Waking up crushed under a man, I nearly screamed—until I saw who it was. Adrian. My cold, obsessive husband. The man I spent a lifetime escaping from. In my past life, I trusted the wrong people. Betrayed the only man who ever protected me and died alone. One life ruined me. This one? I’ll ruin everyone who tries again. Now, the game is mine and I write the rules. I'll act sweet. Stay mysterious. And pit every snake against each other. And as for my dangerously obsessed husband? I will tame—wait... WAIT! I was just being a little gentle, why is this tyrant acting like a delicate princess? 'Hey, hey, stop clinging to me! What? You want cuddles? Head pats? You—You are not a cat, Adrian!' … “He’s deathly allergic to strawberries? But he devoured one from my hand like it’s a miracle elixir.” “He has sleeping disorders? But he hugged me and passed out like a lazy cat!” “He’s sulking… because I didn’t hold his hand?” When he saw me hugging my female best friend? He lost his mind. Yanked me into his arms and growled, “Mine,” like a deranged villain in love. I finally understood: no one else ever stood a chance. I was his only obsession.
View MoreDarkness was all that Ella could see.
And pain was all she felt.
It had been 2 months 4 days and who-knows-how-many hours that she was locked in this dark cell where sunlight never seemed to reach.
It was difficult to even distinguish day from night.
The high-pitched squeaking of the mice constantly reminded her of the company she had inside the cell.
They felt tiny to touch but they were quite the vicious ones. When they dug their large teeth in her brutally injured skin, a chunk of flesh would tumble out.
It was painful at first. It still was. But to some extent, she had grown numb to it.
Whoever locked her in the cell had left her in the company of these mice and a dagger, stating that she should kill herself when things got too painful.
She picked up the knife and slashed it across her thigh where one can feel multiple cuts.
2 months and 5 days.
She would not die here in this place.
Even if the whole world turned its back against her, there was one person who would not let her die.
The sound of footsteps made her thoughts snap.
''She hasn't died yet?" A familiar voice sounded.
This voice was different from the person who had handed her the knife when she came here.
''What is she thinking? She would rather torment herself than take her life?!'' The woman spoke in part disbelief and part amusement, ''Never knew my elder sister had such perseverance.''
Ella's body turned cold. The wounds on her skin suddenly tingled and burnt like someone rubbed salt across them, ''Esther...?" her voice croaked.
''It's me, sister...'' The woman giggled as if she could see her shock despite the darkness, ''Ah, tell me, why are you not dead yet?"
Tears welled up in Ella's eyes. Betrayal stabbed her heart like poisonous thorns.
Inhaling a sharp breath, she muttered 4 words with all her strength, ''He will save me.''
These words sounded strange on her own tongue.
''You are counting on Mr. King? Haven't you always shunned and hated him? That husband of yours was indeed obsessed with you at one point but that is the nature of all men. What they can't get, they must have. They like the chase. However, after a while, the game of chase dulls out.''
Ella also found it laughable. The man she had been running away from, for all her life, was the one she longed for on the verge of death.
But it was probably the realization that the world could turn its back on her but Adrian never would.
He was crazy but she was his only craze. He had proved it to her for a decade now.
''Let me tell you this, sister. Your man is getting married to me in two days. So, you can die in peace here while I please him on our wedding night later.''
Silence descended on the place for a moment.
Then, the sound of a maniacal laughter occupied the dark space.
''You... what are you laughing at?!"
Ella gasped for breath. Because of her constant screaming under torture, she had damaged her vocal cords so when she spoke, her voice was grating to one's ears, ''How desperate are you for Adrian, Esther? In two days, it will be his grandfather's death anniversary. He will marry you on that day? In your dreams!"
''You... Even in this condition, you still want to humiliate me. Die, Ella!"
'Bang' 'Bang' 'Bang'
Following the sound of three consecutive gunshots, Ella dropped in the darkness.
A peaceful smile was etched on her face.
No more pain. Finally.
Still, her heart was filled with regrets.
Must I die like this?
If... If there is a next life, I must avenge myself and I must live well.
But, is there even a next life?
...
Ella gasped and her eyes flew open.
The familiar scent of cedar and wine filled her lungs. But her mind was too muddled to understand anything.
She felt the force of a body and the roughness of someone's breath against her skin.
As realization slammed into her, her heart turned to ice. No. No!
Didn't Esther kill her? Did she leave her alive to humiliate her further like this?
She must be dreaming. She has to be.
'Ah!' The invasive pain told her it was not a dream.
With every ounce of her strength, she prepared to throw him off her.
But the moment she moved, she spotted a familiar profile through her hazy gaze and suddenly, her body stilled.
Even though he had his face buried in her neck there was no way she couldn't recognize him.
The man on top of her was no stranger. He was her husband, the person she never thought she would see again.
Everything in her consciousness told her she was dead. Then, what.. And why was he on top of her?
Her vision was blurry. A strange mix of pain and pleasure dominated her body as the initial pain came to pass.
In a daze, she reached out towards him, ''It couldn't…be…'' Her broken mind must be playing tricks on her.
A rough hand clamped over her mouth, "Shh. Don't ever forget who you belong to.''
Those words dipped her in ice, turning her cold from head to toe even as her body burned from within.
The man who had buried his face in her neck lifted it and she looked into a pair of bloodthirsty eyes.
Ella was consumed in such sensations throughout her body that she could barely think straight.
"Why… why must you keep me?" she mumbled incoherently.
"Because I promised."
His voice was a cold cage, isolating her from the world.
A wild thought formed in her head and her head felt dizzy.
If she hadn't understood before, she did now.
Had she truly returned to the past?
The hug was so tight she could barely breathe.He held her as if—She would vanish if he loosened his hold.After what felt like forever, Adrian eased his hold but never let her go.In the darkness, his obsidian eyes sparkled with a hint of something dark yet hopeful.You should not even think of leaving me again, Elle.You are not running away.I will trust you.In the distance, from a balcony, a phone was pointed towards the couple.Ji Yan was holding the phone in his hand.Beside him, Old Madam finally moved away when the couple hugged. She looked at Ronan who was on a video call and then at Ji Yan who was showing the scene to him.’’Both of you, when were you planning to tell me about this?"Ji Yan guiltily lowered his head."Old Madam, the thing between Ace and Ella is far too complicated,’’ Ronan did not filter his words.Old Madam sighed, resting her cane lightly on the marble floor. "What you told me about Little Ian’s health—" she hesitated, "—is it related to his emotions to
Ella held her breath."Let them spread.’’ He said, sounding like an aloof deity detached from the affairs of the mortal world.Rumors? Let them spread.Only Adrian could say something so bold with such a straight face.The moment he said that, another hushed yet not so hushed remark fell in Ella’s ears as a maid spoke.’’You all asked me to lose some weight before marriage, right? See, a real man will love and cherish his woman the way the second master does with Miss Yu. Hmph! I am never listening to you all again...’’Some more of these excited whispers fell into Ella’s ears and her face heated up.She did not know if Adrian heard the last one or not because his calm exterior did not betray anything."Why did you pick me up?" Ella asked with a cough.’’Because you wanted me to.’’"_" Second Master, pray tell when this happened...Slightly stunned, Ella laughed, ’’I just said that I don’t want to walk..."’’That means you want me to carry you.’’Ella: "_"She could not really do anyt
And as they talked, the golden table was slowly filled with various dishes.Ella tried to keep her focus away from it but the fragrance of freshly cooked food wafted over to her nose and she snuck a few glances.Spicy Crayfish. Grilled Cold Noodles. Garlic Prawns. Egg Cookie Rolls..."The cook has especially prepared this for you, Ella. Don’t be shy. Try them.’’Ella smiled, ’’But Grandma, I am trying to lose weight,’’ she spoke softly.Before Old Madam could say a word, Adrian’s voice sounded in the silent living room, ’’You have gotten very thin. Eat more.’’He served a little of everything onto one plate, then slid a second dish closer, stacking it high with crayfish.He passed the first plate to Ella without a word, keeping the second one for himself.He passed the first plate to Ella and moved the crayfish plate closer to him.Old Madam was concerned, ’’But Little Ian, with your tolerance, you cannot eat spicy food...’’’’It’s not for me.’’Then under the shocked gazes of everyon
The headlines poured in, one after another, like smoke before a fire. Ella’s gaze stayed fixed but something dangerous shifted beneath the surface.’One of the top 3 entertainment companies is acquired by a mysterious person.’’The Great Star Company will be known as Mo Entertainment!’’The Official establishment of Mo Entertainment’’The new CEO stays in the shadows and the staff members work behind the scenes.’The headlines continued and Ella let her eyes trail off.Mo Entertainment... the same company that turned Esther from an ambitious newcomer into a household nameThat is where Esther shot to fame, coming to be known as one of the top actresses in the country.And others might be clueless of who acquired this company, but Ella was not.Regarding her and Ruby’s kidnapping, Ella had not joined the dots at first because there were some missing pieces in the puzzle.She also could not put a finger on any information about the ’Black Wolf Gang’ because in her previous life, she did
It was at this moment that Ella finally finished chewing the food in her mouth and spoke up, ’’Grandma, I think age is just a number when it comes to these things.’’Ella smiled faintly, but her eyes flickered.In her previous life, she genuinely believed that age and looks did not matter all that much if two people loved each other for their souls. Bodies were, after all, perishable.Moreover, if they really were to consider age, then her soul that lived past 30s was definitely older than that of Adrian who was currently 29.Old Madam looked at Ella with a hint of surprise in her eyes.Adrian’s gaze also locked onto Ella, something unreadable dancing in his obsidian eyes, like light trapped in the depths of a still lake."Do you really think so?" Old Madam could not help but want to confirm it.’’Of course,’’ Ella paused for a moment and then she continued speaking, ’’If two people get along well, treat each other with respect, have trust for each other, and respect each other’s boun
In the butler’s view, Ella was not conventionally beautiful. She didn’t have a palm sized, an ideal body or perfect features. But she had a refreshing kind of charm.Moreover, the way she held their second master’s arm and clung to it was completely different from how the demure socialites would act, reserved and poised in their actions.Ella smiled brightly at him.The butler’s expression morphed into a professional smile, so flawless that one would never guess he’d just mentally dissected her head to toe. ’’This must be Miss Yu?"This level of professionalism was truly expected from someone working here in the main mansion of the Kings. Ella thought.In her previous life, she had pushed this old butler away when he looked at her for more than one second and accused him of disrespecting her.Blame it on Esther’s endless ’pep’ talks. Two full days of, "Don’t take shit from anyone!" had turned Ella into a walking landmine that was easily triggered at any time.So Ella acted on things r
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