"P...police?" Bella stammered.

"Sir, please wait! I didn't steal the child," She explained, her voice trembling.

He didn't look at her as he continued, his voice calm, precise.

"There's a woman here with my daughter," he said.

The driver, realizing the man had called the police, immediately jumped into his taxi and sped off.

Bella picked up the crying child from the stroller.

"I came to return her... I found her in the park. It was dark, and I didn't know what to do. I'm sorry... please, don't call the police," she rushed out, her words tumbling over each other.

Lucian set down his phone and studied her. She looked drained, innocent, marked by poverty,her eyes tired, face pale...but there was a raw beauty in her features.

She handed the baby to him, but he didn't reach out, his gaze fixed on the child instead.

"I know you didn't steal her," he said finally. "My nanny left her in a park. I only wanted to scare that man away" He forced a tight smile, but it didn't reach his eyes.

Bella laughed nervously and pulled the baby back, settling her into the stroller as the child babbled happily in her own language.

She looked up at Lucian, waiting-expecting gratitude, money, something.

"Thank you," he said stiffly, the words sounding more like an obligation than appreciation.

She exhaled sharply, tired of pretending.

"At least give me money for it. I could've killed your child or sold her... but I didn't."

He raised a brow slowly.

"So doing the right thing now comes with a price?"

Bella glared at him inwardly. If she weren't so desperate for money, she wouldn't be demanding payment for doing a good deed-but right now, she didn't care. He was going to give her money, whether he liked it or not.

"Well, I took care of her," she fired.

Lucian's eyes narrowed. "Isn't that what a normal human being should do?"

The man was starting to get on her nerves. "You own a massive company. A little gratitude in the form of money wouldn't hurt," she snapped. "Or are rich people always this stingy? And how could you leave your daughter in a park with a nanny? That's... that's fucking irresponsible."

He blinked, caught off guard. She didn't know who he was? In all of New York, everyone knew Lucian Rodriguez. The thought shocked him more than he wanted to admit.

He slipped his hands into his pockets and tossed her a few dollar notes.

"Here. Now get out."

Bella stared at the money. "Fifty dollars?"

It was enough for gratitude, she reasoned, though a small, insistent part of her mind urged her to push further.

She softened her voice, striking a careful balance between boldness and pleading.

"To be honest, sir, I... I need more than this. I can't survive on so little. I'm an orphan, homeless, with nowhere to go. I... I can take care of your child, if her mother doesn't mind."

Lucian's dark eyes met hers. "Her mother is dead," he said flatly.

Bella dropped to her knees.

Lucian's eyes widened instantly. Anyone could see them...someone could misunderstand and spread rumors.

"I said get out," he ordered coldly.

"Please, sir," she sobbed. "I... I'll do anything you want. Anything at all, whatever pleases you. Just take me away from poverty forever. I don't want to keep living like this. I beg you."

Under normal circumstances, Lucian would have turned and walked away. But he didn't. He stayed, listening to her broken pleas.

His mind worked quickly. The nanny was gone. The old woman couldn't calm the baby. He glanced down at his daughter-quiet, unusually calm in Bella's presence. He couldn't handle the child alone, and there was no way to find a new nanny on such short notice.

"Hm," he said at last. "Anything?"

Bella nodded furiously, so fast it looked as though her head might fall off.

Lucian strode to his car and she interpreted the movement as an unspoken command to follow.

She stood, cradling the baby carefully, while he lifted the stroller into the trunk.

Once inside, he gestured toward the passenger seat.

Without hesitation, she climbed in.

The company's massive gates slid open automatically as Lucian drove in, the car coming to a smooth halt.

Bella followed quickly behind him, pushing the stroller as the little girl giggled happily, completely unaware of the world around her.

"Good morning, sir," a few employees greeted, bowing slightly out of habit.

"Who's that girl?" someone murmured.

"Probably a new nanny," another replied dismissively. "She won't last either."

Bella lowered her head, refusing to meet their eyes, feeling the sting of their judgment.

Lucian led her into his office. The doors closed behind them, shutting out the world.

He sank into his chair, his gaze fixed on her.

"Sir, I promise you won't regret picking me," Bella said quickly, her voice quivering, but firm. "You will have no reason to complain. I swear on my life."

Her desperation amused him, intrigued him. A dark curiosity glimmered in his eyes. He wanted to know how far she'd go.

He picked up the phone. "Bring me the contract."

Moments later, a man entered. Bella observed him quickly...tall, blonde, striking. Yet even he seemed ordinary compared to the man in front of her. There was something almost unreal about him: his dark hair, sharp eyes, muscular frame, and tanned skin made the newcomer pale in comparison.

Bella averted her gaze. She couldn't afford distractions, not now. Her focus had to be on securing the life she wanted, not admiring anyone, no matter how handsome.

Lucian focused on her.

"What is your name?"

"Bella," she said.

"Full name," he demanded.

"Rosabella Hale," she answered.

"Sign the contract," he said, sliding the papers toward her. "It states that you will do whatever I ask, without objection. Even if I asked you to act like a monkey, you would. No questions, no hesitation. I expect silence from the child at all times. And the non-disclosure clause is absolute-you may never speak of this arrangement to anyone, no matter who they are to you."

"I have nobody, sir," Bella said quickly. "I'm alone in this world. You don't have to worry. I'll sign it."

She grabbed the pen and signed without hesitation, letting it drop to the desk.

"But, sir," she said, "you have your part to fulfill. You will ensure I never go poor again. I want opportunities...to live like the rich do."

He looked at her briefly, then signed the contract with a sharp flick of the pen.

"Deal."

The drive was quiet. Bella stole brief glances at Lucian, wondering if she should ask his name...or even how old he was.

She cleared her throat.

"Um... how old are you?"

"Thirty," he replied, irritation edging his voice at her interruption.

"What about your name?" she pushed further.

"You will call me sir," he said coldly. "And keep quiet."

Bella zipped her mouth instantly. She couldn't afford to offend the man who now held her future in his hands.

She gazed down at the sleeping child in her arms, the little one's mouth still latched gently to her breast.

Lucian caught the scene through the rear-view mirror, his eyes flicking briefly to Bella's exposed breast, before returning to the road.

"Why are you doing that? Do you actually have milk for her?" he asked.

Bella shifted awkwardly under his gaze.

"It's the only way to pacify her," she said quietly. "I know it looks strange, but if you don't want her crying, this works."

He let out a quiet scoff and fell silent, though his eyes kept drifting back to her in the mirror. A sly smirk formed at the corner of his mouth.

*********

Lucian entered the house and went straight to his bedroom without saying a word to her.

Bella didn't mind-she didn't care. Her attention was already stolen by the house itself. She glanced around in awe. The polished floors gleamed, the space was vast, the lights were on, and the cool air brushing her skin told her the place was fully air-conditioned. It felt like heaven.

An elderly woman approached her.

Bella smiled warmly.

"Hello."

"Give me the child," the woman said gently. "I'll help you take her to your room."

Bella hesitated. "Doesn't she have a name?"

The woman frowned slightly. "No. Lucian never named her."

"Lucian?" Bella narrowed her eyes.

"Oh... so that's his name."

"Do not call him by his name," the woman added firmly. "Only I do."

Bella nodded quickly.

"Well," Bella said after a pause, looking down at the baby, "I can name her since I'll be taking care of her now."

She thought for a moment, then smiled.

"My little Zara."

The woman's expression softened.

"That's a beautiful name. You may call me Miss Margaret. And what is your name, dear?"

"Rosabella," she replied. "But call me Bella."

Miss Margaret nodded. "Alright. I'll take you to your room, and I'll have the baby's belongings moved there shortly."

"Thank you."

Bella's heart swelled. Just yesterday, she had been hopeless...and today, she was standing in a mansion.

"Now nothing can go wrong in my life," she muttered as she followed Miss Margaret.

********

Soon, Bella had settled in. She took a shower and changed into one of the dresses she found in the cupboard. There were plenty, neatly folded, and she assumed they belonged to a previous nanny. They were proper clothes for a young lady, and the room was huge, comfortable, and simply amazing.

Zara was sleeping peacefully in her cot; Bella had already fed her with a bottle of baby formula.

She laid down to rest, but a knock at the door startled her.

"Come in," she said softly.

Margaret entered. "Lucian is requesting you."

Bella nodded and followed her immediately.

When she reached Lucian's room, she knocked lightly.

There was no answer. Hesitant, she pushed the door open and stepped inside.

Lucian sat on the edge of his bed, a cigarette in one hand and a glass of wine in the other.

Bella swallowed hard, her nerves prickling.

"I... I heard you needed me," she said cautiously.

He let out a short, amused scoff. "Need?"

"Sorry," she replied quickly, bowing her head slightly.

He drew deeply on his cigarette, his dark eyes fixed on the soft curves of her figure as he exhaled a slow plume of smoke.

She stood there in a pale pink nightgown, the thin fabric clinging just enough to make her full, perky breasts impossible to ignore and that was all Lucian seemed able to focus on.

Bella gave a small cough, waving the smoke away.

"What do you want?" she asked, voice gentle. "I can cook something for you now...anything you like."

"Anything I like," he repeated, a slow smirk spreading across his face. "Is she really this naive?" he wondered. "Does she truly not understand why she's here"

She watched him, trying to read the thoughts behind those shadowed eyes. "If it's the other thing he wants, he'll have to say it," she told herself. "I'm not foolish enough to offer it first and look like an idiot if that's not what he has in mind."

Lucian discarded the cigarette and rose from the bed, closing the distance between them, his gaze darkening with unmistakable intent.

A rush of heat flooded through Bella's body, her skin prickling under his intense stare.

He leaned in close, his breath warm against her ear as he whispered, "Show me your breasts."

Bella met his eyes without flinching. She knew low-key that this moment was coming, and she had no intention of refusing him.

With steady hands, she gently loosened the ties of her nightgown, letting the soft fabric slip from her shoulders and rest around her hips.

Bella's full, pale breasts spilled free, crowned with delicate peach-colored nipples that hardened in the cool air.

Lucian's jaw tightened. He felt himself throb hard against the confines of his pants, the sight alone nearly undoing him. Those perfect, ripe curves, he could already imagine how they'd feel against his tongue, how easily they might push him past control and make him cum untouched.

His hands were on her instantly, rough palms cupping her breasts possessively, thumbs grazing the sensitive peaks.

A sharp, involuntary gasp escaped Bella's lips, her back arching slightly into his touch.

He kneaded her slowly at first, then harder, testing, claiming, watching her face with dark satisfaction as her eyes fluttered shut and her soft lips parted on a trembling breath.

Quiet needy moans spilled from her, sounds that stroked his ego as much as his desire.

Lucian dipped his head, mouth finding the curve of her neck. He kissed the warm skin once, twice, then bit down... hard, leaving a blooming hickey that made her gasp again, louder this time. His hands slid lower, long veiny fingers slipping under her nightgown, tracing her smooth thighs, inching upward.

Bella let out a startled yelp as his fingers brushed higher, the sound catching Lucian off guard for a moment.

He stilled, lips grazing the sensitive curve of her ear. "No man has done this to you, right?" he whispered, his voice so sultry and deep that it sent a visible shiver racing down her spine.

She swallowed, cheeks flushed, eyes fixed somewhere past his shoulder. "Hmm... n-no," she admitted softly. "I've only... given blowjobs for money. I've never done this. No man has ever touched me there."

Lucian paused, staring at her as if she were lying. She looked far too innocent to have done such things for money, and hearing her claim this was... deeply disappointing.

But he studied her for a long moment, making Bella nervous, then a slow smirk curved his lips at the thought of fucking her virgin pussy.

"Good," he said quietly. "I have no tolerance for anything careless or worn thin...In simpler terms, overused sluts. I'll excuse your past because you were desperate...but understand this."

He let the silence linger for a beat. Then he leaned in, whispering into her ear as if it were a warning.

"From this moment forward, every part of your body belongs to me...and to me alone. Your lips and throat will know only the length of my cock and the taste of my cum."

Bella gulped as every hair on her body stood. She had never felt this electric, this alive; heat pooled low in her belly, her pussy already soaked and aching, greedy for more...for everything Lucian promised, pleasure and wealth tangling in her mind until nothing else existed.

"Come on," he murmured, voice rough with hunger, eyes fixed on her chest. "Feed me those sweet tits of yours."

Bella was out of breath, her naked body a moaning mess beneath Lucian as he gripped her slim waist tightly and swept his tongue over her breast. He had been at it for so long that she was convinced Lucian had never had his fill of his mother's breasts when he was younger.

He did nothing more. She thought he would fuck her, but he just focused on sucking her nipples.

She panted, gripping the sheets tightly.

"Please," she moaned in ecstasy, her nipples sore yet throbbing with that sweet, insistent tingle that refused to fade.

Lucian palmed her breasts harder, somehow managing to draw both swollen nipples into his mouth at once, his tongue dragging slow, deliberate circles over them.

"So full," he growled.

"Your nipples are so fun to suck on," he murmured, pulling back just enough to speak, eyes dark with hunger. "No wonder that child was so easily swayed by them."

Bella's moans grew louder, sharper, his filthy words pushing her right to the brink.

"I'm...I'm about to cum, ahh..." she gasped, the sound dragging out long and desperate as her body tensed.

Lucian only flicked his tongue faster, relentless, teasing the swollen peaks until Bella arched off the bed, back bowing in a perfect curve. Pleasure crashed through her in violent shock waves; she trembled uncontrollably, thighs clenching, breath hitching as the orgasm tore through her, from nothing but his mouth on her nipples.

He finally pulled back, lips glistening, and gazed down at her flushed, shivering form. A slow, satisfied smirk curled across his face, dark eyes gleaming with triumph.

"You can go now," he said "But this is just the beginning. Next time, I will ravage that pussy of yours. A little time to adjust... consider it a privilege I'm granting you."

Bella bit her lower lip hard enough to feel the sting, her body still trembling from the aftershocks. She nodded, cheeks flushed.

"O-okay... anytime, sir," she muttered, the words barely audible, submissive and breathless.

Yet beneath the haze of lingering pleasure, a thread of fear coiled tight in her chest. Her heart pounded not only from the thrill, but from the sudden, sharp question that filled her mind: had she truly made the right decision?

She rose from the bed and slipped her nightgown back on, the thin silk slid over her skin, clinging to her curves.

Lucian hadn't moved. He sat propped against the headboard, eyes dark and predatory, fixed on the sway of her hips, the round swell of her ass as the fabric settled over it. A slow, appreciative smirk tugged at his mouth. Maddening, perfect curves...he could already feel the ache building again.

In two strides he was behind her. His hand came down hard against her ass, a sharp, possessive smack.

Bella flinched, a startled gasp slipping from her lips... anger flared up in her chest.

She hated it...hated when men did that to her.

Yes, he had given her pleasure, and she had been okay with that. But smacking her ass was different. That was one thing she couldn't stand.

Her palm burned with the urge to hit him back, but she didn't. She couldn't.

One wrong move and the deal was off, he could throw her back into the cold with nothing.

So she swallowed the anger, pushed it down until it settled heavy in her stomach, and fixed her gaze on the floor.

"G-goodnight," she muttered, her voice small, brittle.

Her fingers closed around the doorknob. With trembling hands, she turned it, slipped out, and pulled the door shut behind her. She walked away quickly, her heart pounding as she fled down the hall to her room.

*******

Inside a towering skyscraper, a man stood by the window, hands buried in his pockets, staring out at nothing.

"Sir, Lucian has acquired the company before us. I'm so-"

The punch landed before the apology could be finished.

The man staggered back, clutching his face.

"Get out!" he roared.

The room emptied instantly.

He turned back to the window, jaw tight, eyes dark with fury.

"Lucian," he muttered coldly. "I will ruin you. This business world isn't big enough for the both of us."

******

It was morning. Bella stretched lazily in the huge bed, then went about her routine...bathing Zara, feeding her, then rocking her to sleep.

She finally settled in the living room to watch television. Lucian had already left for work, and she let out a quiet sigh of relief.

"Thank God... I thought I'd have to suck his dick or something as a starter." She muttered.

The TV paused on an interview about independence and finding your own path in life. The host addressed the guest, a powerful woman whose success radiated from the screen.

"Miss Ava Spark, do you have any advice for the women out there? You single-handedly run the biggest industry in Australia," the host added, leaning forward.

Ava Spark smiled, calm and confident.

"Don't be scared. Use every opportunity wisely, be smart okay. Don't hold back from life...stand up and go after what you want. You can be someone. Never rely on a man; they will fail you. Trust yourself first."

Bella felt warmth in her chest. She loved the woman's words. She had always dreamed of owning a little business herself, but life... life had other plans.

She sighed, remembering her teenage years. She had been a bright student, surviving just enough to earn her high school diploma on a scholarship. University had been impossible, survival had left no room for dreams.

But maybe... maybe I can still try, she thought, a spark of determination forming in her mind. Right there, she decided what she would ask Lucian for.

Turning on music, she danced around the living room, feeling light and excited. For the first time in a long while, hope stirred inside her, and she let herself enjoy it.

******

(RODRIGUEZ COMPANY)

Lucian sat in his office, eyes on the massive screen before him. The camera feed from the mansion's living room showed Bella dancing, spinning around in a crop top and shorts, shaking her hips completely lost in her own world.

Normally, he didn't bother checking the CCTV, but something made him glance over today. His "desperate little slut," was right there in full view-how could he not see what she was doing?

He narrowed his eyes, suspicion creeping in. Women are always devious, he thought, even the ones scraping by in poverty. Something about her carefree movements didn't sit right with him, and he made a mental note to keep watching.

She began twerking, rolling her hips in slow, deliberate circles, making her ass bounce and sway hypnotically.

Lucian's cock strained instantly against his trousers, throbbing at the sight. A dark smirk curved his lips as he watched her. He zipped it down with unhurried fingers, freeing his thick, rigid length. It sprang out, already leaking at the tip.

He wrapped his hand around the shaft and started stroking slowly, eyes locked on the screen, savoring every teasing movement of her body.

"Fuck," Lucian grunted, eyes glued to the screen, lust burning through him as he bit down hard on his lower lip. He was teetering right on the edge.

"Rosabella," he moaned, her full name rolling off his tongue like a prayer as his hand sped up, stroking faster, harder.

He squeezed his eyes shut, imagining her soft hands wrapped around his cock instead of his own-warm, teasing, perfect. The fantasy pushed him too far. With a ragged breath, he forced himself to stop just before the release, shoving his throbbing length back into his trousers and zipping up with trembling fingers.

He snatched his car keys from the desk and strode out, jaw clenched, every step fueled by raw, unresolved need.

********

Back at the house, Bella heard the low rumble of a car pulling into the drive, followed by the heavy click of the front door opening. She frowned, pausing mid-fold over one of Lucian's designer shirts. It was barely past noon; Miss Margaret never left the estate, and no one else had keys.

Curious, she set the shirt aside and padded down the stairs in her bare feet.

Lucian stood in the entrance hall, jacket slung over one arm, tie loosened and hanging crooked against his chest. His hair was slightly mussed, as though he'd raked his fingers through it one too many times.

"You're back early," she said, surprised, lifting her voice.

He didn't answer.

His gaze roamed over her slowly, deliberately, lingering on the swell of her breasts beneath the thin crop top, then drifting lower to the generous curve of her full hips, so perfectly on display in those tiny shorts. The silence stretched, thick and heavy, as he drank her in without a word.

Bella shifted uncomfortably under his stare but pressed on.

"Um... I have something to ask you," she said, lifting her chin. "I want a phone. I've never had one."

Lucian's brow arched. "What do you need a phone for?" His voice came off strong and intimidating "To gossip about our little contract with your orphan friends and invite them all here?"

Her heart sank, a sharp sting blooming behind her ribs. She was used to insults, had armored herself against most of them, but this one cut deeper than the others.

"I just want to use social media, listen to music , use headphones , watch reels and play games, it's boring here afterall , it's just me , Zara and Miss Margaret," she said, keeping her voice steady. "I don't have anyone to call. And according to our contract, you're supposed to grant my every wish. This is my wish."

Lucian pressed his tongue against the inside of his cheek as he studied her. She didn't need a phone. Her world, in his eyes, was meant to shrink until it held only him. Connections, distractions, outside voices...they didn't belong here.

Yet she met his gaze with that stubborn spark in her eyes, daring him to refuse.

"Alright," Lucian finally said, voice rough and eyes fixed on her lips. "Suck my dick then. I need relief. I came back from work to bury it in your mouth...not to hear your demands."

He stepped closer, towering over her.

"Kneel."