Summary
Scarlett Oslon found herself in a nightmarish scenario when her family announced her marriage to the most infamous man in the city, Sébastien Ashford. He was poised to become the next CEO of a multi-billion-dollar empire, but his rise to power was shrouded in rumors of ruthlessness, and it was said he valued neither women nor family. Scarlett, a firm believer in love and mutual respect, made a daring escape from her own wedding, refusing to be part of a contractual marriage. In an unexpected twist, the man Scarlett thought could be the love of her life turned out to be the very person she had fled from. Sebastian had been investigating her since their tumultuous wedding day, initially driven by a desire to understand the woman who had humiliated him in front of the city's elite. However, as he delved deeper into her life, his curiosity evolved into a more profound and complicated emotion. Torn between love, secrets, and a world of shadows, Scarlett and Sebastian must navigate their feelings and confront the truths that threaten to tear them apart. How long can he hide his true identity, and will their love prevail over the web of secrecy that binds them?
Chapter One
"Let go off me!" Scarlett thrashed around as more than four hands grabbed unto her, successfully stopping from becoming a monster.
"I said let go off me!" She barked again, still struggling to get away from their strong hold.
Seriously, were they aiming to break her hands?!
Unfortunately, her frail strength could not be compared to that of the trained bodyguards, who held onto her with an iron grip.
She immediately launched herself at one of the bodyguards, her attempt to break free fueling her determination.
However, the other three guards swiftly intervened, overpowering her.
"Shut your mouth b*tch!" One of the bodyguards unable to bear her tantrums, shouted and shoved her to the ground earning a loud scream from her.
It hurts.
Black dots filled her vision yet that didn’t stop her from glaring daggers at the guard.
God knew if eyes were guns loaded with bullets, the guard would be long gone.
Hatred burned in her eyes as she glared at the guard, but the hatred in her eyes burned solely towards her parents, the ones who had orchestrated this predicament.
If only she had known that their call to return to the city was a ruse.
They had claimed her mother was sick, but when she rushed back from the New York, she found her parents - specifically her 'sick' mother - enjoying wine in the gazebo.
It turns out her mother was involved in this dirty game.
It was heart-wrenching.
But then, they suddenly began to shower her with lots of love, something they hadn't done in the past six years she had been away.
Scarlett tried to brush off the deception, thinking maybe they had missed her.
She let go of the lie they had told her about her mother's illness, not wanting to hold any grudges.
But who would have thought that their true motive was to force her into a contracted marriage with the most notorious man in the city?
The very man she had despised with every fiber of her being, fueled by the countless rumors she had heard about him six years ago.
Now, with the family's business on the verge of collapse, they saw no other option but to sacrifice her happiness for their own gain.
And to top it all, the wedding was set for tomorrow!
How would she ever forgive such betrayal?
And it was at this moment of distraction that the guards, in a moment of sheer comedic chaos, reached out to her again, only to be met with an ear-splitting yell that could rival a banshee's wail.
They dragged her to a car parked at the side, the guards, in a panic-induced frenzy, flung open the backseat door with the grace of a bull in a china shop.
And without missing a beat, they haphazardly tossed her into the backseat like a ragdoll in a tornado.
Scarlett let out a yelp that could rival a startled puppy.
She stumbled and scrambled to her feet, desperately trying to regain her composure.
But alas, the door had been slammed shut, trapping her inside like a caged bird.
And so, she resorted to the only weapon she had left in her arsenal - banging on the door with all her might, as if channeling the fury of a thousand thunderstorms.
She was screaming bloody murder with a fervor that would make even the most hardened horror movie protagonist shudder in fear.
Soon one of them got into the driver’s seat and the car sped away.
The world around her blurred as she continued her desperate plea for freedom, her voice echoing through the streets like a siren's call.
'Goodness this can’t be happening to me... it was just a nightmare before right?'
She couldn't even see the driver, thanks to the partition that acted like a sneaky magician's trick.
She banged more at the door, not daring to give up.
Wasn’t it better to die than be tied to a monster?!
This thought fueled her determination and with each bang on the doors, she hoped to break free from the clutches of this four-wheeled prison.
Suddenly, the car screeched to a halt, causing her to nearly catapult out of her seat.
Ah, the sweet sound of freedom...or so she thought.
If the car came to a halt, that only means one thing, they had arrived at their destination.
This was her chance.
She eagerly eyed the doors, left and right, and couldn't help but imagine herself transforming into a ninja, ready to strike down anyone who dared to open that door.
She narrowed her eyes, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Left or right, it didn't matter.
The unsuspecting victim would soon find themselves at the mercy of what she was about to do.
'The unfortunate soul'
Her adrenaline kept pumping.
And then, finally, the moment arrived.
The door was pulled open harshly and who she saw, made the ramming escape she had in mind flew out the window.
There was a huge guard with an angry expression on his face.
Wait, was this the driver driving this car?
'Jeez, he must love the gym to look this stupidly muscled.'
But she flew back to earth when he shoved his hand into his jacket and pulled out three black clothes.
Wait, what’s he planning to do with black clothes?!
Choke her to death?
'God no! This can't be happening! I can't let him choke me to death!’
As if in her head, the guard began to move towards her and fear gripped her.
Is he really going to choke his boss’ wife.
Wait....what am I saying?!
As the guard approached with the black cloth, her eyes widened in terror.
She frantically searched for an escape route, but her options were limited.
Desperation fueled her instincts as she mustered all her strength to resist.
But alas, the guard swiftly grabbed her by the legs and held her firmly in place. She struggled against his grip, screamed so loudly for help since they seemed to be in a highway - well an isolated highway - but it was no use.
The guard expertly gagged her with the cloth, silencing her cries for help. As if that wasn't enough, he proceeded to tie her both hands, further restricting her movements.
Darkness enveloped her vision as he also blindfolded her with another cloth.
'Jesus! this guard must be a kidnapper.
Only a kidnapper would expertly do this sh*t.
More reason I can’t be with that damned man. He is a criminal!'
'Mum and Dad, you both will hear from me.
It’s either you disown me or i disown you!'
Just when she thought things couldn't get any worse, the guard pulled out a mysterious vial and made her inhale its contents. The car began to spin, and her consciousness slipped away like a mischievous ghost.
The last thing she remembered was the guard's sinister chuckle echoing in her ears.
And with that, she fainted, completely unaware of what awaited her when she regained consciousness.