Chapter 1 · The Vengeful Seductress

I woke up in the middle of the night to find Eli Brooks standing by my bed again, his gun pressed against my throat.

I knew his paranoia was acting up again.

He stared down at me through the dark. Noticing I'd woken up, he leaned close to my ear and rasped, "Chloe, you seduced me. If you dare to betray me, I'll kill you."

I reached out and wrapped my arms around him, murmuring in reply, "How could I betray you? After all, I love you so much."

Of course, I wouldn't betray him. Betrayal would require loyalty, but I was only toying with him.

*****

Eli and I had been together for over half a year. We kept it a secret from everyone, including his fiancée.

As the Brooks family's heir, Eli was handsome and loaded, but he was always withdrawn and gloomy.

He lived in one of the old-money neighborhoods in Bronton and rarely showed up in public.

I was a girl from a common background, so I'd never have met Eli if it weren't for my friend, Bella Harrington.

Bella was Eli's fiancée. Their families had arranged an engagement ceremony to strengthen their standing through a marriage alliance.

The first time I met Eli was at his engagement party with Bella.

He stood next to Bella, his expression dark and sullen.

But he was so ridiculously handsome that I couldn't help sneaking a few more glances at him.

When Eli wasn't paying attention, Bella whispered to me, "Oh my god, Chloe, you have no clue how terrifying he can be."

I looked intrigued.

Bella's face went pale, and she lowered her voice. "Right before the engagement party started, I saw Eli punish a traitor personally.

"That traitor was dragged out of the basement, covered in blood."

I played along, nodding. "That's so horrible."

As I responded to Bella, I couldn't resist sneaking another glance at Eli.

Eli noticed my gaze and looked over, his eyes shadowed.

I offered him a shy smile and then quickly lowered my head.

I thought it was not scary at all.

I came from a common background, but the second I saw Eli, I knew this was my shot.

I was going to take him for myself. Besides, Bella didn't like him. I was saving her.

*****

That night, I stayed over at the castle where their engagement party was held.

My room was next to Bella's.

Once the ball was over and the castle fell silent, I knocked on Eli's bedroom door.

Eli stood in the doorway, staring at me in silence.

I glanced up at him, quickly looked down, and said uneasily, "Mr. Brooks, I'm sorry to bother you so late."

I could feel Eli's eyes locked on my face.

But he didn't close the door.

I whispered again, "I snuck over here without Bella knowing, but I only need your help."

Eli replied, "Raise your head." His voice was deep and captivating.

I did as he told me and lifted my head.

I knew that, in his eyes, I must look so pitiful and appealing now.

His gaze lingered on my slightly parted lips.

I put on a flustered look yet forced a steady tone. "My younger brother offended someone from the Brooks family, and they want to drown him in the sea. Mr. Brooks, I hope you can help me."

Eli smirked, his voice a bit icy. "Ms. Carter, why should I help you?"

I twisted my fingers, my eyes getting teary. "Bella said you're a decent man."

He laughed out loud and moved in on me. "You mean I'm a nice guy?"

His gaze swept over my face as he drawled, "If you want my help, what are you willing to pay for it?"

Late at night in the castle, I was a fragile girl clad in a white dress, begging him for help with teary eyes.

I was anxious and helpless, completely at his mercy.

It fit right in with Eli's dark, secret obsessions.

Of course, I wasn't about to be reckless. I'd been rehearsing for this moment for a long time beforehand.

I looked at him, putting on an innocent, nervous face, and whispered, "I'll do anything for you, Mr. Brooks."

Eli stepped closer, his voice laced with danger. "Including sleeping with me?"

My face instantly flushed, and I nervously took two steps back, looking wary. "No, you're Bella's fiancé. I'd never do that."

Eli's expression got a little complicated. It seemed he was starting to believe I wasn't up to anything shady by showing up at his bedroom door in the middle of the night.

He stepped back to a safe distance and leaned against the doorframe, gazing at me with a worn-out look before speaking in a lazy drawl, "Ms. Carter, knocking on a man's door so late at night is hardly ladylike."

Chapter 1

I woke up in the middle of the night to find Eli Brooks standing by my bed again, his gun pressed against my throat.

I knew his paranoia was acting up again.

He stared down at me through the dark. Noticing I'd woken up, he leaned close to my ear and rasped, "Chloe, you seduced me. If you dare to betray me, I'll kill you."

I reached out and wrapped my arms around him, murmuring in reply, "How could I betray you? After all, I love you so much."

Of course, I wouldn't betray him. Betrayal would require loyalty, but I was only toying with him.

*****

Eli and I had been together for over half a year. We kept it a secret from everyone, including his fiancée.

As the Brooks family's heir, Eli was handsome and loaded, but he was always withdrawn and gloomy.

He lived in one of the old-money neighborhoods in Bronton and rarely showed up in public.

I was a girl from a common background, so I'd never have met Eli if it weren't for my friend, Bella Harrington.

Bella was Eli's fiancée. Their families had arranged an engagement ceremony to strengthen their standing through a marriage alliance.

The first time I met Eli was at his engagement party with Bella.

He stood next to Bella, his expression dark and sullen.

But he was so ridiculously handsome that I couldn't help sneaking a few more glances at him.

When Eli wasn't paying attention, Bella whispered to me, "Oh my god, Chloe, you have no clue how terrifying he can be."

I looked intrigued.

Bella's face went pale, and she lowered her voice. "Right before the engagement party started, I saw Eli punish a traitor personally.

"That traitor was dragged out of the basement, covered in blood."

I played along, nodding. "That's so horrible."

As I responded to Bella, I couldn't resist sneaking another glance at Eli.

Eli noticed my gaze and looked over, his eyes shadowed.

I offered him a shy smile and then quickly lowered my head.

I thought it was not scary at all.

I came from a common background, but the second I saw Eli, I knew this was my shot.

I was going to take him for myself. Besides, Bella didn't like him. I was saving her.

*****

That night, I stayed over at the castle where their engagement party was held.

My room was next to Bella's.

Once the ball was over and the castle fell silent, I knocked on Eli's bedroom door.

Eli stood in the doorway, staring at me in silence.

I glanced up at him, quickly looked down, and said uneasily, "Mr. Brooks, I'm sorry to bother you so late."

I could feel Eli's eyes locked on my face.

But he didn't close the door.

I whispered again, "I snuck over here without Bella knowing, but I only need your help."

Eli replied, "Raise your head." His voice was deep and captivating.

I did as he told me and lifted my head.

I knew that, in his eyes, I must look so pitiful and appealing now.

His gaze lingered on my slightly parted lips.

I put on a flustered look yet forced a steady tone. "My younger brother offended someone from the Brooks family, and they want to drown him in the sea. Mr. Brooks, I hope you can help me."

Eli smirked, his voice a bit icy. "Ms. Carter, why should I help you?"

I twisted my fingers, my eyes getting teary. "Bella said you're a decent man."

He laughed out loud and moved in on me. "You mean I'm a nice guy?"

His gaze swept over my face as he drawled, "If you want my help, what are you willing to pay for it?"

Late at night in the castle, I was a fragile girl clad in a white dress, begging him for help with teary eyes.

I was anxious and helpless, completely at his mercy.

It fit right in with Eli's dark, secret obsessions.

Of course, I wasn't about to be reckless. I'd been rehearsing for this moment for a long time beforehand.

I looked at him, putting on an innocent, nervous face, and whispered, "I'll do anything for you, Mr. Brooks."

Eli stepped closer, his voice laced with danger. "Including sleeping with me?"

My face instantly flushed, and I nervously took two steps back, looking wary. "No, you're Bella's fiancé. I'd never do that."

Eli's expression got a little complicated. It seemed he was starting to believe I wasn't up to anything shady by showing up at his bedroom door in the middle of the night.