Encaged within his arms, she pressed her cherry red lips into thin lines.

She could only give up.

In front of this formidable man, she was helpless. 

She could not match his gym-trained, athletic body. 

Even if, by some lucky chance, she succeeded in escaping his grasp and running out of this room, there was a horde of bodyguards waiting outside. They would bring her back to his feet without him even bothering to order them.

There was no place in this world where she could seek refuge from him.

No matter how much effort she put in or how far she got, in the end, it would just be as much work as flicking a finger for him to get her back right into his mansion.

He would find her, bring her back to his bed and do whatever he desired.

If she truly regretted it right now...she should have thought it before provoking the Devil last night.

Once Luna realised that she could not avoid the consequences of her actions, her gem-like chocolate brown eyes shimmered with determination.

With a heart that had reached conclusion, she lifted her head to meet his heated gaze. But once her eyes landed on that cold, chiselled face and that subtle hint of desire in those eyes...she felt the strings of her heart being pulled mercilessly. The sensation was vivid and overwhelming. Events of last night flashed across her mind.

At that time... when he had held her down... and...and...

Unwanted desire emerged between her legs and spread across her lower abdomen. Luna sucked in a deep breath. Under the quilt, her fists tightened even more. Her nails dug into the flesh of her palm.

Maybe the pain would bring her senses back to her.

Afraid that he might look through what she was feeling, Luna quickly broke eye contact, hiding her lust from his perceptive gaze.

Why was her body giving such a reaction to this man? She didn't like him. Then why?

Wasn't that obvious? Could it be her cousin was right? Was she just a slut?

Her helplessness ended up in a thin layer of unshed tears over her gleaming eyes. She looked even more enticing.

Those conflicting feelings. She could never comprehend them. She hated him. But she desired him. What did she really want? She was still unsure. And in her uncertainty, she had given herself to him.

She thought that after spending a night with him, her feelings would clear up.

But that didn't happen.

She was even more confused than before. Even more directionless.

All of a sudden, her face was grabbed. Actions rough. She was forced to look at him.

The sudden movement forced those unshed tears to roll down her rosy cheeks like colourless shining pearls. 

Damien paused. After a moment, his thumb grazed across her cheek. Gentle and thoughtful, removing the tears. But soon, they were replaced with fresh ones.

She had never cried in front of him like this. Not even when he had forced her here. Not even last night.

He glanced at his wet thumb and chuckled darkly. "Why?" Suddenly, the intimate and playful environment dissipated. Luna sensed the change in him. 

The shift made her shrink back in fear. The defiance brought an even harsher response out of him. Luna had learned it. Whenever she showed defiance, he would feel an urge to crush. But she couldn't just help herself. Not this time.

He looked at her tearful eyes. Over his face that had always been excessively cold, grew a few layers of frost.

"I asked why?" His voice grew quieter-silence before a storm.

The air in the room felt suffocating

However, Luna didn't respond.

After a long while had passed, and she still made no movement, he moved closer to her. His lips were inches away from her neck. His hot breath brushed her neck, sending shivers down her spine. Shivers that weren't unpleasant.

"Last night..." His voice was low, seductive with an undertone of warning, "Didn't you like it very much?" A hint of repressed anger appeared in his tone. 

Yet, his deep, evocative voice successfully rekindled those images that Luna was struggling so hard to suppress.

Those hot, passionate kisses...her moans...her shameless words...

"Please, don't!" She shut her eyes tight, shaking her head, denying those memories from emerging.

No, that did not happen!

"I remember it was you who was screaming my name when I..."

"I said stop it!" Her voice was loud. First time she dared to be so loud in front of him. 

Placing her hands over his shoulder, she shoved him away.

Since she was the one who started it, did she think she had a right to act like a victim now?

That shove did it. Damian's lips curled up into a cold smirk. His eyes lost that subtle hint of warmth. The real Devil appeared. That look could make one shit his pants. 

And Luna was just a little girl. 

Leaning back again, his finger lifted up her chin.

"Is it because..." He asked, peering into her soul as if mocking her, "It hurts?" His other hand slipped under the quilt, travelled across her leg, and ended up resting upon her naked thigh under the blanket.

His warm, strong yet gentle touch made Luna almost jump out of bed. Each and every inch of skin his touch would ignite into flames of desire. 

Those feelings were too overwhelming.

Luna instantly put her hand over his, stopping him from proceeding. She tried to pry his hand off, but failed.

Her actions only resulted in the hold over her flesh getting tighter. It was a warning. An immense heat crawled up her core, making her breath unstable. Her hand that was resting atop his, over the quilt, trembled and weakened, no longer stopping him.

She felt her resolve weakening.

No, this had to stop now!

Last night...must not repeat!

"Just what else do you want now?" Luna raised her head and looked into his eyes. This time, the vulnerability in her eyes was replaced with emptiness. "Haven't you already taken everything from me? Aren't you satisfied now? Would you only stop once I kill myself out of desperation?"

Getting such a response, he paused. Knowing that she had finally got him, Luna continued, "Is it my death you want? You might think that I won't take such a step because of my family. But Damian, let me tell you. If you push me over my limits, I won't even care for my family anymore."

Just as expected, anger roiled up within those deep, dark orbs. A deep, terrifying anger. It was as if dark clouds of gloom had suddenly infiltrated the room. The atmosphere had changed so quickly. 

Any moment now.

Something was about to erupt.

Luna waited. Keeping her tear-filled yet determined eyes fixated on his face, keeping her small, dainty hand firmly fixed over his hand that was threatening her.

And then, he laughed.

He laughed.

And it was the coldest and chilliest laugh she had ever heard.

"Do you think by killing yourself you can escape me?" The hand on her thigh never left. Instead, it only tightened more and more. To the point, Luna knew that if he pressed a little more, it would leave a mark.

However, his strength never surpassed the limit to actually hurt her.

Suddenly, he climbed onto the bed and pinned her down.

Startled, Luna froze. Only after a moment, she recovered and began to struggle.

"Stop!"

It happened too suddenly.

One moment Luna was sitting, leaning against the headboard, trying to strategise her way out of the complicated situation, and in the next, she found herself beneath him, the cold sheets brushing her back as Damian's shadow loomed over her. 

Everything happened so fast that she didn't even have the time to breathe, much less react. His strength, his presence, the sheer dominance radiating off him-she felt all of it press down on her in a single overwhelming wave.

And before she could react, warm, moist lips leaned down and claimed hers without waiting for permission. 

There was nothing gentle about the kiss-nothing hesitant or questioning. 

It was fierce, consuming, almost punishing, as if he were imprinting his existence onto her very soul. 

Once the kiss deepened and their tongues intertwined, Luna felt the last of her defences crumble. She fell into that cyclone of emotions she had been desperately trying to avoid for years-fear, longing, confusion, desire. All of it spiralled within her, pulling her down without mercy.

Her hands, which had been gripping his lapel with the intention of pushing him away, betrayed her. Instead of resisting, they pulled him closer, dragging him down to her. 

Her fingers moved on their own, unrestrained as they slid up his broad shoulders, into his soft, silky hair. 

She tugged him closer, deepening the kiss with a hunger she pretended she didn't possess. 

It terrified her-how instinctively, how helplessly her body remembered him.

When he finally pulled back after that long, breath-stealing kiss, Luna's eyes fluttered open. Those deep, endless eyes of his held her captive, pulling her soul into them with a force that made her forget how to inhale. 

His gaze was intense-too intense. 

There was something raw in it, something unguarded that she had never seen before.

The look he gave her made her instantly regret every reckless word she had thrown at him earlier.

"D-Damian, I am-"

"I won't let anyone take you away. Not even death."

His tone was deep, quiet, deadly serious. The words were not just a threat-they were a vow. A vow spoken by a man who never broke one.

"You belong to me and only me."

Luna froze.

It was rare-so rare-to see Damian Blackwell allow emotion to seep into his words. He was a man carved from ice and discipline. 

A man whose coldness could silence a room. If any of his subordinates had witnessed him in this state, with vulnerability flickering in his eyes, they would have believed it was an illusion. 

This was the same man who could terrify a veteran soldier with a single calm glance. The same man whose voice, when dipped in frost, could make even the boldest criminals choke on fear.

Yet tonight, he wasn't cold.

He was burning.

He gave her one last glance-quick, sharp, lingering longer than he intended. 

Then he picked up his coat, slipped it on with mechanical precision, and without sparing her another look, walked toward the door. His footsteps were steady, controlled. But Luna saw the tension in his shoulders, the tightness in his jaw. He was running-not from danger, but from her.

The heavy thud of the closing door echoed through the enormous room, announcing that he had left her alone once again.

Silence settled around her like a thick blanket. For a long moment, she didn't move. She remained frozen in that same position, her lips still tingling, her fingers still trembling with the memory of his hair between them. She wasn't sure if he had truly left or if he was standing behind the closed door, fighting the urge to return.

But the hallway remained silent.

Slowly, she released a shaky breath and forced herself to sit up.

Pulling the quilt around her body, she rose from the bed. Each movement felt oddly detached, as if she were watching herself from the outside. She walked toward the window-the massive glass wall overlooking the city below. Her steps were soft, almost soundless, swallowed by the thick carpet.

She gazed down at the silent city, glittering like a field of distant stars. Her long, thick hair cascaded down her back in messy waves, tangling around her shoulders, dark and unruly, falling like a veil around her form.

It was daybreak.

The first traces of gold crept across the horizon, softening the edges of skyscrapers with a quiet glow. The room itself was perched on one of the highest floors of the Blackwell Tower-hundreds of floors above ground, secluded from the noise of the living world.

Up here, it always felt like a different realm.

A place where only two people existed.

Luna knew her life would never be the same-not since the day Damian laid his eyes on her. That moment had sealed her fate.

Her life had changed the day she made that grave, irreversible mistake three years ago-when she was only seventeen, naïve and brave in all the wrong ways.

"Damian Blackwell," she whispered, her voice trembling ever so slightly.

Her fingertips pressed against the cold glass. The chill seeped into her skin, grounding her, reminding her of reality. Her lips trembled into a faint smile; not a happy one, but a fragile, helpless one. Remnants of tears still clung to her lashes. Streaks of moisture still stained her cheeks.

Damian Blackwell.

A name that chilled countless people down to their marrow.

A name whispered with fear, respect, dread.

A name no one dared to offend in their wildest dreams.

But she had.

Luna Hart was never a fragile, weak girl. Her appearance was delicate-a rose petal waiting to be bruised-but inside, she carried a strength that refused to break. That strength was her blessing-

-and her curse.

Perhaps if she had been a softer girl, a more timid girl, she wouldn't have made that catastrophic mistake three years ago.

Exactly three years ago, in a dimly lit club past midnight, she had seen him for the first time.

Damian Blackwell.

Back then, she had thought he was... likeable. Yes, likeable. Though she didn't know his name or identity, her first impression was gentle. She had believed he was a man with a cold exterior yet a righteous heart.

How wrong she was.

Fatally wrong.

And she had been running from the consequences ever since.

A month later, she had seen him again. Till then, she had no idea who he was.

In the high-class club, which was exclusive for the Elite, Damian Blackwell, the important man of the century, was sitting in the VVIP section. Being surrounded by groups of influential men who had waited for months just to win a minute of audience with him justified his sovereignty. His eyes lingered momentarily at that beautiful woman on the bottom floor who was drinking nonstop without any regard for tomorrow. He silently took a sip of some expensive brand of French wine. No one could penetrate his thoughts.

Not long after, his eyes shifted back to the person who was desperately fawning over him. It was noteworthy to say that the people who surrounded him included not only the President of some big, renowned international corporations but also several embassy members from foreign states. Yet, the nonchalance in Damian's demeanour did no justice to their status. Despite their important posts and flattering smiles, he was sitting there with a calm look on his face and a refined ambience in his air. 

Looking ever so unapproachable and aloof. From that, one could infer that this man was several levels above any of those who surrounded him that night.

That night, on the down floor, Luna had chugged down a great number of drinks. In her struggles to dissolve her pain, she had long surpassed the pre-decided safe threshold.

"Lulu, you said it would be the last one. This is not what you said when you asked me to tag along."

"Now what? You are determined to get totally wasted?"

"Luna Hart, we have classes tomorrow!"

"How about this: let me take you back?"

"Lulu, stop! This is the fifth one!" Sierra Lane's voice of complaints came at regular intervals. However, Luna paid no heed.

"Stop nagging," she gave a dismissive gesture and asked the mixer for another glass of some high alcohol high-alcohol-content beverage.

"..."

"I-I'mm not ggoing home tonight." Her speech had only begun to slur now. Yet, the determination in her eyes was crystal clear.

"Lulu!" 

Luna Hart giggled lightly. 

"This is it! I am going to call your brother!"

Luna paused. Playfully, she placed a finger under her chin as if she were thinking about something. Laughing lightly, she met Sierra Lane's eyes once again.

"I wonder how surprised your brother would be once I tell him about the things you did with your boyfriend in the backseat of his new car."

"..."

"And how beautiful his expressions would be once he realises the stains on those seats weren't ice cream but actually-"

"For f*ck sake, shut up!" Sierra Lane's eyes were furious. Yet a deep crimson crept up her face. It was a mixture of anger and embarrassment.

"See? It is wise if we don't involve our family in this. You are going to cover up for my absence, and that's how it's gonna be."

"This is bullying. Lulu, you! You have no shame."

Luna smiled at Sierra. After chugging down the remnant contents of the glass, she looked back at her. Propping her chin over her hand, her drunken eyes looked directly at Sierra's reddening face.

"How come? I wasn't the one who did those things."

"I shouldn't have told you."

"That was a mistake you made! Now suffer!"

Luna was naturally so provocative. After numbing her caution with alcohol, her provocations had reached entirely new heights. That night, Sierra had already suffered a lot at her hands. Sierra didn't know what to do with her. She just didn't know. Other than throwing her head over the counter in desperation, she couldn't do anything anyway. She could already hear her brother's scolding for not completing her assignments.

"What was I thinking when I agreed to accompany you?"

"Lulu, my dear Lulu, you are going to regret it tomorrow."

"Have you ever drunk this much before? Think of the terrible hangover awaiting you!"

Yet no matter what Sierra said, it had no effect on Luna. Gritting her teeth, Sierra finally said,

"You are like this because of Ethan? Let me tell you, that bastard is totally not even worth a hangover!"

Something flicked in Luna's eyes.

"Who says I am here because of him? This is my life, and I want to get drunk today."

Sierra Lane was about to retort, but stopped. She had just caught the subtle change of expression on Luna's face. She froze for a second.

'Lulu, with your attitude, you almost had me believe that you really didn't care. But guess I was wrong. You still care for that bastard?'

Sierra Lane didn't bring that matter up again. With a sigh, she resigned.

"Being me one too!"

"That's my girl!" Luna's eyes gleamed in happiness; she clapped happily and kissed Sierra's cheek.

"Just remember that I am doing it this once. There won't be any other time."

Sierra eyed Luna with a glare.

"Of course!"

No matter how playful and provocative Luna was, when it came to relationships, she had her heart settled on only one man, Ethan Monroe. For him, she had forsaken everything. Now that she had caught him with another woman in the middle of the act, Luna's state of mind had been chaotic for a week. Although Luna did her best not to make it obvious and continuously told everyone that she was over him, this time Sierra had seen right past her.

"There won't be any next time. Come on, you need to lose yourself sometimes, too."

Luna's eyes fell on a couple dancing happily in the club. Gradually, her smile dropped. Inevitably, she succumbed to the memories of Ethan. She closed her eyes for a second and thought. 

Where did she go wrong? 

She just didn't agree to be physical with him until she was eighteen. To compensate, she had done her best to become a woman in his ideals. Despite her naturally wild personality, she had been restraining herself all those years. Just for his sake. Just to be a wife material for him.

Luna felt a dull ache in her heart.

'Sierra is right. He is not worth it.'

What pained her wasn't his betrayal. What pained her more was her naivety. She was so naive to think that he was sincere with her.

'Guess this is how men are. A man who can love a woman without having her physically must be a myth.'

She had reached a conclusion that night. A conclusion she would holf firmly till a tragedy proved her wrong.

And that conclwas going to make her do something that she would regret for the rest of her life.