~Harriet~

"I choose to go back," my voice rang out, and then everything went black.

...

A month ago, life was peaceful. I had been the unknown daughter of the Anderson family. My sister's wedding was just a week away. I thought life was going rather peacefully. At least not until I was drugged and raped, countless pictures of my nakedness circulating the Internet. How could Mr Anderson tolerate such a promiscuous daughter?

He threw me out, announcing that he had nothing to do with me. The very moment I thought he would stand up for me, believe me when I said that I was drugged, he pushed me away and embraced his mistress and her daughter.

I was kidnapped, oblivious to was about to happen to me. But when they took me to the black market, I knew immediately what was going to happen. The way their eyes scanned my body, the way their lips curled when I trashed around–it was disgusting. Yet there was nothing I could do, or at least I thought so. They had drugged me.

“Don't worry, baby. You'll feel really good.” One of them muttered, his stinky face leaning in on my bloodied face. Did I forget to mention that they had slapped me over and over to make me behave?

I couldn't do anything about it. And so they took turns on me. Over and over again, they used my body until I felt my eyelids close. I wished to never wake up again.

I thought it was over. Until cold–chilling water hit my body, waking me up from my temporary escape. Had someone come to rescue me?

Opening my swollen eyes was a difficult task, yet I still managed to do it. But this time, I wasn't in the black market. I was somewhere else. It was night time. Completely dark, until a torch lit up. And then my eyes caught the figure. The figure that gave me hope. Her eyes shine with so much concern and my eyes watered with delight. Finally, someone who cared about me.

Kylie, my sister rushed over, crouching down.

“Oh my goodness, thank God I found you, you were missing for so long and father didn't seem to care. But how could I just sit and wait?” She muttered, more like a statement, and more like a question, but the only thing I caught clearly was the fact that my own father hadn't even bothered to find me. I still managed to smile.

“I'm glad you're here, sister,” I almost choked on my own saliva as I lifted my bound hands, hoping she would untie it.

Something flashed in her eyes that I couldn't see, but her next words had my body electrocuted.

“I'm not here to save you, though,” she muttered, staring at her perfectly manicured nails. And then I saw the look I had never seen her wear before–bone chilling coldness…

“You…”

“In fact, I'd come to make sure you don't appear in front of me again. Looks like the men from the black market hadn't done a good job, after all. I clearly stated that they get rid of you,” She added, her lips curling up, and I felt my world shatter.

“You–you were responsible?” I asked, unable to believe what I was hearing. A chilling giggle escaped her lips.

“Of course, sister. No one hates you as much as I do. I thought ruining your reputation would make father change his mind about handing the company shares to you. And I suppose it did work. But how can I become the heiress with you still around?” She asked, tilting her head as her face played a disgusting look. I was dumbfounded. For years I'd been thinking I had someone who cared for me. A sister. But who knew she always has this thought.

I shivered, my eyes stinging.

She didn't give me enough time, pulling out a dagger that glinted in the dark. I felt the metal pierce my chest, hitting my heart directly, yet the look in her eyes rendered me unable to resist. She looked thrilled.

My vision blurred, the sight of Kylie’s triumphant, smiling face shrinking to a pinprick of light before fading into absolute blackness.

The silence was the first thing I noticed. Then, the absence of pain. The crushing weight of betrayal, the ache of my violated body, the sting of the slap, the searing wound in my chest—it was all gone. I was floating in a soft, grey mist, formless and weightless.

A light bloomed in the distance, gentle and warm, not harsh like the torch Kylie had held. It drew closer, and a figure emerged from the mist. It was a woman, her features ageless and serene, yet her eyes held the depth of millennia.

“Harriet Anderson,” she said, her voice not a sound but a resonance that vibrated through my very essence.

“Your thread was cut too soon,” she stated.

Memories, not as painful wounds but as objective scenes, played out before us– my father’s cold dismissal, the disgusting faces of the men from the black market, Kylie’s bone-chilling confession, the glint of the dagger.

“They… she…” I tried to form the words, but in this place, they were unnecessary.

“I know,” the woman said before extending a hand, not to touch me, but to gesture at the void around us.

“The path ahead is yours to choose, Harriet. You may move on. This peace you feel now can be eternal. The pain is over. Or…”

The mist before us swirled, forming a hazy image of the world I’d left—the Anderson mansion, my father, Kylie marrying Rael Morgan , a smile on her face that made my non-existent blood run cold.

“Or, you can go back.”

~Harriet~

I'd been an 18 year old academic intern at the Morgans’ co-operation, trying hard to prove to my own father that I was working hard to take on my late mother's business.

For years I'd been struggling while Kylie lived extravagantly–First daughter of the Anderson family. I scoffed. Her mother had born her out of an affair with my father when my mother couldn't have me yet.

After marrying the famous Rael Morgan, the man whom she had been pursuing for years, Miranda, my stepmother had not only made my life a living hell, but Kylie who'd been pretending to be the perfect sister had me raped and brutally murdered by hired men. At the dying minute, Kylie had revealed her true colors. Her true intention. She had done all that for what? My inheritance.

Not only had the people I called family betrayed me, but even my own Boyfriend, Jackson Hayes had been cheating on me. Pathetic, you would say, but life gave me a second chance. I had been reborn a week before my 19th birthday.

How could I let it slide? How could I forget the pain of having my dignity trampled upon by them? Was I to let them repeat the same thing they'd done? To let them murder me again this time? The answer was no. Infact, I was going to pay them back tenfold, starting with my step sister, Kylie.

Not only was I out to take whatever had belonged to me, but I will possess whatever belongs to them as well.

…

I licked my lips, my eyes glinting as I stepped into the car that had been parked for us. The cold man seated beside me had not even bothered to turn, making me bite my lip. It was as though we hadn't just engaged in something forbidden minutes ago.

“Drive.” came his cold, distant voice to the chauffeur who immediately started the car, driving off.

All the while, my gaze remained focused outside the window at the scenery of the city as it faded. Tomorrow was my nineteenth birthday, and as I thought about the events that occurred in my previous life, my gaze darkened.

I'd thought my own father would remember my birthday, but instead, he'd accused me of stealing Kylie's expensive jewelry and selling it. Back then I'd thought that she was a saint, the big sister anyone would dream of having, even apologizing for something I did not do. Who knew she was the one who framed me. What I hadn't known was how much she hated me for being the brain box while she was stagnant in the entertainment industry. While she hadn't passed in university, I had aced all my classes and became the youngest intern at the Morgan's cooperation. Not to brag, but I was simply a genius.

The car ride was a boring one. I couldn't risk touching Rael because of the chauffeur driving, I could only sit like a good sister-in-law until we arrived at the high end boutique Kylie had chosen.

“Rael, you're here,” Kylie's disgustingly pretentious voice sounded as soon as we stepped into the boutique. She ran over, throwing herself at the man who stood like a statue, making me stifle the chuckle that had threatened to tear from my lips. How pathetic. Whatever she did to be able to marry Rael Morgan before, I wanted to uncover it this time.

“Oh, Harriet. You came too?” Kylie asked, making me put on my best fake smile as I turned to her.

“Didn't you ask me to also pick out a dress? And let brother-in-law pay for it?” I asked, my lips twisting as I turned to Rael, who stared at me dead in the eye without blinking. It almost made me shiver.

“That's right. I almost forgot,” Kylie replied, forcing a stiff smile, and I could only shrug before going to scan a few dresses for myself.

After picking out a dress, I stepped into the changing room, trying it on. In my previous life, I'd never worn such an extravagant dress. All the banquets I'd attended, I had always worn the hand-me-downs from Kylie. I'd been deceived into thinking that our family was lacking, and that some expenses needed to be cut short, yet, Kylie had changed her wardrobe every week. How foolish had I been?

“Ma'am, you look amazing in that dress.” I heard the attendant praise Kylie, and my eyes rolled.

“What do you think?” I heard her ask, and I knew who she'd be talking to. My lips curled up into a smirk as I pushed the dressing room open, stepping out.

I could see the attendant’s mouth turn agape, her eyes almost bulging out of their sockets, but what I yearned for? Kylie's own reaction.

“Young miss, you look really stunning.” The attendant praised, making my face turn crimson.

I turned to see Kylie's forced smile as she walked over to me.

“You look nice in the dress, you should probably get it.” she commented. To others it might seem like a sister complementing her younger sister, but only I could see the clouded coldness in her eyes as she stared at me.

“Of course, brother-in-law will get it for me, right?” I asked, beaming innocently as I stared at the man seated gracefully on the chair in the reception.

He hummed in response, making me smile in satisfaction.

After shopping for a while, we headed for a famous restaurant to have lunch, and I found myself inching my legs closer to the man across from me.

I saw his indifferent gaze when I trailed my feet on his legs, yet how could I stop?

“Excuse me,” Rael muttered, and I smiled, watching as he left us at the table.

“I should probably ease myself as well. I had too much juice.” I said to Kylie who smiled, nodding her head for me to go ahead. If only she knew what I was up to.

Walking through the hallway, I pushed the men's restroom open, catching sight of the man dabbing his hands with a wipe.

“Missed me, daddy?” I whispered, wrapping my arms around his waist from behind.

“Don't test me,” He muttered, yet there was no irritation in his voice. Only warning.

He turned around, his cold eyes resting onto me. I should have shivered and cowered away. After all, this man was feared throughout the city–the number one business tycoon that got whatever he wanted through any means.

Yet, I trailed my painted nails from his chin to his Adam's apple, and down to his chest, teasing him.

“Don't you miss me? Brother-in-law?” I stood on my tippy toes, my eyes glinting as I whispered into his ear.

KNOCK! KNOCK!

The knock that reverberated pierced through our ears, making our heads turn.

“Rael, are you done yet?” Kylie's voice sounded outside, making me stiffen.

~Harriet~

The knock came again, sharper this time, yet I felt no ounce of fear. I felt thrilled.

"Rael? Are you in there?" Kylie’s voice was laced with impatience, and I could practically hear the suspicion creeping into her voice.

A slow smirk curled on my lips as I leaned in, my breath brushing against Rael’s ear.

"Better answer her, brother-in-law. Wouldn’t want her to barge in and see… this." I said, my fingers trailing down his chest again, deliberate and slow.

His hand snapped up, gripping my wrist with enough force to make my pulse jump–but not enough to hurt. His dark eyes burned into mine, unreadable yet electrifying, making my stomach churn with something unfathomable. In the next minute, his lips curled up into a dangerous smirk that left my scalp tingling.

“Or she could witness her 18 year old sister seducing a grown man,” He lowered his head, whispering into my ear.

“I don't mind if she sees,”

I hadn't expected this at all. I thought he'd push me away, or perhaps fret as his fiance was right outside. But instead, his arm moved to curl around my waist, pulling me closer. My breath hitched. The last thing I wanted was getting caught at this moment.

"Rael?" Kylie’s voice was right outside now.

In one swift motion, he spun me around, pressing me against the bathroom wall. I hadn't just been proven wrong by this man, I'd been left with beads of sweat gathered on my forehead. How had the tables turned so quickly?

“I'll be out soon.” his voice sounded, and for a moment the space outside the door was quiet.

“Oh, I'll wait for you then.” she finally said, her footsteps echoing as it stabbed into the floor. She had left.

I thought he'd leave immediately, but his lips only crashed down on mine in the next second, swallowing my gasp as his tongue slipped into my mouth. This kiss was not weak, it was intense, rendering me breathless.

The way he nibbled on my tongue made my knees weak, and I held onto him for support.

He finally let me go, licking the remnants of the strawberry lip gloss I had put on.

“I don't mind fucking you in right in front of her either,” he whispered into my ear before exiting the restroom, leaving me dazed.

I shivered, licking my lips before slipping out of there, heading back to the restaurant after minutes of Rael settling in.

“You're back,” Kylie voiced out, making me nod as I pulled out the chair which I settled on.

Soon, our meals were served.

Kylie blabbered on about her upcoming movie role, her voice dripping with false modesty

"It’s just a small project, really. But the director insisted I was perfect for the lead.” she said.

I stabbed my fork into my salad, resisting the urge to roll my eyes. In my past life, I would’ve clapped and gushed over her and her seemingly perfect career. But now? I couldn’t care less. Seemed like Rael hadn't cared either. He calmly stared at his phone, not even paying attention to her. The more I mingled with the both of them, the more I realized how their engagement seemed forced. Rael did not seem like the kind of man to end up with Kylie or marry her. It made me wonder how they had ended up together.

After lunch, I bid Kylie goodbye before heading back to the company with Rael to work on the current project.

…

By evening, all the employees had left, leaving just me and Rael in the office.

I smirked, going to close the doors before walking back to the man, who looked quite attractive as he worked.

The way his sleeves were rolled up made my throat bob, a sudden wetness coming to rest in my pants. The way his muscles flexed as he punched on the keys had me thinking about things.

“You've been working since afternoon, don't you want to rest?” I asked, staring innocently at him as I unbuttoned my shirt, showing a little cleavage–just enough for him to see as I directly bent in front of him.

I saw something flash in his eyes, making my lips curl up as I continued to undo my buttons.

My pink underwear came into view, I saw him swallow his saliva as he stared at me.

“Why don't I give myself to you one last time before your engagement banquet tonight?” I teased, completely getting rid of my shirt, now in nothing but my pink, fluffy bra.

The truth was that I'd only seduced this man because I wanted to get back at my sister. I wanted to own him for a bit, to hit Kylie hard with the fact that I had slept with her fiancé. I had prepared a recorder, recording the moans of the man she was about to marry, fucking into me like I was his. What could be more painful?

I smirked. After the banquet tonight, I was going to send the audio to her. With this thought, I pounced on the man, straddling him as I heaved my skirt up.

I could feel his cock harden as the heat from between my legs emanated.

I leaned into him, my mouth settling beside his ear.

“Fuck me, daddy.”

“You're not wearing any panties.” Rael pointed out, his voice hoarse from something I knew all too well–arousal. I'd secretly slipped my panties off when I went to get him coffee. How could I pass up the chance to tease him?

“Just how you like me, Daddy “ I whispered, feeling my heart thud furiously beneath my chest.

I saw Rael's lips curl up into something sinister, and felt his eyes turn darker–or perhaps it was my imagination?

“You've been a bad girl, taking off your panties at work.” he said, his hands slowly wrapping around my waist. I could feel something was not right, I could feel his eyes staring at me like a predator. Why had his aura turned into something so dark?

I shivered, this time, not from arousal but from fright. After all, this man was not just the most feared person in the city. He was frickin’ 10 years older than I am.

“Why don't I teach you a lesson?” He asked, his eyes glinting. My breath caught in my throat.