more
Raymond starts to devote more time to me. Initially, I believe it's merely a coincidence-him discovering me in the library, joining me for meals, or walking by when I'm in the garden. However, I quickly understand that it's deliberate. He's trying to be near me, to communicate with me, to ensure I feel like... I fit in here. I'm unsure of the reason. Perhaps he feels remorse for all that has occurred. Perhaps he's simply uninterested. Or perhaps, beneath the surface, he genuinely appreciates having me around. One evening, following dinner, he trails me to the lounge. I settle on the couch, tucking my legs beneath me, while he occupies the chair opposite me. "You never inquire about anything," he suddenly remarks. I look up, bewildered. "What are you trying to say?" "Many individuals are interested in learning about me." He reclines, supporting his arm on the chair's side. "They seek to understand my identity, my origins, and my activities." "Yet you... you never inquire." I rais