"Sir, please release me..."

Andrea Houston pleaded as she leaned against the man's chest, her hands weakly trying to push him away.

The luxury car was parked on a dark mountain road, and Andrea's cries could be heard faintly.

Her behavior seemed flirtatious, but it was clear that she had lost control due to the effects of the drug.

The burly man leaned in and spoke in a husky, yet menacing voice, "You got yourself into this mess."

Rip!

The sound of fabric tearing added to the already tense atmosphere in the car.

The man's forceful kiss landed on Andrea's neck, and as his hands roamed her body, his lust intensified.

She felt utterly helpless, tears streaming down her face as she thought of her fiance, John Quinn.

The pain that consumed her was excruciating, and when she let out a piercing scream, the man showed no mercy, continuing to thrust into her relentlessly. Eventually, darkness took over, and she lost consciousness.

When she woke up, she hastily grabbed her clothes and left the car.

Even though she had managed to escape from her kidnappers the night before, she couldn't shake the feeling of disgust and regret from the unwanted sex with a stranger.

She didn't dare to stay or look back at the man in the car. All she could think about was making it back home to John's warm embrace and her family.

The previous night, Andrea's stepsister, Gracie Houston, had been kidnapped alongside her.

As the older sister, Andrea felt it was her duty to protect Gracie. She urged Gracie to flee and seek help at the opportune moment, but as the night passed, Gracie didn't return.

Andrea couldn't help but fear the worst. Could it be that something bad had happened?

Feeling anxious, Andrea desperately wanted to return home to verify if something had indeed happened to Gracie.

However, she found herself in a remote location with no money.

A month later, Andrea finally returned to Jamesham City, on the brink of death after suffering a lot along the way.

As she approached her house, she saw John and Gracie in the living room.

Her eyes welled up with tears at the sight of them, relieved that Gracie was unharmed.

But as she was about to enter, she saw Gracie sitting on John's lap, looking intimate with him.

Andrea was taken aback at first, then stepped back and hid somewhere.

"My sister hasn't returned yet, John. I'm so worried about her," Gracie said with a worried expression, but a smile on her lips.

She clung to John's neck affectionately, which left Andrea feeling conflicted and hurt.

"My poor sister. Maybe she'll never know that we were the ones who hired those kidnappers."

John held her close to him. "She's no longer of any use to us. It's better if we get rid of her. The company will be mine, and you'll be the chief designer," he said in a harsh tone.

He stroked her body while she let out a groan. "John, please, stop. You might hurt the baby."

"I have some work to do at the company. I'll show you more love when I come back tonight," John said, giving Gracie a kiss on the lips.

Gracie nodded and said goodbye.

Andrea, who was eavesdropping from the other side of the door, was shocked at what she had just heard.

This was all a plot?!

Valentine Houston, her stepmother, praised Gracie, "You're amazing, Gracie. You've won John's heart."

"Of course," Gracie replied, feeling proud.

But then, she became worried and said, "But what if the kidnappers haven't found her body yet? I'm anxious..."

Valentine immediately suggested, "I told you we should have fed her to the wild animals in the mountains. We could have avoided all of this."

"That's too cruel," Andrea's father, Samuel Houston, objected.

Gracie continued, "Dad, are you afraid that she'll come back as a vengeful spirit and haunt us? That's ridiculous! In my opinion, we should find her body soon and sell her organs for money. We've taken care of her for so long, she should be grateful."

Andrea collapsed to the ground, shaking uncontrollably. Her face was blank, and her eyes were vacant.

She never thought that her own family would plot to profit off her death. She had hoped that they would worry about her safety and well-being, but their true intentions were far from that.

Valentine spoke again, "It's such a pity. She never knew the truth about her mother's death until the day she died."

"Enough. She's dead," Samuel's voice was cold and merciless. "Our priority is to cover our tracks and leave no loose ends."

Andrea bit her lip, tasting the metallic tang of blood. She wanted to burst in and confront them, but she knew that it would only lead to her defeat. She had to stay calm and think rationally.

As they spoke, Andrea realized that there was more to her mother's death than what she had been told. There was something mysterious about her own background, and she needed to uncover the truth.

She couldn't die like this.

She had to live.

Andrea suppressed her rage and ran away.

Despite her weakened state and lack of money, she paid no heed to it. As she sensed herself losing consciousness, she managed to signal a car that was passing by.

Inside the vehicle, she blacked out.

Upon regaining consciousness, she found herself in the hospital.

The doctor picked up a clipboard and walked over to her. "Miss, your injury is very serious. You need to rest."

"In addition, according to your blood test report, you are pregnant."

Pregnant?

Andrea's face turned deathly pale. The baby's father must be the man from the night a month ago!

Judging from her reaction, the doctor realized that she wasn't expecting the baby. "Are you going to give up it? I'll make an appointment for you then..."

"Leave her alone!" Suddenly, a group of people dashed into the A&E.

The man leading the group was in a suit. He drove the doctors out of the room.

He was very polite to Andrea. "Miss Houston, you are carrying a baby, aren't you? You have to keep it."

"Who are you?" Andrea asked uneasily.

At that moment, a clear and magnetic man's voice came from outside the door. "The baby's father."

Andrea looked in the direction of the voice and saw a masked man walking in.

The man commanded a strong presence and was accompanied by a group of imposing bodyguards and servants.

As she recollected that fateful night, Andrea's anger boiled within her. She glared at the man and demanded, "Are you the one who forced yourself on me? Why should I listen to you? What's your name?"

The man's assistant quickly interjected, "He's Mr. S., and he's not a bad person. It was all a setup."

Mr. S. raised his hand, signaling for his assistant to stop speaking. He strode towards Andrea, his commanding presence causing her to retreat slightly.

"Let's talk alone," Mr. S. proposed, his voice commanding her attention.

As soon as the door shut, Andrea felt a sense of unease wash over her. She gazed at Mr. S.'s half-covered silver mask, unable to discern his true identity.

Despite the mask, she could tell he was handsome, with a prominent nose and chiseled jawline.

"If I made you uncomfortable that night, I apologize. But that's all," Mr. S. stated bluntly, before striding towards Andrea with a sneer.

"I won't ask why you were in my car, but my mother discovered your pregnancy. Now, you must do as I say," he demanded.

"That night, I wasn't..." Andrea attempted to defend herself, but Mr. S. cut her off.

"My mother only has a year and a half left to live, and her dying wish is to see her grandchild. I'm willing to marry you. Once you give birth to the child, I'll make it worth your while," Mr. S. proposed.

Initially taken aback, Andrea soon smiled and countered, "Why should I do as you say?"

"Do you think you have any other choice?" Mr. S. retorted and turned on the TV.

Some news was being broadcast on TV.

"The Houston family's oldest daughter, Andrea Houston, was tragically killed by her lover in the mountains after being unfaithful to her fiance. The entire family, as well as her fiance, are devastated and frantically searching for her body."

Andrea was taken aback, feeling a surge of anger and resentment.

Her lover?

During the 30 days she was gone, she had hoped her family would search for her during her time of need.

Eventually, her family began to look for her, but only to confirm her death and tarnish her reputation.

They did all of this to take away her company, her everything, and let Gracie live a carefree life.

Andrea's heart brimmed with fury, but she knew she had to compose herself quickly.

Mr. S. continued, "The Houston family is frantically searching for your body, and they've already arranged your funeral. Your sister is set to inherit everything you have. Don't you want to seek revenge?"

Mr. S.'s words struck a nerve with Andrea. She was furious at the thought of her family conspiring against her.

Of course, she wanted revenge. Those people had even prepared her will. This had been a conspiracy from the very beginning.

"You are dead in everyone's eyes. I am the only one who can protect you. Sign it!"

Mr. S. gave her an agreement, which stipulated that they couldn't interfere in each other's lives, deceive one another, or develop romantic feelings.

Andrea was at the end of her rope and indeed had no other choice.

He married her to make his mother happy, but what about the child?

As she picked up the pen, she placed her hand on her belly, feeling the weight of the responsibility that lay ahead.

She and the child's father were practically strangers, and she wondered if they could raise the child together.

Mr. S. glanced at Andrea and seemed to have seen through her hesitation. He said, "Keep the baby and I will be responsible. I won't abandon it."

Andrea looked at the enigmatic man before her, her heart softening at his words. With a nod, she signed the document.

......

An hour later, Andrea followed Mr. S. to a luxurious villa nestled in the mountains.

"These are Madam Reeves and Madam Howell. They will take care of you," Mr. S.'s assistant informed her.

Once she was alone in her room, Andrea finally let her guard down. As she gazed around the opulent surroundings, she let out a deep sigh, reflecting on the whirlwind of events that had led her here.

Despite everything, she was determined to keep going and not let her circumstances defeat her.

After washing up, she settled into bed for some much-needed rest.

As she slept, a sound at the door jolted her awake.

Someone came in.

Andrea was instantly alert. She looked up and saw the masked man standing at the door.

Mr. S. glanced at her and walked through the door.

Before the door opened, a woman's emotional voice came from outside the door, "You brat. If you come out tonight, I won't let you go!"

Then, the door was locked.

"Who is that?" Andrea pointed at the door and asked.

Mr. S. walked towards her. "Your mother-in-law. "

Her mother-in-law?

She turned around and did not continue to talk. After all, it was a matter between mother and son, and she didn't want to get involved in their family drama.

Andrea pulled the blanket over her head. To her surprise, Mr. S. sat down by the bed. "Make some noise."

Andrea had no idea what was going on.

Seeing her confused expression, he pressed her down on the bed.

Andrea screamed instinctively, "Ah!"

"Good. Keep going," Mr. S. said, a smirk forming on his lips.

Andrea was about to say something when an old lady's voice came from outside the door. "Be gentle. Don't hurt my grandchild."

Andrea understood that they were putting on an act.

The distance between them was too close, so she nervously grabbed a corner of the quilt.

Naturally, Mr. S. didn't miss her emotional outburst. The corners of his lips curled into a wicked grin. The next moment, he lifted the blanket and pulled it over the two of them.

In an instant, the distance between them had shortened again.

"What the f*ck!"

"Shh, don't shout. My mother is still outside."

Andrea pushed Mr. S. away, feeling a bit uncomfortable as she tried to maintain some distance between them. She couldn't help but notice how his muscles rippled beneath his shirt, making her feel a bit uneasy yet excited at the same time.

She had to admit, he had a body that could rival that of a Greek god. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to let loose and give in to temptation...

Her face grew hot as she realized where her thoughts were headed.

Mr. S. seemed to notice her embarrassment and his smile widened, making her feel even more flustered.

As he looked down, his eyes caught sight of her slightly unfastened pajamas, revealing a glimpse of her fair skin.

His mind wandered back to that night, and a thirst grew within him that he couldn't ignore.

Just then, there was a noise at the door.

Mr. S.' face was so close to Andrea's that she could feel his breath on her skin.

His hands roamed over her body, causing her to let out a moan.

As he positioned himself on either side of her, he began to do push-ups, but to Andrea, it felt like he was making love with her.

His body was tense and muscular, emitting a powerful pheromone that made Andrea wet. She yelped out a few times, unable to control her reactions to his touch.

Little did she know, her cries and pleas for mercy only made Mr. S. more tempted to take advantage of her delicate nature.

He couldn't help but think back to that night and how much he enjoyed dominating her.

As Andrea prayed for the old lady to leave, Mr. S. continued to work his body, each movement causing her to feel more and more aroused.

Suddenly, Mr. S.' weight pressed down on Andrea, and he no longer propped himself up.

She felt nervous and asked him if his mother had left yet.

But instead of answering, Mr. S.' lips brushed against her earlobe, sending shivers down her spine.

"Why don't we sleep together tonight?" he whispered.

Andrea's mind was in turmoil.

Was he serious? They were just putting on a show, right?

But the way he was looking at her, it seemed like he meant every word.

Was this really going to happen?