Ciara was woken up when the train stopped. Tired and exhausted, and certain that she wasn’t being followed anymore, she had fallen into a deep restless sleep. As usual, she had dreamt about being mercilessly tormented by the two inmates, and there was no one to rescue her. In fact, this time around, they had taunted her that Aunt Mary had died, and there was no Samuel Fury coming to save her from their torture; as Aunt Mary was dead now, Samuel Fury had abandoned her to their torture.Ciara had wanted to wake up badly, but she could not even though she struggled to. Then they also threatened to rip her stomach open and bring out her baby. Ciara had begged and cried, but they had refused. Again, she had seen the knife in their hands when the train stopped and Ciara was forced to wake up. The passenger sitting close to Ciara, a middle-aged man stared at Ciara weirdly, and she knew at once that she probably had been acting funny as she slept.“Rough sleep?” He asked.Ciara nodded and go
Ciara Summers stepped out of the prison just as the sky turned dusky. She had been granted a one-day bail, with her freedom hanging on the ticking clock. Clutching a piece of paper with an address scribbled on it, she boarded a bus parked at the prison gate. The ride took her through winding roads, and by the time she arrived at a secluded mansion halfway up a mountain, the day had surrendered to night.A silent doorman greeted her and guided her through the grand but shadowed halls, leading her to a dark bedroom. The moment she stepped inside, the heavy scent of blood hit her. Before she could adjust to the darkness, strong arms yanked her forward, pulling her into a tight embrace. A warm breath brushed against her ear. “So, you’re the last pleasure they sent for me... the call girl?”The words struck her hard. “Call... girl?” she whispered, tears welling up. Fear gripped her as her voice trembled. “Are you... dying?”“Yes. Any regrets taking this job?” The man’s voice was cold, his
Samuel didn’t bother looking at Ciara. “You heard me,” he said flatly.Ciara nervously played with the edges of her dirty clothes. In a quiet voice, she replied, “Sir, this joke isn’t funny.”Samuel scoffed, his voice sharp as he retorted, “Weren’t you planning to marry me from the start?”His gaze cut into Ciara like a blade, his eyes locking onto hers. Ciara shivered and turned away, but Samuel grabbed her chin, forcing her to face him.In that moment, Ciara noticed his features more clearly—the cool, sharp lines of his face. He was undeniably handsome, with rugged stubble along his jaw. His suit was impeccably tailored, exuding luxury.It was clear to Ciara that this man was someone of importance. She glanced down at herself—worn-out, moldy clothes, messy hair, and a dirty face. She hadn’t showered in days, and the smell clung to her. The idea of the two of them getting a marriage certificate seemed absurd.Lowering her eyes, Ciara muttered, “Sir, do you think just because I’ve bee
Samuel’s brows knitted together instantly. “What?” he barked, striding quickly into the bathroom.The room was empty, but his gaze landed on the wall, where a message was scrawled in blood: “Mr. Fury, regardless of our social gap, I’d never marry you. Goodbye.” The handwriting was precise and bold, reflecting the writer’s determined spirit.For a moment, Samuel stood there, dumbfounded. Could his research on her have been wrong?After a brief pause, he snapped out of it and issued a command. “Search the mountain!”He couldn’t let his mother’s final wish go unfulfilled.At the back of the mountain, Ciara clung to the thorny vines, carefully lowering herself down the steep slope. Her clothes were in tatters, but she managed to evade the Fury family’s search by hiding under a dense thicket until nightfall. Once darkness fully descended, she continued her escape, moving around the mountain until she found a way out.By dawn the next day, Ciara arrived at the Luscious Residence, her presen
Samuel had been searching for Ciara for a full month. Just when he began to think his investigation might have been too harsh, she appeared before him—serving as a waitress in the very room reserved exclusively for him. He had underestimated her. His eyes narrowed in disbelief as he realized she wasn't hiding; she was raising her stakes.“Director Fury, is something wrong?” The restaurant manager, who had been accompanying Samuel, could barely conceal his fear as he noticed the icy stare directed at him.“How long has she been working here?” Samuel's voice was dangerously low.The manager stammered, “A...A month.”A month? The same length of time since she had escaped from his family’s grasp. Samuel's blood boiled—she wasn’t running away, she was simply positioning herself to negotiate a higher price. Damn her!Ciara's eyes flickered with resentment as she met his gaze. It felt like a cruel twist of fate. Why did the world have to be so small?"I don’t know what you’re implying," she
Ciara never imagined she would see Samuel here, especially not like this. When she turned around, the shock on her face was unmistakable.Samuel leaned casually against the doorway, his expression unreadable, yet his tone was smooth as velvet. “You could’ve come to me if you needed help,” he said, his voice deceptively warm. “Why drag my mother into this?”Ciara was taken aback, her mind racing to catch up. Before she could form a reply, Samuel’s grip tightened around her arm, and without waiting for her consent, he began leading her out of the room.From behind, Mary’s voice echoed softly, filled with warmth. “Samuel, be good to Ciara. Make her happy.”Samuel only gave a brief nod as he shut the door behind them, his grip on Ciara’s arm unrelenting as they walked down the long hospital corridor. The moment they reached a secluded corner, his demeanor shifted. The kindness vanished, replaced by something far colder. Without warning, he shoved her against the wall, his hand coming up t
Ruby’s expression turned serious as she listened to Linda’s worries. “Calm down, Linda,” she said firmly. “You’ve done everything right so far. As long as you stick to the plan, Samuel won’t suspect a thing.”“But, Mom, what if he already knows?” Linda’s voice quivered. “He didn’t even bother to come. What if he’s planning something?”Ruby reached out, gripping Linda’s hand tightly. “You’re overthinking it, Linda. Samuel believes it was you that night because we made sure of it. Every detail matched—thanks to Ciara's letter.”Linda nodded slowly, trying to steady her nerves. “But what if I slip up? He’s bound to figure it out eventually.”“That’s why you must be cautious,” Ruby warned. “Remember every word from that letter. That night is your story now. Own it.”Linda swallowed hard, fear still lingering in her eyes. “But why would he marry me just because of that night?”“Samuel is a man of pride,” Ruby explained. “He can’t afford a scandal, especially with someone like you. And you
Samuel walked into the bathroom, turned on the cold shower, and let the icy water hit him. Ciara, meanwhile, was curled up on the bed in the second bedroom, hugging her legs and berating herself. Why hadn’t she reacted more strongly to his embrace?“Do you really want to marry into a wealthy family, Ciara Summers?” she thought. “You’re so shameless. Samuel was clearly repulsed. How could he be interested in someone just out of prison and pregnant?”Her restless night was filled with self-reproach. She woke up early the next morning and found the living room empty. She quickly wrote a note on a piece of paper with her strong, neat handwriting: “Please excuse me, Mr. Fury. I assumed you wouldn’t return, and I’m sorry for using your bathroom. I’ll pretend nothing happened, and I hope you will too.”After leaving the note, Ciara went to the hospital to visit Mary. She hadn’t seen the housekeeper that morning, realizing that Mary had made arrangements for her and Samuel to spend the night