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Home / Romance Short Story / Before Her Heart Was Taken / Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

All Chapters of Before Her Heart Was Taken: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

28 Chapters

Chapter 1

Tiffany Talwyn's soul hovered overhead.She watched them rip her heart out—still dripping—and stuff it into a cooler. Destination? Velmont City, Dalvona. For the same girl who'd sold her to traffickers in Nyamara.Outside the OR, Hector Coxon stood there, eyes all soft.Dave, his assistant, called. "Mr. Coxon, we've located Ms. Talwyn. Want me to send someone?"Hector didn't blink. "Don't bother. A girl like that deserves to die."The surgical light flipped green. A doctor strolled out. "Congrats, Mr. Coxon. Surgery went smooth. Ms. Pusey and the baby are doing great!"Hector started crying happy tears.Tiffany did too—except hers were blood tears.She'd loved him. For ten years.Now? She was gone. Cut open. Harvested. Dead. And somehow, it still freaking hurt.Then this booming voice tore through the sky. A blast of gold light wrapped around her, hot and blinding.She shut her eyes. 'Guess this is it. I'm really crossing over.'***Dark. So dark. Then—boom—light.Somethi

Chapter 2

Tiffany had lost count of the punishments—each one crueler than the last.Took her a minute to even remember what set it off this time.Rosalind Talwyn, her so-called foster mom, had called out of nowhere, whining for money. The same woman who ditched her ages ago to chase some random foreign guy. Now that he'd bailed, Rosalind came crawling back, full of drama, acting like the victim.Tiffany was still arguing on the phone when Charlotte Pusey strolled in and caught the tail end.Charlotte. Hector's long-lost first love.She'd moved to Zweizerland with her parents back in high school and popped back up earlier this year.The second she and Hector locked eyes, the sparks were back.Charlotte hated Tiffany. She always had it out for her, sneaking around and stirring crap up.Called her a curse. A nobody's kid. Said she was just like Rosalind—a gold-digging tramp who'd chase anything with a heartbeat.Tiffany snapped. Shoved her.Then just stood there, stunned, as Charlotte smi

Chapter 3

Later, Rosalind sank her claws into Hector's dad, Benjamin. After pushing Veronica—Hector's mom—out of the picture, she moved herself and twelve-year-old Tiffany into the Coxon Estate.And just like that, Tiffany got a new shadow.Hector, five years older, was fiery, and always treated her like his favorite chew toy.When he was in a good mood, he'd buy her candy or take her to the amusement park.When he wasn't—he'd shove her down the stairs, dunk her in the pool, or toss her outside in the dead of winter.Once Tiffany grew into her looks, Hector started treating his "sister" a little too nicely.And yeah—Tiffany caught feelings.But two years ago, in the middle of the night, he pinned her to the bed—whispering Charlotte's name.That's when it hit her.She'd never been anything more than a stand-in.***Tiffany jolted awake.White hospital ceiling. Blinding lights."You're awake."Her whole body froze.Charlotte was sitting right there beside the bed."What are you doi

Chapter 4

Tiffany went to a private college in Westvale—one the Coxons basically owned. Everyone knew Hector was her "brother."The advisor scanned her screen. "This program's in Zafaria. It's tough. You won't be back in Dalvona till it's over. You sure?"Tiffany nodded. "Training's in Southport next week, right? I'm good."The advisor paused. Tiffany wasn't just any student."You tell your brother? Your dad? This is kinda last minute. Maybe I should loop them in—""No need!" she cut in fast. "They already know. Super supportive. Said it'd be a great opportunity. All good.""Alright then, you're in."Tiffany finally exhaled.The Coxons ran everything—politics, business, the whole deal.Back when Benjamin was head-over-heels for Rosalind, there were talks of making Tiffany part of the family for real. But thanks to his messy ties with Veronica—and Hector losing his mind over it—the divorce never happened.Officially, Benjamin called her his foster kid.As for Rosalind? After she betray

Chapter 5

Charlotte suddenly jumped in. "Hector, don't scare her." Her voice wavered, just a little.Hector finally let go.He motioned her over and pulled her into his arms, way too gently. "Charlotte, are you happy now?"She glanced at Tiffany but didn't answer.Hector let out a cold laugh. "Tiffany, if Charlotte's upset, then I'm upset. And if I'm upset, you don't get to be happy either."He pointed toward the door. "You know what to do."Tiffany's heart dropped.It was January—freezing in Westvale. Night had already settled in.He wanted her gone. Dead, even.But after what happened in that basement, she couldn't face going back.She closed her eyes, slipped off her coat and shoes, and turned without a word.Barefoot, in just a thin sweater, she knelt on the icy grass outside the steps.Charlotte said, "Hector, this is too much. It's freezing. Tiffany's still a girl—she'll get frostbite like this.""She's used to it.""But—""Enough. Stop worrying about her. Let's do something

Chapter 6

"Hector, you—" Charlotte started.He turned and raised a hand to shut her up. She bit her lip, fuming, but stayed quiet.Tiffany couldn't even process their tension. All she felt was the light brush of his finger on her collarbone.A soft whimper slipped out as she leaned up, instinctively chasing his touch. Her skin burned for contact."Hector, please... just hold me. That's all."Like some desperate stray, she clung to him, shameless and shaking.Somewhere inside, she screamed at herself to stop. But her body didn't listen."You really want it that bad?" Hector smirked.His fingers drifted lower, undoing her buttons one by one. "No one's around. Strip down, and maybe I'll give you that hug you're begging for."Tiffany jolted, the haze snapping.Charlotte couldn't take it. "Hector!" she shouted.He didn't flinch. Just knelt there, staring down at Tiffany."I've never been the patient type," he said. "And looks like you're falling apart too."That sick bastard.He'd done

Chapter 7

Her phone rang, sharp and jarring.Hector."Where did you go? You're not at the hospital.""I—""Half an hour. Be home."Click.He hung up.Tiffany stared at her trembling hands.She didn't even say goodbye—just bolted.But the campus was fifty kilometers away, and with traffic, no chance she'd make it in time.An hour later, she stood in front of him, heart pounding."Hec—ah!"Hector yanked her by the arm and dragged her upstairs, shoving her hard onto the bedroom floor."What's this?" he barked, pointing at the packed suitcase in the closet. His eyes burned. "You're leaving me?"Tiffany scrambled back, panicked. "No, I'm not. I swear I'm not.""Still lying to me?" he roared.His breath reeked of alcohol."You're really gonna leave me? After everything I've done for you? When Rosalind ditched you for her lover and took off overseas—who dragged your half-dead body out of that car crash?"When they tried to dump you in some orphanage, who fought for you? I fed you. Clo

Chapter 8

Smack!Tiffany hit the floor hard.Hector's chest was rising fast. "Shut up! Just shut your filthy mouth! You're no better than that trashy mom of yours!"He yanked her up by the hair and dragged her out. "Tough girl, huh? Think you can leave me? Let's see what snaps first—your bones or the door to the basement."Cold chains locked around her ankles. Then—nothing. Just pitch-black silence.She crumpled, pounding the door with everything she had. "Let me out! You psycho! Freakin' rapist! I swear I'll kill you! I'll kill you! Ahhh!"Her mouth tasted like blood.No answer.She collapsed. When you hit rock bottom, even crying gives up on you.No clue how long she was stuck in there.All she remembered was the panic creeping back, claustrophobia choking her. She refused to beg. So she smashed her head into the floor. Blood sprayed.Passing out seemed like a win.Dying? Even better.She curled into a corner and kept slamming her head into the wall. Over and over."Tiffany! What

Chapter 9

Tiffany shot to her feet."Tiffany, my daughter! I finally found you!"A plump woman burst in, tears streaming.Behind her came a crowd—six or seven strangers, all crying, yelling her name, reaching for her."These are your birth parents, your two brothers, your aunt and uncle," Charlotte said sweetly. "Twenty years apart and now a tearful reunion. Oh, and they all know you're the Coxon heiress."Her laugh dripped poison.Tiffany stood frozen.Matilda, the woman who gave birth to her, clung on tight, breathing hard, shrieking in her ear."Tiffany, we were wrong to leave you. But we had our reasons. Please forgive us—we're your real parents!""Get off me! Back off! Don't touch me! Don't you dare!" Tiffany's voice cracked. "I'm not your daughter! I don't know any of you!"Her whole body shook.She screamed, tried to shove them off, but they had her surrounded."You're living it up as an heiress while we're broke in the sticks! Your uncle's factory crashed—he's drowning in deb

Chapter 10

Bang! Bang! Bang!Hector kept swinging, rain hammering down as his cane slammed into her legs.Thuds. Screams. They echoed off the mansion walls.Her blue jeans turned crimson, blood spreading fast.Rain rinsed her torn skin, made it pale—then the bleeding started all over again.By the time it stopped, she couldn't scream anymore. Her legs were dead weight.Even with the rain, her body still jerked from the pain.Esteban and the bodyguards? They couldn't even watch.Hector dropped the cane. "Lock her in the basement. No sunlight till Charlotte walks again."Tiffany didn't panic.She never even woke up.First came the cold sweats. Then fever. Then seizures.Eventually, she couldn't feel her legs at all.Time blurred. The basement was just shadows and pain.The door creaked open sometimes—probably Esteban with meds.She couldn't tell. Had no clue how long she'd been down there.Just pain. Then blackout.Again and again—until someone hauled her into a car.Tiffany's eye

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