Chapter 2

Aneta’s cries echoed throughout the house as two large men approached Aurora. The woman immediately hugged her daughter tightly until Aurora almost lost her balance.

“Don’t go... Mom is begging you, Rory.” Aneta’s voice trembled violently. “We’ll find another way. Mom will do any kind of work.”

Aurora closed her eyes for a moment as she felt her mother’s trembling body in her embrace, making the tightness in her chest grow even worse.

“There’s no other way anymore, Mom,” she whispered softly.

“There has to be!” Aneta cried even harder while holding Aurora’s face. “He’s not a good person. I don’t want you going with him.”

Aurora knew that.

From the very first moment Richard looked at her earlier, Aurora already knew the man was dangerous.

Not the type of man who shouted or slammed tables when angry. Richard was far too calm to be feared normally, and that was exactly what made Aurora even more uncomfortable.

Richard stood a few steps away from them while silently watching everything. His expression barely changed even as Aneta’s sobs became more hysterical.

Then the man gave a small signal to one of the bodyguards behind him.

Just a simple hand movement.

But it was enough to make the two men walk toward Aurora.

Aneta immediately panicked. “Don’t touch my daughter!”

“Mom...” Aurora tried to calm her mother even though her own voice was close to breaking. “I’ll be okay.”

“That’s a lie!” Aneta shouted while crying. “You won’t be okay if you go with Mr. Richard!”

Aurora fell silent because her mother’s words were completely true. She was terrified.

Bertan instead stood up while rubbing his face roughly. “Enough, stop crying.”

Aneta turned sharply toward her husband. “She’s our daughter!”

“And this is for our family!” Bertan shouted in frustration. “If Aurora doesn’t go, we’re all finished!”

“Then let them take me instead!” Aneta screamed angrily. “Why does it have to be Rory?”

“Because she’s the one Mr. Richard wants.”

Those words made the house suddenly fall silent.

Aurora slowly lowered her head. Her fingers clenched tightly until her nails dug into her own palms.

“This isn’t fair to Rory...” Aneta’s voice weakened in despair.

Richard finally stepped closer. His gaze fell on Aurora for a few seconds before he spoke calmly, “We need to leave now.”

Aurora slowly let go of her mother’s embrace. Jonas immediately hugged Aurora’s legs while crying loudly.

“Big Sis Rory, don’t go...”

Aurora’s body immediately stiffened. She crouched down and hugged her little brother tightly. The tears she had been holding back finally fell.

“I’ll definitely be okay,” she whispered even though she herself was not sure.

Richard’s bodyguards began opening the front door.

The night air immediately brushed against Aurora’s face as she stepped outside on weak legs. A long black car was already waiting in front of their house like a dark shadow ready to swallow her life whole.

Aurora glanced back one last time.

Her mother was still crying by the doorway.

Her father stood silently without daring to look at her.

And Aurora hated herself for still hoping someone would stop all of this.

But no one did.

The car door was opened for her.

Aurora slowly got inside while gripping the edge of her sweater tightly. Richard sat beside her a few seconds later.

Then the door closed.

Aurora realized that she was truly leaving her home.

The car began driving away from the small neighborhood in Boston. The streetlights blurred faintly behind the dark windows while the atmosphere inside the car felt suffocating.

Aurora kept twisting the edge of her clothes unconsciously.

Richard watched her for a few moments before finally speaking.

“You’re very tense. Am I really that scary?”

Aurora stared straight ahead. “What do you think?”

Her tone made one of the bodyguards in the front seat glance at her through the rearview mirror.

But Richard only smiled faintly. “I like women who dare to answer back.”

Aurora did not respond. She only hoped this journey would end quickly.

Several minutes passed in silence until Richard’s voice was heard again, softer this time. “Are you still a virgin?”

Aurora immediately turned toward him. “Why would you ask something like that?”

Richard’s expression remained relaxed as if he had just asked about the weather.

The question made Aurora’s face burn with both anger and embarrassment.

“Of course I’m not a bad girl, Uncle.”

Richard slightly raised an eyebrow. “Don’t call me uncle.”

Aurora frowned.

“I’m not that old,” Richard continued calmly while adjusting the cuff of his shirt. “Call me Richard.”

Aurora quickly turned her face toward the window.

That man truly made her uncomfortable.

“I’m not going to touch you tonight,” he said casually again. “So stop looking like a prisoner.”

Aurora softly bit her lower lip.

Richard glanced at the girl’s face for a few seconds before letting out a faint sigh. “Wipe your tears.”

Aurora stayed silent.

“You’re entering my house as someone I chose.” Richard’s voice was low and calm. “I don’t like women who look forced.”

Aurora immediately wiped her cheeks quickly.

“Good,” Richard murmured.

The journey to Manhattan felt far too long for Aurora. The farther the car moved, the bigger the fear growing inside her chest became. She did not even know what her life would look like starting tonight.

When the car finally entered the elite area of Manhattan, Aurora began seeing rows of luxurious houses and towering buildings she had only seen on television before.

Their car stopped in front of a massive black gate with the Calloway family crest in the center.

The gate slowly opened.

Aurora unconsciously held her breath.

The mansion looked more like a luxury hotel than a private home. The building was enormous with tall white walls and long windows reflecting golden light from inside, while the wide garden surrounding the mansion looked far too perfect to be touched.

“Get out.” Richard’s voice pulled Aurora from her thoughts.

A bodyguard immediately opened the car door.

Aurora stepped out slowly while staring at the mansion once more. The Manhattan night air felt cold against her skin.

Richard walked ahead first up the marble stairs without looking back. Aurora had no choice but to follow while trying to suppress her nervousness.

The moment the main door opened, warm light immediately welcomed them. The interior of the mansion was even more luxurious than the outside. A massive crystal chandelier hung from the high ceiling, and the floor gleamed like glass.

Aurora felt as if she had entered another world.

A maid immediately approached and bowed her head toward Richard. “Good evening, Sir.”

Richard removed his black coat and casually handed it over.

“Where’s Tantan?” Richard asked the maid.

Aurora slightly frowned when she heard that nickname.

“Young Master is in his room. He just came home around ten minutes ago, Mr. Richard.”

“Call him downstairs,” Richard ordered.

The maid quickly nodded before walking away.

Aurora stood awkwardly in the middle of the huge room while clutching her bag tightly.

Her heart had started beating strangely for no clear reason.

A few seconds later, the sound of footsteps came from upstairs.

And somehow those footsteps sounded familiar.

Aurora slowly lifted her head.

A tall man appeared at the end of the staircase wearing a black shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His dark hair was slightly messy as if he had just taken a shower, while his handsome face was still clearly visible.

At first, the man looked lazy and uninterested.

Until his eyes met Aurora’s.

His steps immediately stopped.

Aurora’s face instantly turned pale.

Her fingers gripped her bag so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

“No! Impossible!” Aurora muttered inwardly.

The man stared at Aurora without blinking, as if he could not believe what he was seeing.