"Let go!" I snarled, twisting hard, but the hand clamped over my mouth. The sickly-sweet scent of something chemical filled my nose. My heart lurched. No. Not again.
I bit down hard, tasting blood. The man grunted, but didn't release me. His other hand came up with a small vial. I was sure that it was the same drug used on me in my past life. The same trick. The same drug. But a new me. I told myself I would fight with all my might, and I will prove it.
Adrenaline flooded my body. I slammed my heel down on his foot, hard, and elbowed him in the ribs. He staggered, cursing, but still didn't let go.
"Let go of me, you asshole!" I screamed, twisting sharply. My nails raked across his face, drawing blood. His grip loosened for just a second, and I shoved him away with everything I had.
He lunged again, but I was faster this time. My body was trembling from the exertion. I fought and won against someone much taller and much bigger than me.
Without thinking, I bolted. My feet carried me down the hall, vision blurring, heart pounding so hard I could hear it echo in my ears. The taste of the drug still lingered faintly in the back of my throat, but I didn't stop.
I turned another corner and stumbled through the first open door I found, slamming it shut behind me. My hands shook as I braced against the wood, breathing hard.
The room was dim, moonlight spilling through the tall window, silvering the edges of the furniture. My legs felt weak, trembling as I backed away from the door.
Only when I lifted my head did I realise I wasn't alone.
There was a man on the bed, and then it dawned on me. It was the same room, it was the same man… The man who caused my downfall. Up until now, I was under the assumption that he was arranged by my sister to ruin me and humiliate me. Just abandon me after he had his fill.
But he wasn't how I remembered him, truthfully, I had never remembered him clearly at all. But now, as the moonlight touched his face, I felt like I could recognise him. Bits and pieces of memory resurfaced.
Dark hair, damp with sweat.
Strong shoulders rising and falling with shallow breaths.
Cheeks flushed red, skin pale, as if he, too, had been drugged.
My breath caught.
So this was the man. He was… More handsome than I remembered. The only thing I remembered from that day was pain and humiliation. Tears streaming down my face as I tried to erase every trace of him from myself until my skin peeled.
I wanted to hate him.
I wanted to scream, to curse him, to make him feel the same helplessness I did.
But as I watched him, his body trembling, his brow furrowed even in unconsciousness, I realised I couldn't. I stepped closer… Till I was so close to him that I could see his stubble.
He wasn't the monster.
He was another victim.
Someone else had arranged this.
Someone else had made us both pawns in a cruel game.
My fingers curled into fists.
Part of me wanted to turn and leave, to erase this chapter forever.
But another part whispered: If you leave, you'll lose him. The child. The future that was yours.
My son.
That thought stopped me cold.
I stared at the man again, torn between loathing and longing. Between revenge and a desperate, aching hope. He was my only shot at getting my child back…
Remembering his cute babbles and the way he tried his best to form words… To say 'mama', tears welled up in my eyes.
The conflicting thoughts had me standing and staring at the man in front of me.
What should I do?
I wanted to go down a path of revenge, and I do not care if it means ruining myself in the end. Hatred consumed me, but I want love too. I could not drag a child into the murky waters I was going to step into.
Before I could decide, his eyes opened.
Red.
Bright red, just like blood.
I froze.
For a heartbeat, neither of us moved. Then his hand shot out — fast, firm, and unrelenting — grabbing my wrist.
"Wait—" I gasped.
He pulled hard.
The world spun, and I fell against him, the air rushing out of my lungs as my body collided with his. Was I dizzy from what he did or the trace amount of aphrodisiac that my sister's henchmen administered to me?
And in the echo of that moment, heartbeat to heartbeat, I knew nothing would ever be the same again.
He held me there, the weight of his gaze pinning me in place. Well, to be fair, so were his hands. He leaned in, his breath warm against my face, and I could sense the desire in him… And I admit… those feelings stirred in me too. It was the aphrodisiac… Yes, it was.
Without a word, his hand glided from my back, lining my spine, making me shiver and reached the back of my neck. He pulled me forward. Our lips met in a fierce, desperate kiss.
I kissed him back instinctively, my hands pressed against his chest. I felt his heartbeat, and it felt calming, weirdly.
He kissed me with an urgency that stole my breath, biting and sucking as if he were claiming me. I melted against him, I could not fight back, nor did I want to.
But then, with a swift motion, he flipped us over, and suddenly I was on the bed with him hovering above me. My heart raced even faster, a mix of vulnerability and exhilaration coursing through my veins. He leaned back down, his lips trailing down my neck, sending shivers cascading through my body.
As his mouth explored, I felt the fabric of my dress being torn apart as if it were an enemy. I gasped, but there was no fear in me—only heat. I swallowed hard, letting it happen, craving the intensity of each moment. His hands gripped my wrists, pinning them above my head with an iron grip that stung just enough to remind me of his strength.
Every kiss ignited a fire beneath my skin, and the delicious tension of being at his mercy made my heart race. I squirmed beneath him, wanting more, needing him closer.
The aphrodisiac was not enough to make me vulnerable, not enough for anyone to take advantage of me, but enough to ignite the sparks of desire. I- I wanted him.