Betrayal games & the seduction contract

There she was-Ella Patrick.

The girl life never smiled upon. Born into struggle, raised in hardship, and burdened with the weight of endless misfortune. From the moment she took her first breath alongside her younger sister, Emilia, the world seemed determined to break her.

Their mother, a single parent, worked tirelessly under sun and rain just to keep food on the table. They had little, but somehow managed-until the day Emilia collapsed. The diagnosis came like a thunderclap: kidney failure. The kind that required a transplant, not just treatment. From that moment, their lives spiraled.

Ella watched her mother beg and borrow, laboring twice as hard to raise the money. But fate, cruel and merciless, had other plans. One rainy afternoon, as she crossed the street with a bag of donated pills, her mother was struck by a trailer and died instantly.

That was when Ella's story truly began.

She dropped out of school the next day. Education didn't matter anymore-not when her sister's life hung in the balance. She worked odd jobs, cleaned gutters, washed dishes in back-alley eateries, sold scraps. Still, it was never enough.

Desperate, she turned to loan sharks and took a massive loan with promises she couldn't keep. The transplant succeeded. Emilia survived. For a moment, there was peace. A fragile kind of hope. But the debts didn't vanish-they grew fangs. Interest piled up. Threats became visits. Every corner she turned, someone was after her.

No degree. No future. Just a sick sister and a mountain of unpaid promises.

One bleak evening, wandering the streets in a daze, Ella collided with a man.

"Watch it," he snapped, towering over her.

She looked up-tall, broad-shouldered, face carved from stone. Tattoos peeked from beneath his collar. His eyes were dark, unreadable. Dangerous.

"I'm sorry," she muttered, taking a step back.

But he didn't move.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Ella."

"You look like someone with a lot of problems."

She flinched, but didn't deny it.

"I have an offer," he said. "Work for me, and you'll never suffer again."

Her heart pounded. "What kind of work?"

He leaned in closer, voice like gravel. "Be my honey trap."

"Honey... what?" The term sounded foreign. Silly, even.

He smirked. "Don't worry. You'll learn."

And she did.

Months passed. Missions blurred together. She seduced, tricked, stole, blackmailed. She became what he'd promised: a weapon, smooth and silent. Ella, the girl who once scraped plates for tips, was now a polished manipulator in silk gloves.

But now, it was time. Oscar-her cold, ruthless handler-called her in for one final job.

"I've got a client for you," he said, sliding an envelope across the table. "This is your last mission. Do it well, and the entire payment is yours. You'll be free, Ella."

"Free?" she echoed.

"Debt-free. Trouble-free. Life-free." He grinned. "Whatever he offers, take it."

She took the address and left, heart tight with anticipation. One more game. Just one.

The café smelled of stale coffee and cheap cologne. Ella sat alone, arms folded, the wine glass in her hand barely touched. Then he arrived-Victor Hawthorne.

He didn't belong here. His suit was sharp, his shoes gleamed, and his presence radiated power. His every move screamed control. He sat across from her, expression unreadable.

"You're Ella, right?"

She took a slow sip, then met his gaze. "Depends. Who's asking?"

"I know everything about you," he said smoothly. "Your work, your history. You're the best. That's why I chose you."

She said nothing.

"You do this for me," Victor continued, "and you'll be set for life. No more dodging debt collectors or sleeping with one eye open."

She arched a brow. "And what exactly do you need?"

"My nephew, Carter Hawthorne. He's inherited control of our family company. Young, idealistic, naïve. He's steering it toward ruin. I need you to... correct that course."

Her pulse quickened.

"Get close to him," Victor said. "Earn his trust. Access his files. Retrieve the documents I need to regain control."

Ella tilted her head. "So... seduction?"

He smirked. "Call it what you like. Carter's a hopeless romantic. He'll fall for you without question."

Her stomach turned. "And what happens to him after you take over?"

"That's not your concern," Victor replied without hesitation. "He'll survive. He always does."

Ella stared at the table, where the ripples in her drink mirrored the storm inside her.

"What's in it for me?"

"Twenty million. Ten up front, ten on delivery. And I'll make sure your past stays buried."

Her breath caught.

Twenty million.

Enough to pay off every loan shark, give Emilia the best care money could buy, and maybe-just maybe-start a real life.

But the price...

She thought of Carter, a name she didn't yet know beyond a file. A man who'd done nothing to her, but would soon lose everything because of her touch. Still, Ella knew this was never about him.

It was about her.Her survival. Her future.

After a long pause, she nodded. "I'll do it."

Victor stood, straightened his jacket, and gave her a thin smile. "Good. I'll be in touch."

As he left, Ella stayed behind, staring at the dark pool in her glass. Her reflection wavered, shadowed by the choice she had made. A choice that would change everything-for her, for Carter, for whatever scrap of humanity still clung to her soul.

"Just this one," she whispered to herself. "Just one more, and then I'm done."

But deep down, she knew the truth.

Nothing in her life had ever been that simple.