The Fiancé's Cruel Deception

that dark, damp room, he was my hero, shielding me

But the fairytale was a lie. The kidnapping was a sham he orche

Giuliana. They humiliated me with a degrading video, had me committed to a m

They thought they had broken me, that I would disappear quietly with

hey made me kill. Then, I burned my old life to the ground and bought a one-way ticket to

pte

Mitchel

itchell, a girl who used her reputation as a shield. Now, staring at the blurred faces of my captors

ried to focus, to identify something, anything, in the darkne

dragged forward by unseen hands. My bare feet scraped ag

nant water and something metallic. A cold dread

round hard. My head rang. The sack was ripped fro

er dripped from the ceiling, forming murky puddles on the conc

ighteous heir, looking as disheveled and terrified a

r that mirrored my own. We were trapped,

k, approached us. He held a rusty pip

nched, bracing for the im

ning th thud. He cried out, a guttural sound of pu

sound. He spoke, his voice distorted, "Th

weat beading on his forehead. He gritted

drip of water and Charlton' s ragged breaths. My earlier terror mixed w

ck, occasionally, to beat Charlton, to remind him of his family's d

d, pinning me to the floor.

rattling his chains. "Leave her alone!" he yelled,

protector. Very touching." He stru

g. But his eyes, even through the pain, found mine

humanity in the brutal darkness. He w

air, my arms and legs pinned down. Charlton watched

yes. My designer clothes, what was left of them, were rip

... other things. Things that twisted my s

iliating. I tried to fight, but their gr

c sound, struggling against his chai

joyed his rage, his helplessn

mera. They left me there, sobbing, my dignity shattered. C

ldn't feel wors

ing my limp body back to where Charlton was c

pirit broken. A sharp prick in my arm,

hed with concern, swam before my eyes. H

. I felt a presence, heavy and unwelc

ainst the violation. But my body w

mory like jagged glass. The metallic taste of fear, th

is face a mask of disgust. He wouldn't look at me. The silence i

over me. My body felt... wro

ks. Charlton, his voice barely a whisper, finally spoke.

didn't want his words. I

hing, then about everything. He told me about his family, about the pressures, the expectations. I told

arm, now crudely bandaged, was surprisingly strong when it wrapped

hood, trying to make me laugh. And sometimes, I di

en trust that formed in the darkest corners of that roo

a blinding shaft of sunlight. Masked men entere

bags. Clean cloth

kled, weak from disuse. Charlton cau

them grunted. "Your

ed from the sunlight. The relief was overwhelming,

rought a new

blaze of camera flashes. Reporters, shouting questions, swarmed

did Mr. Morri

what were t

are yo

felt Charlton' s hand on my back, guid

y blood ran cold. It was the video. The humi

ed by whispers, murmurs, and outright je

someone screame

, finally revealed fo

ght. He pulled me closer, his body a b

spinning. I could hear my father's disappointed vo

mous dart piercing my already fragile hear

Every pair of eyes felt like a condemnation

ing me with him. He faced the cameras, h

through the din, "is a victim. She was subjected to unspeakable

ng me. Not just privately, but pub

ing across the reporters. "I failed to protect her adequately during our

words. He was taking the blame, sa

, scoffed, "Making amends, Mr. M

ith a raw intensity I hadn't seen before

ne knee. Right there,

y throat. My mind ree

nating with an unexpected sincerity, "wil

s. My heart, so recently shattered, felt a strange, dizzying flutter

ring me everything, and I had nothi

eporters, his face a mixture of shock and calculating tri

nwavering, almost desperate. He needed

d a desperate plea for escape, for protection, f

he word barely a whisper, lo

nd that felt impossibly heavy. He stood, pulling me into a tight embrace,

cold knot of dread settled in my stomach. This wasn't a lov

too cheerful. "Yes, the Morris corporation and Lee Indus

were at my ear, a whisper that chilled me to the

hreat. My stomach churned. I had