All Chapters of Bound By Duty, Captivated By Love: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

“Sir, don't. Please...” Thea sobbed in fear as she pushed Sebastian's sturdy body again. Yet again, her efforts were completely fruitless.“They want me to touch you.” Said Sebastian, who had managed to unbutton Alethea's uniform and pull it open until Alethea's stomach was exposed. “They want me to ravish you.” Sebastian continued in Alethea's left ear while the man's right hand rubbed Alethea's belly and continued upward under her bra until the man's big hand reached Alethea's round and firm breasts and squeezed them.“S-Sir... please... don't...” Alethea pleaded with tears in her eyes. But again Sebastian ignored her request, the man deliberately rubbed and squeezed Alethea's breasts until Alethea could only shake her head in fear and kept trying to push Sebastian's body away.“They think I've gone numb.” Sebastian whispered this time in the hollow of Alethea's neck. The man kissed and licked the neck with the tip of his tongue which overwhelmed Alethea and made her feel even more

Alethea wasn’t a money-printing machine. She was just an ordinary girl in her early twenties. Compared to her peers, she had already sacrificed so much. She refrained from buying things she wanted, eating food she liked, purchasing clothes she desired, or even hanging out with her friends—all so she could fulfill her parents’ needs.It wasn’t that Alethea was stingy, nor that she didn’t want to be dutiful. She simply couldn’t keep up with her parents’ constant demands, especially those of her mother.She wasn’t exceptionally smart academically, though she was diligent in her studies. Her parents’ hope for her to pursue education through scholarships didn’t align with reality. In the end, she didn’t earn scholarships for academic excellence but instead became a student receiving aid because of her family’s financial struggles.Ashamed? No. Alethea understood her parents’ situation and accepted it, even though she was often looked down upon. She knew she couldn’t attend extracurricular c

"You said you’d do any kind of work?" The question came from Callie, Alethea’s best friend, whose mother owned a staffing agency. "Yes. Did you get the latest update from your mom?" Alethea asked eagerly. They were deliberately talking in the kitchen in hushed voices because Alethea’s mother and younger sibling were watching TV in the living room. "I did," Callie replied, equally enthusiastic. "It’s a job with a very tempting offer, and you wouldn’t have to go abroad because the job is in the capital city. Plus, you don’t need to spend a dime on documents like work visas or anything." Callie’s tone was filled with excitement. "What kind of job?" Alethea asked, eyeing Callie suspiciously as she washed vegetables at the sink. Despite feeling exhausted after just getting home from work, cooking dinner for her family wasn’t something she could skip. If she refused, something would surely be thrown at her, and the pain from that would outweigh her fatigue. "My mom said it’s a caregiving

Alethea nervously wrung her fingers. She glanced at the old black suitcase sitting in one corner of Callie’s living room. As already decided—albeit reluctantly—Alethea would finally work for Helen Bishop.After her conversation in the kitchen with Callie and her mother, Alethea had been unable to sleep all night, preoccupied with countless possibilities regarding her new job. By morning, she was forced to pack while her mother kept a watchful eye, endlessly lecturing her not to cause trouble and to ensure her employer was pleased with her. Deep down, Alethea hoped that whoever her employer would be, they would be kind and refrain from any physical or verbal abuse. At the very least, she wished to move from her mother’s dictatorship to a place that felt more comfortable—mentally, if nothing else.Alethea anxiously waited in the living room, which doubled as the office of Imelda Osborn—Callie’s mother. Meanwhile, Hera paced back and forth near the doorway, visibly uneasy. It seemed the

Alethea stood in her new room—a space measuring five by four meters located at the back of the villa. The room was noticeably much larger compared to the one Hera had provided her at their house.Besides the en-suite bathroom, there was also a small kitchenette where Alethea could prepare simple meals like instant noodles or coffee.After the long journey, Helen gave Alethea some time to rest. Without bothering to unpack her modest belongings, Alethea chose to freshen up and change into more comfortable clothes before lying down on a bed that felt far more luxurious than the one at her own home.When Alethea woke up, she felt much more refreshed. The sun had yet to rise, and according to the schedule Helen had given her, she needed to meet Helen in the kitchen, fully dressed in her uniform.Alethea quickly freshened up. Per Helen's rules, she was allowed to use basic skincare products like facial moisturizer and body lotion, but anything with a strong scent, including perfume and make