The flickering neon lights from the "Black Rose" bar sign cast a sickly glow on Ha An Nhien's face, making her delicate features appear even more haggard. The rain had stopped, but the air still hung heavy with the smell of damp earth and the suffocating scent of despair. She clutched her old phone tightly, the two ominous words "TONIGHT" from her father's portly loan shark still glaring on the screen, like a knife pressed against her throat.
Her father, Ha Vi Thanh, once a brilliant architect, was now a mere shadow of his former self after a string of failed businesses and a crippling gambling addiction. The debt, amounting to tens of billions of dong, had transformed their small home into a living hell. Her mother had succumbed to heart disease, perhaps partly due to the relentless shocks her father inflicted. Now, the sole burden on An Nhien's shoulders was her younger brother, An Khang, and his grave illness – a bottomless pit of medical bills swallowing every last shred of hope.
An Nhien's gaze drifted towards the dark alley. She had tried everything. Selling their belongings? There was nothing left of value. Borrowing from friends? Everyone avoided her calls. She even took on three part-time jobs, but the money she earned was like a drop in the ocean. She felt like a small fish stranded, thrashing desperately in vain.
The shrill ring of her phone suddenly pierced the silence, jolting her from her thoughts. It was an unknown number. An Nhien hesitated for a moment, then answered.
"Miss Ha?" A deep, icy voice echoed from the other end, carrying an invisible pressure. "I believe you know why I'm calling."
An Nhien's heart pounded. She didn't recognize the voice, but her instincts told her this was no ordinary call. "Who are you?"
"My name isn't important. What's important is that I can help you out of your father's mess." The voice remained calm, yet it held an unpredictable, dangerous edge. "Address: Royal Palace Hotel, VIP Room 303. You have 30 minutes."
"I don't know what you're talking about! I don't need your help!" An Nhien snapped, trying to cling to her last shred of dignity.
"Oh? Then let your father's loan shark 'take care' of your hospitalized brother," he retorted coldly, "or worse, your house, which is about to be seized."
Every word from the caller was a whip lashing at An Nhien's greatest fears. He knew about An Khang, about her house! She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "What do you want?"
"Come here, and you'll find out." The voice cut off abruptly, followed by a cold dial tone.
An Nhien stood frozen in the night. Her heart felt like it was being squeezed. This was clearly a trap, a deal with the devil. But if she didn't go, could she bear to watch her brother take his last breath, or see their home crumble? No, she couldn't. For An Khang, for her family, she had to take the gamble. Even if she knew she might lose everything.
The taxi dropped An Nhien off at the Royal Palace Hotel – a skyscraper dazzling with lights, a symbol of power and luxury she had never dared to dream of. Stepping into the grand lobby, she felt like a speck of dust lost in the opulent space. The scent of expensive perfume and the soft, melodious music made it hard for her to breathe.
When she knocked on the door of room 303, it swung open almost immediately. Standing before her was a man.
Lanh Thien Phong.
He was tall, his figure impeccably tailored in a perfect black suit that accentuated his strong build. His dark hair was slicked back neatly, revealing a high forehead and thick eyebrows. His face seemed sculpted from ice, coldly impassive, especially his deep-set, dark eyes, sharp as razors, staring straight through her as if piercing every secret. Those eyes held no emotion, only calculation and an intimidating, domineering aura. A faint, self-satisfied smirk played on his lips, like an invisible mockery.
"Punctual," Lanh Thien Phong remarked, making no attempt to hide the disdain in his gaze. He didn't invite her in, simply stood there, blocking the doorway.
An Nhien felt a chill run down her spine. This man, even at first glance, exuded an alarming power and danger. She took a deep breath, trying to maintain her composure. "Are you Lanh Thien Phong?"
"Well, it seems you're not entirely useless after all." He sneered. "Come in. We have a contract to discuss."
An Nhien stepped inside, the door closing heavily behind her, like the echoing clang of fate. The VIP room was dazzlingly luxurious, with a panoramic view of the sparkling city lights. But in her eyes, it resembled a gilded cage.
Lanh Thien Phong settled onto a black leather sofa, slowly pouring himself a glass of red wine. He didn't offer her any, merely gestured for her to sit opposite him. On the glass table, a neat black folder lay, bearing the bold, clear words: CONTRACT OF DOMINATION.
"Miss Ha," Lanh Thien Phong began, his voice low but commanding, "I know everything about your situation. Your family, the debt, your brother... I can solve it all." He paused, took a sip of wine, his sharp eyes never leaving her. "In return, you will belong to me."
An Nhien's heart clenched. She knew she had stepped into a game from which there was no turning back. She looked up at the man opposite her, her resilient eyes mixed with indignation. "What do you want me to do?"
Lanh Thien Phong smiled, a deadly dangerous smile. "Simple. You will be my mistress. For one year."
His words struck her like lightning. The blood in An Nhien's veins seemed to freeze. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. All her efforts to maintain her dignity crumbled before this humiliating proposition.
"You... you're joking, aren't you?!" She sprang up, her voice trembling with anger and humiliation. "I will never do that!"
"Oh, really?" Lanh Thien Phong raised an eyebrow, his expression indifferent. He pulled out his phone, swiped a few times, then placed it on the table, the screen displaying a video. It was An Khang, her brother, coughing violently in his hospital room, his face pale. Beside him, the portly loan shark was cackling, and a few of his henchmen stood clustered around the bedside.
"One phone call from me, and your brother won't have a penny for treatment. Or worse... he won't be safe in that hospital anymore."
An Nhien collapsed back onto the sofa, tears welling in her eyes. She bit her lip hard, the metallic taste of blood spreading in her mouth. Rage and fear intertwined, suffocating her. This man, he was a devil!
"Sign it," Lanh Thien Phong pushed the black folder towards her, "or watch your loved ones be destroyed."
An Nhien stared at the words "CONTRACT OF DOMINATION" and the detailed clauses she hadn't had a chance to read. She knew she had no choice. Her hand trembled as she picked up the pen, each stroke of her signature etching her fate. Every letter was a tear, a shattered piece of her soul.
Tonight, under the extravagant lights of the Royal Palace, Ha An Nhien had officially sold her soul to the devil.