2

EVIE

My head throbbed as if a hundred soldiers were marching around it, and a low groan escaped my lips as I turned to the left. The movement made the world tilt, and before I could stop myself —

Thud!

A sharp pain shot through my body as I hit the floor. I groaned again, this time from the ache. The door opened, and slow, deliberate footsteps echoed across the room.

“How clumsy can you get,” a deep voice murmured.

His presence came closer, marked by the suffocating scent of his cologne; rich, dark, and powerful. I tried to open my eyes to see who he was, but the lights were too bright, and my head pulsed in agony.

“Shut the blinds,” the man ordered. The sound of footsteps obeyed him, and the room dimmed.

“Leave,” he said again, and the door closed softly behind whoever had entered.

Finally, my eyes felt comfortable enough to open. The first thing I saw was his jaw, covered with a beard. His eyes were on me, and his expression was unreadable.

Who is this man?

I struggled to free myself from his grip as the memories of the previous night flooded my head. They came as violently as the other flashes, and I didn’t know when I let out a scream. My body began to shake violently, and I soon broke out in sweats.

“It hurts,” I mumbled. “It hurts, make it stop.” My eyes got teary, and I didn’t hold back.

“What’s going on?” the man asked, concern lacing his voice. “What do you need?”

“Meds… bag…” I managed to speak.

“Where’s her bag?!” he yelled across the hall, and soon it was brought in. He ransacked it and found the small container. He handed it to me, and even before he could ask for water, I swallowed three tablets, feeling my body slowly calm.

About ten minutes later, I exhaled deeply.

The man still stood there, staring at me. Once I was calm, I started to take notice of the surroundings. It was a pretty large room compared to the one I was given at the Fulhams’. The walls were white, as was the ceiling.

And the man that stood beside me was clad in a black singlet and black suit pants. His belt was undone, and for some reason, my gaze lingered a little longer on that spot before I blinked and moved them to his upper body.

He had muscles that appeared harder than a brick wall, and his face—my gosh, that face could cause any woman to melt.

Well, except me. It couldn’t cause me to melt. I actually hated him already, because he was dumb enough to believe that I am Kate’s and Derrick’s daughter without investigating.

“Why do you look like you want to stab me?” he asked, chuckling. His voice sounded like a sweet melody and, at the same time, a warning of doom.

I hardened my gaze. “Because maybe I want to.”

“Feisty,” he nodded. “Your parents owe me five million dollars.”

“They’re not my parents,” I fired back. “You can’t be dumb enough to believe their lie.”

He tilted his head, bending over the bed and caging me with both arms. “Did you just call me dumb? I saved your life, just now, from whatever the fuck you were going through.”

I mellowed a little, whether from his closeness or from the fact that he really did save my life. “It’s not like I’d have died anyway. And even if I did, what’s the use of living?”

He stared at me intently, and my heart skipped several beats, causing me to scowl. His gaze didn’t leave mine; he didn’t even blink. It was low-key scary. We stayed in that same position for about two minutes before he moved away, turning his back to me.

“Why do you want to die? Is your life that miserable? Or are you just trying to avoid paying your debt?” His voice was melancholic as he spoke, almost as if he was sad about something.

I groaned. “How many times do I have to tell you, I am not the one you’re searching for? I’m not a Fulham. Kate is my aunt, and Derek is her husband. I’m Kate’s niece, not her daughter.”

“You’re still denying?” he continued. “Why? You don’t want to serve here? I can make your punishment lighter if you’ll agree to warm my bed every night.”

A sudden anger enveloped me, and I sprang up from the bed, standing behind him. “I dare you to say that again.”

Chuckling, he turned to me. “You can warm my bed—isn’t that what your kind is born for?”

Without thinking, I slapped him hard across the face. His head turned to the side, and although my palm hurt, I felt satisfied. “Don’t you ever utter such shameless and degrading words to me ever again. I’ve told you before, and I’m saying it again—I. Am. Not. A. Fulham.”

He turned back to me, and his entire demeanor changed drastically. It was almost as if the room temperature had dropped too. Who is this man? Is he some sort of superhuman or something? But I refused to show him how much his gaze intimidated me.

Not until he grabbed my chin and pulled me closer, placing one arm around my lower back to support whatever he was trying to do. His gaze was oppressive, as was his aura, and my heart began to race in anticipation of whatever was to come.

“Henry,” he growled at me.

I scowled.

But the door opened, revealing the same man from last night. “Sir?” he answered.

“She says she’s not their daughter. Did you make a mistake?” the man asked. “You do know that your head could go in for it, right? Not just your head, but that of your family.”

“Mr. Bla—”

He continued without letting Henry speak. “I wonder how your little daughter will cope when she has no one to cater for her again and has to live on the streets — all because her foolish father made a silly mistake.”

My heart stopped. That little girl didn’t deserve whatever kind of life this man was threatening to offer her. And her father had only made an honest mistake, being deceived by Kate and Derek.

This man… he’s a monster. But I cannot allow that innocent child to go through what I’ve gone through with Kate and Derek.

“He didn’t make a mistake,” I whispered.

The man’s angry face turned into a smirk that sent shivers down my spine.

“So you slapped me and lied to me just to worm your way out of a debt you legally owe me?” he asked. “Do you know that if I call the cops, you can spend as many years as I want in prison with just a little donation to the governor?”

“You’re a monster,” I whispered, tears welling up in my eyes.

He laughed. “No, honey, I’m just a man who wants his money back — in cash or in kind. Now, for your first punishment, you’re going to tour the entire manor on your knees. Henry will guide you. And don’t think about escaping. I have cameras everywhere. If you dare, you’ll get whipped and starved. When you’re done with that, we can start off again, on a new slate.”

With that, he released my jaw and turned to Henry, who bowed at him as he left.

The tears I had held, flowed down my face freely.