Chapter No.2

Evelyn Carter:-

“Joseph, what is happening?” Immediately, my father stood and I saw the horror etched all over his face. He knew well what would happen if my dress was unzipped – Max would see the belt marks on my back; those my father gave me. You cannot let your son come in here and be rude to me and my daughter and tell her to unzip her dress in front of others. I won’t tolerate this."

“Maximillian, what are you doing?” Joseph Sterling, Max’s father asked, in a disapproving voice.

“Stay out of this Dad,” replied Max aggressively with his blue eyes staring deep into my eyes. “Are you going to do it or not?”

"I... I..."I could hardly find my voice and stuttered in reply. His gaze was bleak and yet reassuring, which only made my head spin in confusion and unknown feelings.

“Fine, I will do it myself.” With that said, he turned me around, so my back was to him, unzipped my lace dress, and let out a gasping voice of shock when he looked at my back covered with my father’s belt marks all over my skin.

“Who the fuck did that?” Max’s furious voice boomed in the surroundings, and I swear I felt the walls vibrate, due to the echo of his voice.

He took off his suit jacket and covered my body with it as he spun me back around and cupped my face, gently with sympathy in his eyes. His strong masculine scent hits my nostrils and I almost melt into his arms when his hand makes contact with my skin.

No. I don’t want anyone’s pity or their sympathy. I just want to get out of here and get out of this mess. I want to be free. I want to be free from my father and this arrangement that is taking place. I am not an object that could be sold to pay the debts and get married to deliver a baby. I want a husband and a baby like every other woman, but not like this.

“Tell me, little bird? Who did this to you?” he asks, his voice gentle, but pained like he was trying to hide so many emotions, that consisted of anger in it “I promise to make the person pay for doing this to you.”

I felt like shouting, revealing the truth about my father to him, but I said nothing. As far as I was concerned I realized that in life there was no one who could be relied upon.

Max is probably the sexiest and the most perfect man I’ve ever come across who brought out all the foreign feelings in me but I cannot trust him. After all, he’s still a man, and I hate men—because they always look down on women, treating them like objects, like trash.

“Evelyn, you can trust me. I assure you that no one is going to hurt you ever again. I will protect you from everyone. Just trust me and give me the name. Who did this to you?” Max asked, his voice soft and calming as he asked and I murmured.

“Trust?” I murmured “Ca…Can anyone ever be trusted in this life?” I found myself asking, taking him back with my question. He was about to open his mouth to speak, when my father jumped in, trying to save his ass, by lying to Max and his father.

“It was her ex-boyfriend.” My father lied, in a tone to make his lie sound convincing enough “He used to abuse her a lot. I have recently made her break up with him.”

“Her ex-boyfriend. Huh?” Max asked, stepping away from me, and turning around to face my father, he let out a dark chuckle and nodded at the men, his bodyguards whom I didn’t notice present in the room “Call the doctor and ask him to come to my penthouse ASAP.” He ordered in a dominant tone as he moved towards my father and placed his hand on his shoulder, holding him at a formidably superior height.

"Funny, Stefan. Aren’t you the one who just informed us that your daughter has no boyfriend experience ever? You told me she was too engrossed in books and was too shy and innocent to interact with any man and silent as a mouse?”

My father looked as if the wind had been knocked out of him, and for a moment, I thought he might run right out of the house. He tried to say something but nothing rolled off his tongue. He had been caught. Max saw right through his eyes and turned his attention back to me.

“Evelyn, did he do this to you?” Max asked me, this time in a stern tone “And, don’t you dare lie to me, because I hate lies and betrayals the most. I don’t tolerate being lied to or betrayed. So, you better tell me the truth. Did your father do this to you?”

“Ye…yes,” I answered in a trembling voice, my body shivering with fear, as I looked down at my feet. I answered because I didn’t want to lie to him, as he stated flatly and not to lie. After all, I was intimidated by him. The man carries an aura that screams “not to mess with him”

“Guards, you know what to do.” Max spoke out loud “Make him feel ten times worse than he has ever made her feel. Make sure to break a few bones and his leg so he can never walk again.”

“What?! No…no!” my father shouted out in fear and instantly got down on his knees, to beg for mercy “ Max…Max…please…. I did….

“It’s Mr. Sterling to you.” Max snaps, kicking him away with his leg “I am taking your daughter with me. From this day forward, you hold no connection with her. And, I mean none. After she is going to be Mrs. Evelyn Sterling, my wife, and you are hereby not invited, and by the way our deal is off.”

“What? No…no, Mr. Sterling. Please, you can’t do this to me. You can’t cut off the deal or I will come on the streets. Please, Mr. Sterling. I beg you to please, reconsider. I promise you that I won’t lay a single finger on Evelyn again. Just please, don’t cut off the deal.” My father cried and pleaded for mercy, but Max showed none. Instead, he approached me and wrapped his arms around my shoulder.

“Let’s go. You are coming with me.” He announces as he begins to take me with him when I stop.

“No, I am not going anywhere with you. I don’t know you and I can’t get married to you.” I refused “Please, you are rich, handsome, and clearly powerful. You can find any woman to marry. I am not the right fit for you. Please, just let me go. I just want to be free.”

“Trust me, you are the perfect fit for me, little bird,” he murmurs, his voice husky as his eyes roam around my body “And, perfect fit to be the mother of my child.”

“No, I am not,” I spoke, instantly, earning a sexy chuckle from him,

“Are you doubting my choice, little bird?” he asked, with a raised brow “Are you trying to prove something over here?”

“She is right.” Came my father’s voice, who stood a few feet away, held by Max’s guards “She is not the right fit for you. Do you know why did I hit her? Do you want to know?!”

“What are you guys waiting for? Beat him.” Max orders. Stefan’s eyes widen, out of fear and anger when he shouts.

“I hit her because she is a slut. A whore who has been with so many men every night that even she has lost the count. Almost every night, she is with different men and I don’t approve of it.” He shouts out lies in anger, making Max stop dead in his tracks and look into my eyes “Tell me, Max. Would you still want to marry her now? Would you still want her to carry your baby?”

“Yes, I will still marry her!” Max snapped, taking me back with his response.

“What?” my father asked stunned “But why?”