Beware the Heart Thief

I had been dating a rich Canverlian guy from the Internet, Oliver Radcliffe. His face looked like he had just stepped off the set of a gritty mob movie, and one look from him could scare a toddler into tears.When I first saw him, I thought I had found my type—a cold, ruthless man who had a cigarette between his lips and put it out on my heart without blinking, except he turned out to be a three-in-one package of clinginess, jealousy, and a crybaby.Every time we fought, he cried harder than I did. He would be sobbing and wiping away tears while gripping my head. He would pretend to be all "don't come near me" while clearly trying to comfort me.Just like the first night we video-called, his tears started splattering onto the screen before I could even say a word.Tonight, he called again while I was debating whether to block him and disappear from the Internet for good.Once I picked up, eight-pack abs were immediately shoved in my face. It was like a 4K gym commercial had been p

I began typing on my phone."This is how you've always been—clingy and paranoid. If I'm slow to reply, you claim you can smell me talking to someone else."Now, you immediately think I'm cheating the moment I test you a little. You don't trust me at all."Long-distance relationships without security are bound to end sooner or later, aren't they? We were just playing around anyway."Oliver's deep eyes fixed on me with an oppressive intensity. "Playing around? I don't believe it!"Babe, out of all foreigners out there, you chose to play with me, and that means you love me!"I shouldn't have doubted you, babe. I'll write a formal apology letter."I just told Oliver that everything was just a game, and instead of getting mad, he confessed his love. What exactly was going on in his head?"Stop acting so innocent, Oliver Radcliffe. Canverlians are open, and you've probably dated more people than my shoe size."Did you get bored with the blond-haired, blue-eyed women and want somet

I froze for a long time. Somewhere in my mind, my mental survival handbook automatically flipped pages from "How to Handle Kidnappers" straight to "How to Ace a Job Interview.""What's the monthly pay? Do you get a medical and pension plan?" I tentatively asked.The half-Canverlian, half-Crisean kidnapper frowned in serious thought, then answered in his halting Crisean. "Boss… treats me well. Money is… enough."Right. The boss's promises must be pretty convincing to have cultivated employees with impressive loyalty.I switched tactics and asked, "Who's your boss? Did I offend him or something? I'm just a broke student, so why did he kidnap me?""Boss said…" He paused, as if to search for the exact wording. "He lost… a heart with you."His words sent a chill down my spine. Why did the words "lost a heart" sound so familiar?The car sped out of the city and veered into country lanes I had only seen in Canverlian dramas. Towering, perfectly-trimmed hedges lined both sides of the la

"Look. This is my great-great-grandfather, Arthur Radcliffe, an Earl knighted by the Queen herself," Oliver said, pointing to a painting as if he was introducing a cabbage in his backyard garden.The old man in the painting had a hooked nose and a sharp gaze, bearing a 70% resemblance to the madman in front of me."This is my grandmother, Victoria. She was a famous socialite, and they say she had enough lovers to form an entire infantry regiment."I rolled my eyes and figured that his insanity must run in the family.He pulled me past painting after painting, chattering about the Radcliffe family history, while I was forced to listen to the dusty, moldy drama. The wool carpet beneath my feet was so soft I felt like I was sinking, and the dazzling crystal chandeliers overhead made my head spin.This was not a kidnapping; it was a mandatory dark heritage tour of an elite madhouse.Finally, he stopped before a set of double white wooden doors. When he pushed them open and shoved me

Oliver released my wrist, then shifted his hand to my jaw and gripped my chin. The force was not too strong, but it carried an undeniable authority, thus forcing me to look up at him. "That man, Sean. How far did things go between you two?" he demanded.My mind raced. If I told the truth, he would lose it, but if I lied and he somehow found out, I would be in deeper trouble."We're high school classmates. We ran into each other on the street and chatted for a minute," I said, trying to keep my voice steady."His dog is cute, so I looked at it for a few extra seconds. What? Are you jealous of a dog now?""A dog?"Oliver raised an eyebrow, and the smile on his lips widened. "Of course, I'm not jealous of a dog. After all, you used to call me your puppy."My heart clenched as his gaze turned cold. "But he isn't a dog. He's a man, a living and breathing man who can walk beside you and talk to you face to face."He leaned closer until his presence closed in around me again."As fo