Chapter 1

I had a face so ordinary it was entirely forgettable.

My two contracted beastmen servants never recognized me. Not even once.

The first time, I asked them to pick me up from work.

They took that imposter home instead. Left me standing in the pouring rain until I caught a fever that wouldn't break.

The second time, that fake grew jealous just because our parents glanced at me. She cornered me in an alley.

I screamed for their help.

But my own servants pinned me to the ground. They let her slap me until my ears bled and I ended up in the hospital.

I wanted to send them away more times than I could count.

But they would always look at me, their eyes welling with tears, acting like the victims.

"Master, we're so sorry. We beastmen only recognize people by their faces. We really can't tell."

"Just give us a little more time. We'll definitely be able to recognize you."

I endured that excuse for three years.

Until today. They spoke in the beast language right in front of me.

"We've punished this woman for Hadley for three years. It's about time we stop. She's actually quite pathetic."

"Getting soft? How is she innocent? She almost got Hadley kicked out of the house back then. She deserves every bit of this."

"Just wait a little longer. Once Hadley officially inherits the Whitmore estate, we'll leave."

They thought I couldn't understand.

What they didn't know was that I spent three years teaching myself their language, all just to fit in with them.

Three years, and they still couldn't recognize their master. I didn't want these two defective rejects anymore.

I turned around. Sent a return request straight to the beastmen clan.

Beastmen prided themselves on loyalty.

A returned beastman faced only one fate. Eternal enslavement.

A knock sounded at the door right then.

Stone spoke, his tone cautious.

"Master, we'd like to go out for a bit."

I cast my eyes down. My thumb rubbed the contract mark on my wrist.

I risked my life to save them from human traffickers back then.

Because of that, I set a strict rule on the day we formed the contract. No going out late at night.

Rowan gently took my hand when I didn't answer.

The warm touch made my chest tighten.

"If you don't want us to, we won't go."

His gentle demeanor almost made me believe him.

Then Stone's annoyed voice pierced my ears, spoken entirely in the beast language.

"If it wasn't for Hadley, I would never have willingly contracted with such a vicious master."

Rowan stopped him, dropping his voice to a low whisper in the same language.

"Now is not the time to drop the act. We'll sneak out once she falls asleep."

A cold smile crept onto my lips. My throat felt like I had swallowed broken glass.

"Go if you want. Keep it quiet when you get back."

They left fast. They didn't even look back.

The moment the front door clicked shut, my phone screen lit up.

[Confirm return request?]

I tapped 'Yes' without a second thought.

They would be collected in three days.

Condemned to eternal slavery.

I tossed and turned in my sleep later that night.

A heavy weight suddenly crushed down on me.

My eyes snapped open.

Several street thugs hovered over my bed. They lunged at me with filthy grins.

"Stop fighting, sweetheart. Let us show you a good time."

I pressed down on my contract mark with everything I had.

They promised they would appear whenever I pressed it. No matter what.

But they didn't come.

The sound of my clothes ripping echoed in the room. I suddenly remembered the first time they left me in the rain. I ended up hospitalized with a severe fever.

Rowan had kneeled by my bed, his eyes bloodshot. He told me not to be afraid. He swore they would never let me get hurt again.

Yet in three years, they never kept that promise.

Despair consumed me. Suddenly, two dark figures smashed through the door. They took down the thugs in seconds.

Rowan rushed to my side. He pulled my trembling body tightly into his arms.

"Master! We're sorry! We're late!"

I curled into his familiar embrace on instinct.

They finally came.

As my consciousness faded, I heard Stone muttering in the beast language.

"Leaving the door unlocked for those thugs was the right move. She's terrified."

"She won't dare bully Hadley anymore. Let's get her to the hospital. She's barely breathing."

Rowan scoffed. His voice was colder than the night wind.

"She brought this on herself. Pain is the only thing she understands."

My eyes widened.

My heart shattered into pieces, the pain suffocating me.

They were kidnapped and dragged to an underground fighting ring years ago because of their looks.

I took thirty lashes to my back just to drag them out of there.

Rowan held me and cried until he lost his voice back then.

Stone kneeled by my hospital bed, guarding me for three days and three nights.

It was all fake. All of it.

I coughed up a mouthful of blood. Darkness swallowed my vision, and I passed out.