Sherryl's heart pounded, each beat loud in her ears as if she were prey caught in the sights of a predator. Was this it? Was she just another piece for him to break, another game to play until he was bored? Dallion’s gaze never wavered as he asked, “What’s got you so scared?” She swallowed hard. “It’s going to hurt.” The mere thought of his teeth—or rather, his knife—against her skin made a shiver race down her spine. A smirk curved on his lips. “Pain can be… enjoyable, under the right circumstances.” His voice was low, smooth, as he placed one hand beside her head, trapping her beneath him. Sherryl’s breath hitched. “Only a true masochist would think like that,” she blurted, her nerves making her speak without thinking. Dallion chuckled, his amusement only making her pulse race faster. “That just means you haven’t experienced it properly yet,” he mused, his dark eyes watching her intently. Her ine
Weeks passed in the country, including Bonlake, where the city barely saw any shift in its weather. With winter closing in, the air had turned sharper, colder, forcing people to stockpile wood to burn through the long, unforgiving nights. As always, Sherryl sat at the desk, her fingers gripping the pen as she finished the last of her work. Two candles flickered at the edge of the wooden surface, their dim glow fighting against the darkness that pressed against the room. The only sound was the steady tick of the clock, each second stretching into the silence. It was nearing eleven. “Are you done, Sherry?” The voice drifted in from the balcony, where Grace had been standing ever since she handed out the assignment. “Yes, Lady Grace,” Sherryl answered, keeping her gaze on the parchment she had just finished filling. A gust of wind swept in as Grace stepped inside, her chiffon dress swaying around her as she moved to
Sherryl’s hands went cold. An entire Cross family port wiped off the map—just like that. She swallowed, trying to wrap her mind around the scale of destruction. “They’re that powerful?” she asked, her voice quieter than she intended. “What do they even gain from it? Resources can be taken in other ways.” Dallion exhaled, his gaze fixed on the ceiling. “True, but nothing compares to raw life force. Especially in large quantities—it’s pure, unfiltered energy.” Sherryl clenched her fists. “And it’s only poor workers?”She knew the workers at the marina were the poor innocent people who never knew what they were guarding and packing. She was sure nobody had told them about anything about what type of job they were doing but only to follow orders. “Unfortunately, yes.” He tilted his head, watching her reaction. “The poor are easy to manipulate. Remember that body you saw at the council’s facility?”
Sherryl woke to the familiar sounds of the Cross mansion stirring to life. She went through her usual morning routine, the image of the destroyed port still lingering in her mind. Later, she stood on her balcony, gazing out at the vast expanse of the sea stretching below the mansion. The rhythmic crash of the waves usually brought her a sense of calm, but today, her thoughts were troubled. Suddenly, she was shoved forward, stumbling slightly. This was the second time in less than a week someone had deliberately pushed her. A chill ran down her spine. Was it a coincidence, or was something more sinister happening?She knew the Cross empire was a dark place, but someone messing with her under Dallion's nose, that person was wishing death. She tried to struggle to swim but all was in vain. Until she felt a gentle masculine hand wrapping around her.It was Dallion, he saved her again. After both Sherryl and Dallion climbed up the hill—with Dallion
The maid’s body lay lifeless on the cold ground, her head barely attached, hanging at an unnatural angle. Blood pooled beneath her, the sharp scent thick in the air. Everyone stood frozen, the shock rendering them silent. Death wasn’t unusual in their world, but it was usually kept behind closed doors—clean, quiet, and handled out of sight. Dallion had no interest in subtlety. A lesson had to be taught, and he had made his point. No one would dare step out of line again.Grace was the first to speak, her voice steady but laced with disbelief. “Dallion, why did you kill her?” She was the only one with the nerve to ask, maybe because she was older. His voice was cold, empty. “Didn’t you hear me?” “I did.” Grace sighed, then turned to the servants. “Go back to your work.” The staff, still shaken, hurried to obey. A few hesitated, their gazes flickering to the corpse, but when Nickison sho
The women didn’t linger outside. They stepped back into the mansion, leaving the butler and the dead maid still lying on the cold ground. Nickison furrowed his brows as a thought struck him—hadn’t Dallion left for the council early in the morning, riding in his usual blacked-out car? Then how had he returned without it? Had he walked the whole way back? The maid’s body remained sprawled out, her lifeless eyes staring at nothing. Blood pooled around her head, soaking into the pavement where her face pressed against the ground. Inside the mansion, in the quiet of Dallion’s room, Sherryl stood with her arms wrapped tightly around herself. She watched as he entered the bathroom, not sparing her a glance as he moved. He pulled the plug in the tub before turning on the faucet, allowing steaming water to pour in. The sound of running water filled the silence. Feeling Sherryl’s eyes on him, Dallion placed his hands on the edge of the tub before a
Dallion had pulled off his mud-covered shoes, setting them aside before stepping back into the bathroom. Sherryl was already in the bathtub, submerged in warm water, her bare skin hidden beneath the rippling surface. The heat soothed her shivering body, easing the lingering chill from earlier. But she hadn’t expected Dallion to walk back in after she had stripped down completely. "There's nothing to be embarrassed about," he said casually, not sparing her a glance as he strode toward one of the built-in cupboards along the wall. His voice was calm, unbothered. With his back to her, he rummaged through the shelves, unaware—or maybe fully aware—of the panic spreading across Sherryl’s face. Should she get out of the bath? The thought made her heart race. This had never happened before, so she hadn’t even considered that he might walk in while she was completely exposed. Her body had been mostly visible above the water before,
Bone lake Coastal City....Year 2014, Midnight The relentless downpour drenched the dimly lit streets of Bone lake, a coastal city where the sea roared under the storm's fury. The streetlights flickered, barely illuminating the narrow alleyways. Deep puddles formed, reflecting the towering shadows of forgotten buildings in this forsaken part of town. Beneath a broken street lamp, a young woman named Sherry Rain stood, clinging to her black umbrella, the rain slapping down like a symphony of whispers and screams. Her jade green eyes darted nervously across the empty street as her aunt and uncle huddled under another umbrella a few feet away. The city's underworld had kept them on edge for weeks. Every delivery felt like walking through a minefield. Tonight was no different. "Aunt May, do you think Mr Jason will show up?" Sherry asked, her voice barely rising above the sound of the rain. "The storm’s getting worse, I don't think the rain is going to stop any time soon." "He will c
Dallion had pulled off his mud-covered shoes, setting them aside before stepping back into the bathroom. Sherryl was already in the bathtub, submerged in warm water, her bare skin hidden beneath the rippling surface. The heat soothed her shivering body, easing the lingering chill from earlier. But she hadn’t expected Dallion to walk back in after she had stripped down completely. "There's nothing to be embarrassed about," he said casually, not sparing her a glance as he strode toward one of the built-in cupboards along the wall. His voice was calm, unbothered. With his back to her, he rummaged through the shelves, unaware—or maybe fully aware—of the panic spreading across Sherryl’s face. Should she get out of the bath? The thought made her heart race. This had never happened before, so she hadn’t even considered that he might walk in while she was completely exposed. Her body had been mostly visible above the water before,
The women didn’t linger outside. They stepped back into the mansion, leaving the butler and the dead maid still lying on the cold ground. Nickison furrowed his brows as a thought struck him—hadn’t Dallion left for the council early in the morning, riding in his usual blacked-out car? Then how had he returned without it? Had he walked the whole way back? The maid’s body remained sprawled out, her lifeless eyes staring at nothing. Blood pooled around her head, soaking into the pavement where her face pressed against the ground. Inside the mansion, in the quiet of Dallion’s room, Sherryl stood with her arms wrapped tightly around herself. She watched as he entered the bathroom, not sparing her a glance as he moved. He pulled the plug in the tub before turning on the faucet, allowing steaming water to pour in. The sound of running water filled the silence. Feeling Sherryl’s eyes on him, Dallion placed his hands on the edge of the tub before a
The maid’s body lay lifeless on the cold ground, her head barely attached, hanging at an unnatural angle. Blood pooled beneath her, the sharp scent thick in the air. Everyone stood frozen, the shock rendering them silent. Death wasn’t unusual in their world, but it was usually kept behind closed doors—clean, quiet, and handled out of sight. Dallion had no interest in subtlety. A lesson had to be taught, and he had made his point. No one would dare step out of line again.Grace was the first to speak, her voice steady but laced with disbelief. “Dallion, why did you kill her?” She was the only one with the nerve to ask, maybe because she was older. His voice was cold, empty. “Didn’t you hear me?” “I did.” Grace sighed, then turned to the servants. “Go back to your work.” The staff, still shaken, hurried to obey. A few hesitated, their gazes flickering to the corpse, but when Nickison sho
Sherryl woke to the familiar sounds of the Cross mansion stirring to life. She went through her usual morning routine, the image of the destroyed port still lingering in her mind. Later, she stood on her balcony, gazing out at the vast expanse of the sea stretching below the mansion. The rhythmic crash of the waves usually brought her a sense of calm, but today, her thoughts were troubled. Suddenly, she was shoved forward, stumbling slightly. This was the second time in less than a week someone had deliberately pushed her. A chill ran down her spine. Was it a coincidence, or was something more sinister happening?She knew the Cross empire was a dark place, but someone messing with her under Dallion's nose, that person was wishing death. She tried to struggle to swim but all was in vain. Until she felt a gentle masculine hand wrapping around her.It was Dallion, he saved her again. After both Sherryl and Dallion climbed up the hill—with Dallion
Sherryl’s hands went cold. An entire Cross family port wiped off the map—just like that. She swallowed, trying to wrap her mind around the scale of destruction. “They’re that powerful?” she asked, her voice quieter than she intended. “What do they even gain from it? Resources can be taken in other ways.” Dallion exhaled, his gaze fixed on the ceiling. “True, but nothing compares to raw life force. Especially in large quantities—it’s pure, unfiltered energy.” Sherryl clenched her fists. “And it’s only poor workers?”She knew the workers at the marina were the poor innocent people who never knew what they were guarding and packing. She was sure nobody had told them about anything about what type of job they were doing but only to follow orders. “Unfortunately, yes.” He tilted his head, watching her reaction. “The poor are easy to manipulate. Remember that body you saw at the council’s facility?”
Weeks passed in the country, including Bonlake, where the city barely saw any shift in its weather. With winter closing in, the air had turned sharper, colder, forcing people to stockpile wood to burn through the long, unforgiving nights. As always, Sherryl sat at the desk, her fingers gripping the pen as she finished the last of her work. Two candles flickered at the edge of the wooden surface, their dim glow fighting against the darkness that pressed against the room. The only sound was the steady tick of the clock, each second stretching into the silence. It was nearing eleven. “Are you done, Sherry?” The voice drifted in from the balcony, where Grace had been standing ever since she handed out the assignment. “Yes, Lady Grace,” Sherryl answered, keeping her gaze on the parchment she had just finished filling. A gust of wind swept in as Grace stepped inside, her chiffon dress swaying around her as she moved to
Sherryl's heart pounded, each beat loud in her ears as if she were prey caught in the sights of a predator. Was this it? Was she just another piece for him to break, another game to play until he was bored? Dallion’s gaze never wavered as he asked, “What’s got you so scared?” She swallowed hard. “It’s going to hurt.” The mere thought of his teeth—or rather, his knife—against her skin made a shiver race down her spine. A smirk curved on his lips. “Pain can be… enjoyable, under the right circumstances.” His voice was low, smooth, as he placed one hand beside her head, trapping her beneath him. Sherryl’s breath hitched. “Only a true masochist would think like that,” she blurted, her nerves making her speak without thinking. Dallion chuckled, his amusement only making her pulse race faster. “That just means you haven’t experienced it properly yet,” he mused, his dark eyes watching her intently. Her ine
Was Dallion being serious? Did this mean she would never have a life of her own? That she would grow old, still bound to him, still serving the Cross empire, while he remained the same—young, powerful, untouchable? “No,” Sherryl frowned, her expression tightening. Dallion gave her a curious look. “What? Worried the family feels too small? We can always add Sheeran to it. That make it better?” His smirk told her he already knew the answer. Of course, it didn’t. Adding his wolf of a right-hand man to this so-called ‘family’ didn’t make it feel any less like a cage. “Are you serious?” she asked, her voice edged with frustration. She needed to be sure—needed to know if this was just another one of his games, another way to toy with her for his own amusement. Dallion stepped toward her, lifting his hand. Instinctively, Sherryl squeezed her eyes shut, but his voice, suddenly soft, made her open them again.
Back in the dimly lit penthouse, Dallion leaned back in his leather chair, sipping the dark red drink Nickison had brought to his room. One cup down, he poured himself another, the liquid swirling lazily inside the crystal glass. Sherryl stood in silence, watching him, her expression unreadable. Dallion hadn’t set the glass down, holding onto it like a moth clinging to a cold, unyielding wall. He took his time, savoring this second drink rather than downing it as he had the first. "Did you and Rose have some kind of fight last week?" he asked, lazily running his tongue over his lips, catching the last drop of the drink. "She seems eager to take shots at you." Sherryl hesitated before replying, "I don’t believe I’ve done anything to upset her, sir." Though, deep down, she suspected Rose’s constant hostility was simply because she was Dallion’s possession—his little mouse. And that alone seemed to be enough reason for Rose to make her life mise