Under the billionaire's Spell

"Run!" My heart pounded as I sprinted through the dimly lit street, my breath coming in ragged gasps. I didn't dare look back I could feel the stranger's eyes burning into me.

A few minutes ago, I was simply choosing a cake, excited to surprise James on our anniversary. Now, I was being chased.

But then nothing. Silence. When I finally turned around, the man was gone. The same sharp-eyed man who had grabbed my arm earlier.

I shook my head, pushing away the lingering unease. I had more important things to focus on James. Today was the day I would answer his proposal. After a year of hesitation, I was ready to say yes. I was ready to be his wife.

With the cake in hand, I drove to his apartment, my fingers unconsciously brushing over the engagement ring now snug on my finger.

As I stepped inside, the quiet air felt different. Too still. Then

"Oh, James... harder, baby."

I froze.

That voice.

It wasn't mine.

A sharp, painful lump formed in my throat as I followed the sound, each step heavier than the last. My heart screamed at me to stop, to turn back, but my mind forced me forward.

And then I saw it.

Lacy red panties on the couch. Not mine.

"Fuck, Emily!"

James' voice.

My blood turned to ice.

I reached the bedroom door just in time to hear the words that shattered me completely.

"Am I better than my step-sister? That boring and dumb Stephanie?"

It was her. My step-sister. Emily.

"Nothing happened between us. Even if I tried, Stephanie never gave me what I wanted. She always escaped, always had excuses."

I gripped the door handle, my fingers trembling.

"Baby, when are you breaking up with her? I don't want to share you with anyone, especially that boring sister of mine."

"Soon, baby. She'll marry me first, and then we win. It was your plan, remember? This is our only chance."

A sickening realization settled over me.

This was never love.

It was a scheme.

My stomach twisted as betrayal and rage boiled inside me.

They were kissing and touching each other, lost in each other so wildly and desperately. His hands were gripping her waist, her nails clawing down his back. Their mouths were locked, their bodies were moving in perfect rhythm.

A love I had never been given.

For a second, the world stopped. The only sound was the harsh, uneven breaths still spilling from their lips.

I kicked the door open .

The two of them froze, naked and tangled in each other. Their shock was almost comical.

James's eyes widened in horror, his hands fumbling to pull the sheets over them. Emily, on the other hand, just gasped before smirking slightly, as if she enjoyed this.

"Surprised?" I hissed, stepping inside, my gaze burning into James as he scrambled to cover himself.

"S-Stephanie, b-babe-"

"Don't babe me," I snapped, holding up my hand. The ring on my finger caught the light. His eyes widened in shock.

"You wore the ring," he whispered, a flicker of something relief? crossing his face.

I laughed. A bitter, hollow laugh.

"Yes, I am."

I didn't hesitate. I tore the ring off my finger and hurled it at James with all the force I could muster.

"And now I'm removing it. Because you don't deserve my love. You never did!" My voice cracked, but I refused to break not yet. My hands clenched at my sides as I forced myself to keep speaking. "You were never going to marry me out of love, were you? You planned a fake wedding. Why, James? What did you really want? My body? My virginity? Well, you won't have it cheat betrayer"

A cruel laugh echoed through the room.

"Your inheritance," Emily said, standing up while pulling the bedsheet over her naked body.

My stomach dropped. "What?"

She smirked, her eyes gleaming with twisted amusement. "Oh, my dear sister. Did you really think James loved you? No, sweetheart. He's with you because of what you'll inherit. And guess what? It was my idea. He loves me. That's why he followed my plan."

I stared at her in disbelief, my heart pounding so hard it hurt.

"Your body?" she scoffed. "Please. Do you really think he wanted you? I'm here, and my body is more than enough to satisfy him."

The words cut deeper than any blade ever could.

Tears blurred my vision as I turned to James, hoping praying that he would deny it. That he would tell me it wasn't true.

But instead, he averted his gaze and sighed. "Yes."

A sharp breath escaped me.

"I don't love you, Stephanie. I never did," he admitted, his voice void of emotion. "I'm sorry, but I love Emily."

The slap came before I could even think. Hard. Stinging. And then another. And another. My palm burned, but I didn't care.

"You are the worst man on this planet, James!" I screamed. "You don't deserve love! You don't deserve happiness!"

I turned to Emily, rage boiling in my veins. My hand lifted, ready to strike...

"Please don't hurt her!" James grabbed my wrist. "She's pregnant."

My entire world tilted.

Emily. Pregnant. With James' child.

A strangled sob clawed its way up my throat.

Not only had they betrayed me, but they had created life together.

I forced the tears back, swallowing my pain. I refused to let them see me break.

"I curse you both," I whispered, my voice laced with venom. Then, without another word, I turned on my heel and ran downstairs.

The moment I saw the cake I had bought for James our anniversary cake I grabbed it and flung it across the room. It crashed against the wall, the sweet scent of frosting mixing with the bitterness in my chest.

Then I left.

A Road to Nowhere

I drove aimlessly, my vision blurred with tears. My mind was numb, my body shaking. The pain in my chest was unbearable, pressing against my ribs like a suffocating weight.

At some point, I found myself near a ravine. I stepped out of the car, gasping for air, desperate for relief.

"God!" I screamed into the empty night. "Why is life so cruel? Why? Was I not enough? Did I deserve this pain?"

The echoes of my voice faded into silence. I sank onto a rock, sobbing, hugging myself as the weight of betrayal crushed me.

"No, you don't."

I jolted, startled by the deep, unfamiliar voice behind me.

I turned, my vision still blurry from tears. A tall figure stood there, his face obscured by shadows and the dimming light of dusk.

"You deserve to be happy," he continued, stepping closer. "You deserve someone who will look at you with love. Who will see only you."

A gentle hand brushed against my cheek, wiping away my tears.

"This angelic face doesn't deserve these tears," he murmured.

His warmth seeped into me, his presence strangely comforting.

I couldn't move. My mind was still trapped in the whirlwind of betrayal, yet his voice, his touch, sent a different kind of sensation through me.

James. Emily. Their lies. Their child. The pain.

And now, this stranger.

His lips pressed against mine, soft yet firm, and I melted.

I don't know why I didn't resist. Maybe it was the heartbreak. Maybe it was the need to feel something anything other than pain.

"Uhm..."

I wasn't sure whose moan it was, but it didn't matter.

The kiss deepened. His hands roamed my body, igniting something foreign inside me. My breath hitched as he lifted me effortlessly, carrying me toward my car.

Before I knew it, we were inside the car naked, kissing so wildly it felt like we were starving for each other. His hands gripped my waist, pulling me closer, claiming me in a way no one ever had before. I had never felt something like this so raw, so intense, so completely out of control.

His lips trailed down my neck, biting, teasing, making me gasp as heat flooded my body. My fingers tangled in his hair, holding him closer, needing more.

And now, this stranger.

His lips pressed against mine again, soft yet firm, and I melted.

"You are a desirable woman. God, I want you to be mine..." he groaned, his hands exploring every inch of me.

I blushed. "Please don't talk like that..."

"Can I own you now?"

I nodded. Words failed me. If I spoke, I might stop him. And I didn't want to stop.

"Just be gentle," I whispered, my voice trembling.

A soft chuckle. "My name is Lucas Robinson," he murmured. "Remember me, my queen..."

And as his lips trailed over my skin, the last thing I remembered before darkness claimed me was his name.

Lucas Robinson.

And I had just given myself to a stranger.

"Run, Jenny! Don't look back!"

The voice echoed in my head as I jolted awake, breathless and covered in sweat. My heart pounded against my ribs like a drum of war. Six years had passed, but the nightmares never left me,"

For the past six years, I have lived peacefully here in California far from my old life, away from the people who wanted me dead.

They thought eliminating me would make it easier to inherit my grandmother's fortune. But no matter how many times they tried, I survived.

Thank God for always protecting me.

And thank him-the man who saved me when I was left for dead, drowning in a river.

He gave me a second chance at life. He became my salvation. And now, he is my husband.

Looking back at my past, I can finally say I am happy. I have a reason to smile again. A reason to move forward.

But there are nights when the memories creep in.

The night I ran away.

After that one night with a stranger, I ran without looking back.

Fear consumed me. What if he's like James? What if he only wants my inheritance too?

Wealth-it was all anyone seemed to care about.

Yet, for some reason, when I was in that stranger's arms, I felt safe. I felt at peace.

But I couldn't trust him. No matter how much my heart whispered that I was safe with him, I refused to believe it.

I couldn't take the risk. I couldn't trust anyone-not after what had happened.

---

Six Years Ago

"Where are you?" Lina's nervous voice trembled over the phone.

"Somewhere. Why?"

"Please, come home! Grandma is in the emergency room!"

My heart stopped.

"W-what? What happened? Is she okay? What did the doctors say?"

"I don't know much. Monique just called me about Grandma."

"Okay, I'm heading there now!"

"Take care, Jenny."

I hung up and gripped the steering wheel. My chest felt tight, my hands trembling.

Grandma...

She was the only family I had left-besides Lina. I couldn't lose her.

I stepped on the gas, driving as fast as I could when-

BAM!

Something rammed into the back of my car.

I gasped, glancing at the rearview mirror. A black car.

Before I could react-

BAM!

They hit me again.

Panic surged through me. My heartbeat thundered in my ears.

Someone's trying to kill me.

I gripped the wheel tighter, trying to speed up, trying to escape.

"No, no, no!" I whispered, fear clawing at my throat.

I don't want to die. I don't want to die!

Another hard hit.

I lost control.

CRASH!

My car slammed into a tree.

Pain exploded in my head. My vision blurred. Blood dripped from my temple, pooling in my hands.

I tried to move. I tried to scream.

But my body refused to obey.

Then-

I heard voices.

"Is she dead?"

"Yes. She won't survive."

"Good. The Mistress will be pleased. We'll be paid a fortune for this."

A choked sob escaped my lips.

No. It can't end like this.

It was them. Someone from my own family.

They wanted me gone.

I will not die. I refuse to let them win.

Darkness swallowed me whole.

---

When I woke up, I was in a hospital bed.

A needle was attached to my hand, and the scent of antiseptic filled the air.

Beside me, Lina was crying.

"W-what happened?" I forced myself to sit up, but my body ached all over.

She quickly wiped her tears and helped me. "Your car crashed into a tree."

Then it hit me.

The attack. The voices. The betrayal.

"Someone brought you here. I don't know what I would've done if you-" Lina's voice broke.

"If I what?" I frowned. "Lina, what's wrong?"

She hesitated, tears pooling in her eyes.

Then she whispered the words that shattered me.

"Grandma... she's gone."

"N-no." My voice cracked. "You're lying. She-she can't be!"

"She is." Lina sobbed. "The doctors couldn't save her."

My breath hitched. My world tilted.

"How? What happened? The last time I saw her, she was still strong!"

Lina lowered her head.

"Tell me, Lina!" My anger boiled over. "How did she die? What was the reason?!"

Her hands trembled. "She... she fell down the stairs."

Silence.

I blinked. "What?"

"The nurse watching over her said she saw Grandma fall."

"Impossible!" My chest heaved. "She was in a wheelchair! How could she just fall?!"

Lina flinched.

"Unless... someone pushed her."

A cold chill ran down my spine.

"And where was the nurse when it happened? Why did she leave Grandma alone?"

Lina's face turned pale. She looked away.

"Tell me, Lina!"

Her lips quivered. "I... I ordered her to leave for a moment."

My hands clenched into fists. "With all the maids in the house, why Grandma's private nurse?"

"Because she knew about drugs."

I frowned. "Drugs? What do you mean?"

She bit her lip. "I needed them."

"For what?" My voice was dangerously low.

She didn't answer.

But I knew she was hiding something.

"Lina, what are you keeping from me?"

Tears streamed down her cheeks. "I'm sorry. If I hadn't sent the nurse away, Grandma wouldn't have fallen. She might still be alive."

My nails dug into my palms. "Stop saying that! Nothing you say will bring her back!"

"I'm sorry."

I exhaled sharply, rubbing my temples.

"I want to go home."

Lina hesitated. "We... we're not allowed in the mansion anymore."

I froze. "What?"

"We've been evicted."

My blood ran cold. "Since when?"

"Since the other day. After Grandma's funeral."

"What?!"

My heart pounded.

"How long was I unconscious?"

"Three days."

I swallowed hard.

"Three days ago, you called me about Grandma."

Lina nodded, her face contorted with pain.

"And in those three days... they cremated her. They threw us out."

She broke down into sobs.

"I begged them to let me see her one last time, Steph. But they didn't listen. They threw me out like trash."

Rage burned inside me.

"What right do they have?! That's my house! I have more rights than they do!"

Lina wiped her tears. "Steph... what are you going to do?"

I clenched my fists.

"I'm going home."

Lina's eyes widened. "But-"

"No buts." My jaw tightened. "They stole everything from us, Lina. It's time I take it back."