Lahat ng Kabanata ng TRAPPED WITH THE STRANGER WHO TAUGHT ME HOW TO SIN: Kabanata 21 - Kabanata 30

~SCARLETT. My pulse quickened as I pressed against the wall, barely breathing. Shadows flickered beyond the archway. Slow footsteps echoed, each one louder than the last, tightening the knot of dread in my chest. Clenching my fists, I willed myself to stay silent. The silhouette of the short man appeared at the entrance, his gaze scanning the corridor like a predator stalking his prey. My heart pounded so violently I was sure he could hear it. Pausing, his head tilted as if sensing something—me. "Mark?" A familiar voice called softly from behind him. He didn't answer right away. "I'm sure it's nothing," the voice insisted. "Probably just couples playing around." "At this hour?" "You know how it is," she replied smoothly. "They get creative at night." The air felt smothering. Please walk away. Finally, he sighed. "Fine." Relief engulfed me as his footsteps faded. I stayed frozen, waiting for any sign of movement. Cautiously peeking around the corner, my

~SCARLETT. The zipper wouldn't budge. Frustrated, I twisted my arms behind me, fingertips fumbling to grasp the tiny metal piece. It didn't help. The dress clung stubbornly to my body, trapping me in an infuriating battle I had been losing for the past five minutes. A groan left my lips. "Are you serious?" I had completely forgotten the damn dress had a zipper when I put it on. Naomi, the sales associate, had helped me earlier, and now, here I was—struggling like an idiot. Sighing, I shifted my stance, deciding to try a different approach. If the zipper wouldn't come down, maybe I could lift the dress over my head instead. Bad idea. The silky fabric gathered around my arms, trapping them awkwardly above my head. My breath came out in sharp puffs as I wriggled, but the dress refused to cooperate. My fingers curled into fists. This was ridiculous. With one last desperate tug, I nearly lost my balance and stumbled against the fitting room wall. A def

~SCARLETT. Sunday evening, I stood in front of the floor-length mirror in the walk-in closet, barely recognizing the woman staring back at me. The emerald-green gown hugged my figure like it had been made just for me, shimmering under the soft lights. Silver heels peeked out from beneath the fabric, completing the look. My makeup, done by a professional Liam had insisted on hiring, was flawless: smoky eyes, soft nude lips. But what truly transformed me was my hair. The braided updo framed my face with an elegance I never imagined carrying. Swallowing hard, I smoothed my hands down the dress. It didn't feel real. Any of it. Liam had orchestrated everything. 'You deserve to be taken care of,' he'd said when I protested, leaving no room for argument. And despite the chaos of the past few days, despite Jake's sudden reappearance at the boutique, my time with Liam had been… effortless. Somehow, he had a way of making me forget the past, of

~SCARLETT. *~FLASHBACK~* AT THE CAFE. I stared at the black card on the table, until I noticed the gold-embossed initials: LCR. My fingers brushed over them, but the true impact of the card sank in when I spotted the subtle engraving of two intertwined keys below. A strange sensation curled in my stomach, making me swallow hard. "What is this?" My voice was barely above a whisper. Lily tilted her head slightly, watching me with those sharp silver-gray eyes. "Pick it up." Something in her tone unsettled me, but I obeyed. "That," she leaned forward, "is your ticket." Frowning, I turned the card over, searching for meaning. "Ticket to what?" A smirk played at her lips, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "You remember what I told you about the hidden world in Le Casa Rosa?" I nodded slowly, tightening my grip on the card. “The gathering you saw last night?" She tapped a manicured finger against the table. "That was the i

~SCARLETT. "What do you mean you left?" Lily's fork, speared with a piece of bacon, froze midair. Her brows shot up in disbelief as she stared at me. Sighing, I stabbed my pancake with unnecessary force. "Exactly that. I left." We sat at one of the resort's outdoor restaurants, the ocean stretching endlessly before us. The salty breeze tangled with the scent of fresh coffee, but none of it soothed the restless heat still simmering beneath my skin. I replayed the night over and over: the way my body betrayed me, craving more. It had been too much, so I ran. Her lips twitched before she erupted into laughter, her head tilting back as she let out a loud cackle, drawing curious glances from the nearby tables. Scowling, I stuffed a piece of pancake into my mouth. "It's not funny," I grumbled, my words muffled around the food. "No, no… it's fucking hilarious," She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. "Scarlett, you sat there watching a