Chapter 1 "The Fall of Innocence"

 Prologue

Nothing stays perfect forever. No one lives a life untouched by hardship.

Pain is inevitable. Some wounds go so deep they leave scars on the soul, leaving behind only shadows depression, anxiety, and fear.

Elara knew this too well.

Despite juggling a demanding job under a very strict boss and an exhausting university schedule, she couldn't shake the emptiness clawing at her chest.

A young girl curled herself into the corner of a dark cupboard, pressing her tiny hands over her ears to block out the heartbreaking wails of her mother. Tears streamed down her pale cheeks as she peeked through the keyhole, her heart pounding like a war drum.

"No! You can't leave me! Please....No!"

Her mother's screams sent a fresh wave of terror through her. The raw agony in her voice made Elara's body tremble harder. She wanted to run to her mother, to throw her arms around her and stop the pain but fear held her captive.

But then, her mother’s tear-streaked face turned towards her, her swollen eyes locking onto the keyhole. It was as if she could see straight into Elara's soul.

"Baby... come here," her mother whispered, forcing a smile through her pain.

Elara shook her head violently.

"Please, baby." Her mother reached out, stepping closer. But before Elara could react darkness swallowed everything.

She woke up gasping for air. Her hands clutched at the sheets as her chest rose and fell in rapid, frantic breaths. This nightmare. Again, she shook her head. Rubbing her eyes she raised her hand and reached for the small rough tissue box on the nightstand, she wiped the sweat off her forehead.

"Get a grip, Elara." Dragging herself to the bathroom, she turned on the warm water, letting it cascade over her tense shoulders. Last night had drained her. She had barely gotten three hours of sleep.

But when she glanced at the clock, her heart dropped.

"Shit!" Throwing on clothes in a frenzy, she stuffed her bag with whatever she needed and bolted out of the apartment. She ran as hard as possible. Because if there was one thing she couldn't afford, it was being late.

She stopped just outside the café she worked. Trying her best to calm her raging breath. Straightening her clothes, she pulled out her phone, checking her reflection on the darkened screen. Her hair was a mess, but she didn’t have time to fix it. She pushed the door open but immediately froze.

A tall man with striking red hair stood by the counter, his sharp eyes slicing through her like a blade. His smirk was deadly. He flicked his gaze arrogantly toward the old clock on the café wall and then glanced back to her.

She knew she was dead.

"You're F*cking Fired."

"Sir, please!" Elara's voice cracked as she fell to her knees, her trembling hands clutching the hem of his expensive suit. Humiliation burned through her veins, but she didn’t care.

Not when everything was on the line. "I swear, it won’t happen again! Just one more chance, please!" Her devil of a boss didn’t even blink. Instead, he continued counting a stack of bills, his fingers moving lazily while scoffing in between.

Then, without warning, he threw the entire envelope at her face. While looking at her with so much disgust in his gaze. "Take your damn money and get out." His voice was cold.

"No… no, no, no, please—"

Elara scrambled forward, her shaking hands gripping his pant leg like a lifeline. Tears blurred her vision, but she forced herself to meet his eyes.

"Please, sir, I need this job! I—I need the money! You don’t understand—" A low, cruel chuckle escaped his lips.

"Oh, I understand just fine." He crouched down, his piercing gaze locking onto hers. "You think begging is going to change my mind?" His tone was laced with amusement. "Pathetic."

Elara flinched as he pried her fingers off his leg like she was filthy. "You were late, Elara. Not once. Not twice. But three f**cking times also you have broken some of my expensive utensils of which by the way I cut from your salary " His voice dropped, venom dripping from every syllable.

"And you think I’ll let a useless, incompetent little thing like you stay here for another minute?" She worked harder than anyone. She busted her ass every damn day. But none of that mattered to him.

"Please," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Just one more chance… I’ll do anything."

Damian’s eyes darkened.

And then he laughed. A slow, mocking laugh that sent chills up her spine. "Anything?" he echoed, tilting his head. "How desperate are you, little girl?"

Her stomach twisted. He leaned in closer, his lips brushing her ear. "Are you willing to spread those legs for me? Is that it?"

A violent shiver ran through her. Her eyes widened in shock, but before she could speak. He grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him.

"Is that what you’re offering, Elara?" His voice was smooth, dripping with cruelty. "Because if you’re expecting me to take pity on you for crying like a worthless little b**ch."

His grip tightened.

"then you’re even dumber than I thought." Tears spilt down her cheeks, but she didn’t wipe them.

She couldn't move.

"You’re done here." With one final shove, he sent her crashing to the floor. She gasped for breath, her fingers digging into the cold marble, as she watched him stride toward the exit.

Shaking her head Elara’s fingers moved as she collected her money from the ground one by one on the cold, polished floor. Her hands shook, her chest heaving. But she forced herself to move.

"How pathetic."

"Did you see the way she begged? Like a desperate dog."

"Tsk. Look at her. Still picking up the money. Guess some people will do anything for cash."

Heat burned in her cheeks. Her throat tightened, but she kept her eyes fixed ahead. Don’t look at them. Don’t react. She gripped the money tight in her hold. Her vision blurred with unshed tears.

"Ugh, I’d rather kill myself than be humiliated like that."

That one hit her hard. Her heart clenched so violently that she almost gasped. But she swallowed it down. She didn’t have the luxury of pride. Not when there were mouths to feed.

Not when she had nothing else left. So she kept walking. Once she was out of the cafa. Her  phone rang. She wipe her tears seeing the call was from her friend Mia. 

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"This is a really bad idea, Mia," Elara muttered, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. Across from her, Mia took a slow sip of her wine, completely unfazed. "Relax, Elara. You need this." They were at a club, a place Elara never imagined herself stepping into.

Loud music pounded against her skull. Bodies pressed together on the dance floor, lost in a haze of sweat, alcohol, and flashing neon lights. The air reeked of perfume, liquor, and desperation.

This wasn't her world. And neither was this dress.

She tugged at the too-short hem, her fingers curling around the fabric as if she could somehow stretch it. The tight material clung to her body, emphasizing the curves she usually hid. Her chest felt exposed, her skin prickling under the weight of countless hungry stares.

Men were watching.  A few had already tried to approach her, offering drinks, and flashing smirks laced with bad intentions. She had turned them all down, but their eyes still followed her, making her skin crawl.

She hated it.

"Mia, please " she pleaded, her voice barely audible over the deafening bass. Mia rolled her eyes, swirling the wine in her glass. " Try to have fun, darling."

"How can I possibly enjoy a place like this?"Elara said, Mia exhaled dramatically, shaking her head. "God, Elara, loosen up for once." Elara clenched her jaw. Loosen up? Did Mia have any idea what she had been through today?

She had been humiliated. Fired like she was worthless. Forced to walk out while people whispered about her like she was nothing more than a joke.

Now, she was here, dressed like someone she wasn’t, surrounded by men who saw her as nothing more than a body to devour with their eyes.

"Mia," she tried again, more firmly this time. But her friend had already had too much to drink. She turned to Elara with a playful smirk, giving her a once-over. "This girl," Mia muttered, shaking her head. "You seriously need to embrace how hot you are. Try wearing sexy clothes more often, and maybe you'll actually get a boyfriend."

Elara’s patience thinned. "I’m not here for that, Mia. I came because you dragged me here. And now I want to leave."

Mia groaned and finally put her wine down. Then, grabbing Elara’s hands, she locked eyes with her, her expression softening.

"I know, Elara," she said quietly. "I know how hard things are for you. I know what happened today. I know how much you’ve been sacrificing for your family. But just once, forget them. Forget everything. Just for tonight. Be selfish for once."

Elara’s throat tightened.

She wanted to argue, to insist that she couldn't afford to be selfish. But maybe… Mia was right.

For years, all she had done was work, struggle, fight. Survive. Maybe for one night… she could breathe.

She swallowed hard. Then, finally, she nodded. "Okay," she whispered. "Let’s enjoy this party."

Mia’s grin stretched wide. "That’s my girl!"

Before Elara could rethink her decision, Mia shoved a drink into her hand. "Drink up!" Hesitantly, Elara took a sip. Then another. And another. Mia whooped in excitement, grabbing her wrist and dragging her toward the dance floor.

Elara let out a breathless chuckle, watching her best friend spin, sway, and dance like she owned the night. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all. Maybe, for tonight, she could pretend.

Elara danced her heart out, her body swaying to the pulsing beat, her mind blissfully foggy from the alcohol. She was lost in the rhythm, letting go, until she heard a deep, velvety voice from behind.

"Alone?"

Her movements faltered. Slowly, she turned, her vision slightly blurred from her drink. But she saw him, Tall. Powerful. Devastatingly handsome man standing in front of her.

His dark, sharp eyes held hers with an intensity that sent a slow shiver down her spine. He was dressed in a tailored suit, the top two buttons undone, exposing a glimpse of his toned chest. His sleeves hugged his muscular arms, and his presence alone commanded attention.

He was the kind of man, women wrote fantasies about. And judging by the way half the women in the club were secretly checking him out, she wasn’t the only one mesmerized.

But his eyes? They were only on her. She swallowed hard, but before she could say anything—

"Done eye- fucking me, baby?" Her breath caught. Elara blinked, snapping out of her trance.

Arrogant bastard. Her cheeks burned, and she lifted her chin, masking her embarrassment with irritation.

"Can I help you? What do you want?" she shot back. The man smirked, his lips curling in amusement. He leaned in slightly, forcing her to instinctively lean back.

She could smell him. Not just the faint trace of whiskey on his breath, but the expensive cologne that clung to his skin, He was a mix of danger and temptation.

"I want you." He said, His voice was low, teasing, seductive. The kind of voice that could make a woman forget her name.

Her heart thudded in her chest. "I’m sorry, but I don’t know you," she managed to say, though her voice wavered slightly. His smirk deepened. "You don’t know me?"

She crossed her arms. "No. Should I?" The way he chuckled sent an unsettling warmth through her. "I’m surprised," he murmured, tilting his head. "A woman this beautiful, this sexy, and she doesn’t even know my name?"

Damn this man and his mouth. Heat rose up her neck, and she cursed her body for betraying her. He extended his hand. "Let’s keep it that way, for now. You can call me Liam."

Liam. The name suited him.

Against her better judgment, she took his hand. His grip was strong and warm. "Elara," she introduced herself.

His lips twitched into something wicked. "Elara… Your name is as beautiful as you, babygirl." Her stomach flipped. "Will you stop calling me that?" she muttered.

He chuckled again, clearly enjoying how easily he could fluster her. "What? Baby? It suits you. After all, you’re my baby tonight."

This man was impossible.

She opened her mouth to retort, but before she could, she realized something. Where was Mia?

Her eyes scanned the dance floor, but her friend was nowhere to be found. A sinking feeling formed in her stomach.

"Oh… where is she? I think they left." She heard him say. She turned back to Liam and caught him watching her carefully. "That’s none of your business," she snapped, suddenly annoyed by his presence.

But his next words hit her like a punch to the chest. "What if someone takes advantage of you? What if I hadn’t come?"

Elara’s breath hitched. There was something in his tone. Something real. As if he wasn’t just flirting anymore as if he was actually concerned.

But why?

Why would a stranger care about her safety? And why did he sound… possessive? She narrowed her eyes. "I can protect myself."

Liam’s smirk returned, but this time, it was different. Darker. "Really?" he murmured. "So if I do this, what will you do?"

Elara barely had time to process his words before he moved. Before his lips crashed against hers.

Her world stopped.

The music. The people. The noise.

Gone. All she could feel was him. His lips were warm, firm, and devastatingly intoxicating. He kissed her like he had all the time in the world, slow and deliberate, as if savouring the moment.

Her mind screamed at her to push him away, but her body refused to move.

Her first kiss.

A stolen kiss.

Before she could react, he pulled back, his face inches from hers. His breath was warm against her lips.

Her body trembled.

His dark eyes burned into hers as he whispered, "What will you do if a man kisses you like that?"

His fingers trailed along her cheek, his touch so gentle it made her shiver. Elara’s lips tingled. Her heart pounded so hard she was sure he could hear it.

Why did he kiss her? Why did she let him?

Her voice was barely a whisper. "Why did you do that?" Liam sighed, his fingers brushing over her lips this time.

"Because my heart told me to."

Her pulse jumped.

"My heart told me to kiss the woman in front of me." His thumb stroked her lower lip. "And I liked it. A lot."

Heat pooled in her stomach. This was dangerous. He was dangerous. And yet, before she could stop herself, the words tumbled out of her lips.

"I… I liked it too."

Liam smirked.