Chapter 1 Chapter 1

Cecilia Jensen was a classic example of one who went from rags to riches. Originally a bar girl in a club, she became a daughter of the wealthy Jensen family overnight. Then, she was engaged to Henry Gibson, the heir of the Gibson family. News of her encounter was the talk of Jacksonburg for several days. However, only Cecilia knew she wasn't actually one of the Jensens. It was all part of Henry's setup so he would have the right to inherit the Gibson family. Meanwhile, she was only one of his many lovers whom he lavishly spent a fortune on. She was merely known as his so-called fiancée and was the most favored. Currently, she was in front of her wardrobe, choosing an outfit. Later that night, Henry would be taking her along to meet a big shot. It had to be someone related to the housing project in the Northern District. Most of the time, Cecilia was like an accessory to Henry. The party was held in a private manor. As she followed him around, she acted demurely. Frequently, the other guests would inquire when their wedding would be held. Henry gave them a vague answer that was both smart and socially acceptable. After all the standing, Cecilia felt slightly tired. She bent to massage her ankle. Henry looked down. "You can have a seat over there if you're tired. The key person for the day isn't here yet. I'll come get you when he's here.""Sure." Cecilia was actually quite curious to know who could be that important that Henry would regard him so highly. She wasn't used to wearing high heels. Now that she had his word, she was glad to stop keeping up her act. Limping, she entered their private lounge. After taking off her high heels, she checked her heels, which were abraded. She frowned. Sighing heavily, she leaned back and closed her eyes to rest. When she heard the sound of the door opening, she remained motionless. The lounge was reserved for her and Henry, and only the bracelets they wore could open it. Her eyes were closed, and her lips were slightly curved. She wore a white dress. Her legs were long and slender, bent slightly as she leaned on the sofa. With her glossy hair cascading over her shoulders, she was captivating. Hands covered her eyes, and she smiled. "Henry, stop it." Her coquettish voice could make anyone weak at the knees. Someone bent forward and kissed her forehead. Cecilia rose slightly and naturally wrapped her arms around his neck, allowing him to keep her eyes covered. Bennett Spencer slowly planted kisses on her eyes, nose, cheeks, ears, and lastly her lips. He gently caressed her lips and traced them with his fingers. Cecilia shuddered all over and let out a soft hum. Chuckling, he leaned in for a kiss. Just then, Cecilia opened her eyes. As her eyelids brushed against his palm, he fiercely bit her lips. "Layla, I'm back." Layla? That was her name when she worked as a bar girl at Bryndale. Why would anyone call her that here? That voice sounded familiar. "Layla…" Again, she heard the familiar voice, and her eyes widened. Bennett gently nibbled her earlobe and removed his hands. Almost immediately, he grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head. "Y-You…" Scared, Cecilia was at a loss for words. She had a feeling that he would kill her. "What's wrong? Did you assume I was dead?" His words pierced through her like daggers, tearing her heart apart. She felt her body stiffen as her breathing became shallow. Bennett restricted her leg movements by kneeling on them. As he felt beneath her dress, he asked, "Layla, where's that thing? How did you take it off?" Cecilia shuddered. She knew what he was referring to. It was a chastity belt he'd custom-made for her. Three years ago, he loved making her wear that belt when she was with him. He hated it when others touched his belongings, and that included women he considered his. "How dare you!" With his finger on her chin, Bennett forcefully tilted her head up.

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

Cecilia bit her lip and averted her gaze. She feigned calmness as she replied, "It's been three years. If I hadn't figured a way to remove it, I'd be suffering greatly by now." Bennett scoffed. An evil smile hung on his lips as he pressed his leg against her. Cecilia couldn't help but moan. "Then you became someone else's lover? Layla, you know how much I hate it when others touch my belongings." His deep voice was fueled with rage. He held her chin in an iron grasp. The viciousness in his eyes was so terrifying that Cecilia froze. Getting up, he pulled out a chastity belt from nowhere. Cecilia gulped as she stared at it, trying her best to cower away from him. That belt seemed to be of higher quality than the one she had three years ago. She thought she was losing it. If Bennett had his way, she wouldn't be able to hide their relationship. With the belt hanging off his index finger, he slowly moved closer to her. "This is my gift to you. It's a new style; I specifically ordered it for you. Do you like it? It has a fingerprint sensor lock.""Go away!" Cecilia seized her opportunity and quickly slipped through the opening under his arm. Seeing that, Bennett only had to draw his arm in to trap her in his embrace. She wriggled about, trying to break free. Tears instantly welled up in her pretty eyes. Red marks had formed on her wrists. Cecilia was terrified. She finally managed to secure a peace that lasted for three years. If Henry spotted those weird marks, she was afraid that her peaceful life would come to an end. "Layla, you've been disobedient." Bennett laughed menacingly. He gently pinched her waist, and she couldn't stop herself from moaning. He knew her body too well. Her body would react to his every move. "You seem to have been living a good life after leaving me." Looking down, Bennett chuckled. The next moment, his gaze became sharp as he clutched her throat. "That's not what I want to see. What do you think I should do?" His deep voice reverberated throughout the moderate-sized lounge. It was like an arrow threatening to pierce through her. Chills ran down her spine. Suppressing the urge to tremble, Cecilia hissed through clenched jaws, "Let me go." When he wasn't aware, she took the chance to bite the most tender part of his wrist. Soon, she tasted blood. Bennett groaned. With the hand she bit, he held her wrists together. He then grasped her face with his other hand so that she would loosen her bite. She was sensitive to pain and yielded almost immediately. Blood smeared her pinkish lips, and her hair was messy. She looked as tempting as a rose adorned with dewdrops. Bennett suddenly became excited. Holding her up, he removed his necktie and tied her to the wrought iron sofa. Then, he leaned forward and took her phone from her handbag. Putting it in front of her face, he unlocked it. "Bennett, I'm no longer yours! Let me go!" Cecilia shouted fearfully. Her heart pounded against her chest. Standing before her, he spoke in a brooding tone. "Layla, you will only ever belong to me." At the same time, her phone emitted a dial tone that stopped only when Henry spoke. It was only then Cecilia understood what Bennett, that lunatic, was up to. "Hello?" Bennett put her phone to her ear. Her voice quivering, she answered, "Henry.""Ceci, what's wrong?" Henry quickly asked. He seemed to have sensed something was off through her voice.

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

Cecilia replied, "I-I'm fine. I fell asleep—" Before she could finish, Bennett kissed her. She tried to refrain from letting any sounds escape her lips. As Henry's voice came through the phone, she felt an odd and unpleasant sensation radiating throughout her body. "You should sleep for a bit more. I'll come and get you later." Cecilia instinctively wanted to reply, but Bennett took the chance to deepen the kiss. As their breaths intertwined, she felt a sense of humiliation like never before. She hated herself for succumbing when he teased her and for reacting to his touch. As though toying with her, Bennett stopped. Now that she had the chance, Cecilia acknowledged Henry's suggestion. She was about to say something else when Bennett kissed her again. Suddenly, she felt a chill on the lower part of her body. Her eyes widened, and she struggled violently. Bennett's eyes reddened. "Ceci?" On the other end of the receiver, Henry frowned. He intuitively felt that something was off. "Are you—" Bennett freed one of his hands and ended the call. Staring at him, who was on top of her, Cecilia seized the opportunity to bite his earlobe. That was his weak spot. As expected, he held his earlobe, trembling all over as he glared at her with his bloodshot eyes. "Does he know you're also known as 'Layla'?" Bennett grasped her with such tremendous force, as though he wanted to crush her bones. "Bennett, it's all over between us. It all ended three years ago!" Cecilia growled through clenched jaws. She was holding back her fear. Her eyes were large and pretty. When she cried, they would tear up and look pitiful. Bennett could never resist when she gave him that pitiful yet defiant look. He held her dainty face in his palm and wiped her tears off her face. "Layla, you're too naive." Anger tinged his profound eyes. "Do you think I'll let you off the hook after what happened back then?""Cecilia?" Henry's voice came from outside the door. Cecilia shuddered. Bennett turned to look at the door. Ruthlessness crept into his gaze. Cecilia was flustered. She was afraid Henry would walk in. She also feared that Bennett would open the door on purpose. The lounge wasn't big enough; there was nowhere she could hide. If Henry saw her with Bennett in this state, that would be the end of her. "What's wrong, Henry?" she asked, pretending to have just woken up. However, her gaze was fixated on the door handle. Bennett calmly straightened up and sat beside her. Studying the panic on her face, he smiled playfully. "What is it? Are you scared that he'd catch you in the act?" Cecilia glared at him. She was panicking. A robotic female voice rang out, "Verification failed." Cecilia instantly felt relieved. Smiling, Bennett kissed her as he reached for the belt. Immediately, Cecilia felt a sudden chill as he put on what she deemed as a source of humiliation. "Bennett Spencer!" Gritting her teeth, she shoved him. She stared at her underwear, which he had taken off. There was a cold, tight feeling in her private parts. It felt partly familiar to her. She was done for. "Ceci?" Henry called out again. Bennett strode over to the door and placed a hand on the handle. Shocked, Cecilia wasn't even able to make herself presentable as she ran over and stood before him and the door. They were less than an inch apart. She could feel his warm breath on her cheeks, and it was becoming shallower by the second. She frowned. He looked down at her. In a deep, alluring voice, he asked, "Layla, it seems you enjoy it when it's thrilling, huh?" He gently ran his fingers through her hair and played with a strand of hair. His gaze was dazed and burned with slight desire. Instantly understanding what he meant, Cecilia pressed her hands against his chest. However, the heat he radiated surprised her.

Chapter 4 Chapter 4

"Henry, the door's stuck. Go on ahead. I'll come after touching up my makeup." Henry was about to say something when he heard someone call him. He couldn't ignore that. So, he said, "Okay. I'll be waiting.""Alright," Cecilia immediately replied. Her tense body relaxed instantly. With his arms folded across his chest, Bennett studied her. When she spoke to Henry, her tone was demure and innocent. Pretentious, even, just like a naive bunny. "Layla, is that an act you put up before Henry? Are you pretending to be innocent?" As he spoke, he untied her. "Bennett, take that thing out of my body!""No way. Without me, you won't be able to remove it this time." Cecilia tried to take it off. However, the belt fit her body well. It was impossible to remove it. They glared at each other, and the tension in the room rose. Cecilia knew Bennett always meant what he said. This time, he was surely going to gain the upper hand over her. She couldn't imagine the consequences if Henry discovered the belt. "Bennett Spencer, you're truly a pervert!" Her words didn't bother him one bit. Bennett watched on with interest as she picked up her underwear and went to the restroom to spruce herself up. He followed her and leaned against the door. Smiling, he raised an eyebrow as he watched her touch up her makeup through her reflection in the mirror. When she left the lounge, he didn't attempt to stop her. Cecilia walked on for some distance before looking back at the lounge, feeling uneasy. The odd sensation in her private area caused her discomfort when she walked. She looked at the lounge again. The door was shut. Was Bennett here to exact revenge on her? Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind, and she anxiously pulled out her phone. A call came in before she could do anything. "Layla, Bennett is back." It was Yvonne Shaw. They both worked under Bennett back then. When he was in trouble, they fled Bryndale to Jacksonburg. If he could locate Cecilia, he would definitely find Yvonne too. "I know," Cecilia answered in a lowered tone. "Be careful. If anything happens, run.""Alright." Cecilia ended the call. She felt extremely uncomfortable. It wasn't easy for most to escape Bennett unharmed. Back then, everyone knew she and Yvonne betrayed him. Now that he was back, he would never let them off the hook that easily. As her mind wandered, she stood rooted to the spot. "Cecilia." There was a sudden weight on her shoulders, and it made her jump. Turning around, she saw Henry, clad in a white suit, standing behind her. He put his arm around her shoulders. However, he could clearly feel her shudder. Looking down, he noticed her lips were scraped. He frowned. "What happened to your lips?" He didn't sound stern, yet he didn't ask that out of concern either; he was questioning her. Cecilia clenched her fists, cursing Bennett under her breath. That lunatic. "I rolled off the couch in my sleep and banged against the edge of the table. There was so much blood." Pursing her lips, she grumbled coquettishly. Her soft body squirmed in his embrace. Henry chuckled and teased her. She covered the marks on her wrists with setting powder, but they were still pretty obvious. However, Henry's attention was elsewhere, so he naturally missed it. He left the manor with his arm still around her. Cecilia realized it only after a while. Looking up, she asked, "Are we leaving? Where did the bigshot go?" Henry nodded. "He said he had something else to attend to, so he wouldn't be coming.""I wonder who it is. How arrogant." She was truly curious to know who could make Henry wait that patiently for him. "Have you heard of the Sullivan family?" She nodded.

Chapter 5 Chapter 5

Henry led Cecilia to the passenger seat and went to the driver's side. Cecilia knew about the Sullivan family. Being the wealthiest family in Jacksonburg, the Sullivans were influential in politics and business and operated freely across all areas, illegal or not. However, they had only one daughter, who eloped decades ago and was never heard of since. Therefore, they had been educating descendants of the other branches of the family to be the heir. After all these years, they must have nurtured dozens. The competition must be tough. "I heard they found their estranged grandson. Now, the entire city is seeking an opportunity to meet him. The Lewis family organized the party tonight, but he stood us all up." Henry scoffed and stepped on the accelerator. "Their grandson?""Yeah. They say he used to be active in Bryndale and went with the surname Spencer." He braked and stopped just on the line for the traffic light to turn green. Cecilia leaned forward due to the momentum. Her hair fell loose from the force as her mind became jumbled. Dazed, she stared at the hems of her dress. Anxiety crept into her when she remembered the item she wore underneath. If Henry found out, she wouldn't live to see another day. Back then, he only noticed her because she schemed to make it happen. He'd always thought she was an innocent woman who mistakenly fell into the traps of sensual desires to save her severely ill younger brother. "I'm staying the night at your place," Henry said casually. However, Cecilia's hair stood on end at that. If he wanted to be intimate, her secret would definitely be exposed. She couldn't imagine what might happen to her when he found out she was wearing that thing. Her face changed. She was coming up with an excuse to decline him when his phone rang. He told her he had some family matters and had to head back home. Therefore, he dropped her off on the way. Used to it, she got out of the car. However, she missed the drastic change in his expression when he answered the call. She watched his car speed off as she stood at the intersection, waiting for the light to turn green. She fell into a trance. Several people were standing before her, chatting away. Suddenly, someone exclaimed, "Oh my god, Yvonne Shaw died!""What?" Two other young women walked toward the one who said that. "Are you talking about the celebrity, Yvonne?""She jumped off a building?" The light had turned green, and they walked off. Yvonne? Cecilia snapped back to her senses and searched for her phone in her bag. She was trembling so much she almost dropped her phone. Yvonne was just on the phone with her just now, yet now she was dead? Yvonne even had plastic surgery to escape those people from Bryndale. Was that how influential Bennett was in Jacksonburg, so much so that he could kill someone so speedily? When she turned on her phone, Yvonne's death was all over the internet. Everyone had something to say about it. Some said she died due to her sponsor demanding unrestrained intimacy with her. Some said she committed suicide. Some even found photos of her before she was carried into the ambulance. Blood soaked her shirt thoroughly. Cecilia continued scrolling, but suddenly the webpage stopped loading. When she reloaded it, she could no longer see any news about Yvonne's death. Nothing even came up when she searched Yvonne's name. Yvonne died just when Bennett returned. There was no way that it was a coincidence. If that were true, wouldn't Cecilia be the next in line? She froze on the spot. Horns blared at her. The driver yelled at her through the open window. It was then she realized she had crossed the road when the light was still red. Emotionally shaken, she apologized and continued walking. "Are you crazy?" the driver yelled after her as he drove off. Cecilia reached the other side of the road, trembling all over. She was terrified that Bennett would kill her. After all, it was impossible to clear her name after what happened to Bennett back then. Suddenly, a black car screeched to a stop before her. Several men came out. They covered her mouth, knocking her out, and pulled her into the backseat. Within a few seconds, they disappeared into the night. Nearby, a black car was flashing its headlights.

Chapter 6 Chapter 6

Upon regaining consciousness, Cecilia realized she was in a dark private room. The interior decor of the room was unique. It was different from the style people from Jacksonburg preferred. She thought the decor style was more to the taste of Samuel Lance's lackeys from Bryndale. Wine bottles were scattered on the table. A few of them still had some wine in them. The wine glimmered slightly. Feeling uneasy, Cecilia budged slightly. Suddenly, the lights turned on. However, it wasn't very bright. A woman with sunshades on was sitting on the bench near her. Behind her were several muscular men. When she waved, one of them stepped forward and grabbed Cecilia by the face. He then grabbed a bottle of wine and forced her to drink it. As the pungent taste of alcohol filled her senses, her face contorted. Her eyes reddened, while her insides felt like they were on fire. "Who are you?" she asked. The woman remained silent. She merely rose to her feet and signaled to the men, who surrounded Cecilia. In a blur, Cecilia caught a whiff of a familiar scent. What was it? She tried her best to remember, but she was slipping off into unconsciousness. "You can have her." Those words sent chills running down Cecilia's spine. She stared at the men in fear as drowsiness overcame her and hallucinations filled her line of sight. She bit hard on her lips until she slowly regained consciousness. "I'm Henry Gibson's lover. He won't let you get away with this when he finds out!" she screamed. Panic engulfed her as she watched them close in on her. She could see her flustered self reflected in their eyes. Suddenly, there was a loud thud as the door flew open. The commotion sent dust flying everywhere as a man entered, giving off a menacing air. Trying her best to move, Cecilia fell to the ground as her chair toppled. She stared at the black leather shoes as they came nearer. … Cecilia had a dream. There were many people in that dream. She had a throwback to three years ago when she was thrown into the sea. She floated with the current, and her life was on the line. In the confusion, she clearly heard someone calling her name. "Layla." That was the name Bennett gave her. He said the nights he spent with her were nothing short of beautiful dreams. In her dream, she sobbed as she reached out in a panic. Screaming, she woke up with a start. Bennett was sitting by her bedside. His expression was cold. Cecilia wiped her eyes frantically. She was unnerved. "W-Why are you here…""Why? Did you think it was Henry?" Bennett scoffed. "If I hadn't come to your rescue, do you know what would've happened to you?" Memories of the events that happened before she lost her consciousness resurfaced. As stubborn as she was, she knew she had to thank him. "Thank you." There was a knock on the door. Someone entered holding an item. "The medicine is ready." Cecilia frowned and instinctively cowered under the blanket. Bennett noticed her actions and smiled slightly. He took the syringe from the newcomer. Cecilia's eyes widened, and her hair stood on end. She stared at him warily. He snapped open the ampoule and drew the liquid in it into the syringe. With a calm expression, he held the syringe up. As though oblivious to the shock and fear on her face, he instructed, "Come here." Cecilia shook her head violently and backed away from him. "No, no! Please let me go, Bennett!" Bennett attempted to grab her. Screaming, she slapped his hand away and resisted him with all her might. "Come, or I'll force it on you." Bennett didn't have much patience. When he said that, his gaze was stern.